Male

Male, the capital of the Maldives atolls, is bustling with scooters and automobiles and Indian bazaars filled with coconuts and spices. It has the frantic feel of a place pushed into a slot that is too tiny for it.

And it is, for that reason.

The town is jammed into a tiny islet in the North Male Atoll, despite being sparsely frequented (most tourists fly straight to their resort after skipping the city on seaplanes).

However, it manages to cram several remarkable attractions among its streets, such as the gold-tipped Islamic Center and the Friday Mosque from the 17th century.

Male Market is another must-visit; just be ready to practice your bartering.

Maafushi 

Maafushi may not have the expansive 5-star hotels and lavish resorts that many of its adjacent brothers enjoy, but it still has a lot of charm.

Sadly destroyed by the tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean in 2004, the area has spent the past ten years working to reconstruct its salt-washed fishing jetties and diligent sailor homes.

Maafushi is now one of the best off-the-beaten-path island escapes for budget travelers, thanks in part to the opening up of rights to local guesthouses.

Naturally, you can anticipate stunning beaches lined with palm trees, crashing waves, and a number of cozy tiny coffee shops on the sand.

Hulhumale Island

The island of Hulhumale, located just across the glittering waters from Male's capital, is perpetually expanding as more and more land is reclaimed to house the sweeping urban tendrils of the city.

The Velana International Airport, which serves as the majority of travelers' primary entry point to these paradisiacal islands, is also located there.

Despite how intimidating it may sound, Hulhumale is actually a wonderful spot.

A stunning beach, albeit man-made, several lush neighborhoods, a mosque with a glass roof, and proposed promenade walkways over the Indian Ocean are all there.

Utheemu

The stunning location of Utheemu occupies a significant place in the history of this archipelago nation. It is located in the far northern regions of the Haa Alif Atoll, which is also the northernmost of all the Maldivian island chains.

This is due to the fact that it was formerly the residence of the illustrious Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu, who is credited with driving Portuguese invaders from the islands in the late 16th century.

Of course, there are the typical brilliant white dunes and lapping waves of the Indian Ocean, but these are broken up by historical landmarks like the Utheemu Ganduvaru, a stunning timber-built palace where the renowned leader spent his formative years.

Maradhoo

Maradhoo is a key island in the chain of islands that begins with Gan to the east and is connected at the hip to the aforementioned Feydhoo by a seashore causeway that runs just above the coral-fringed coasts of the Seenu Atoll.

It sticks out into the Indian Ocean like a long, slender finger, surrounded by groves of swaying coconut trees and narrow beachfront.

Similar to Feydhoo, the people are friendly and laid-back, and the food is spicy and abundant in seafood.

Make sure to stroll down Link Road and browse the sandwich shops and coffee businesses that converge there between the palms.

Feydhoo 

The tale of Feydhoo is an intriguing one.

In the 19th century, the locals of nearby Gan Island, who presently inhabited the area's green lanes and compact house blocks, were here (more on that one later). The people were relocated to live on the subsequent island in the Seenu Atoll when the British arrived, converting Gan into an airbase.

That was Feydhoo, which today paints a charming picture of everyday life in the Maldives.

The people will always welcome you as you tour the meandering streets and try seafood dishes with them.

Veligandu Island

Sea kayaks bob on the turquoise shoreline, crystal-clear waves flow in softly from the inland lagoon, romantic sunsets glow red and yellow over the lapping waters of the Indian Ocean, and there are cocktails clinking in the resort's opulent bar.

Welcome to the breathtaking Veligandu Island, which has long been praised as one of the best romantic getaways in the Maldives.

On this long, thin finger of land on the western end of the North Ari Atoll, honeymooners and newlyweds are frequently seen, and there are plenty of lavish coastal homes and suites to match.

Fuvahmulah 

Compared to the other Maldivian atolls, Fuvahmulah promises something a little unique.

To begin with, this dot on the Indian Ocean map is isolated on its own atoll and doesn't actually have any close neighbors.

It is also occasionally dotted with inland lakes, which is uncommon in this low-lying terrain.

While the sandbanks around famed Banging Beach provide some crashing waves and cooling salt spray (a change from the typical peaceful lapping lagoons), the area's proximity to the equator results in hot weather all year long.

Thulusdhoo Island

The energy of the Caribbean's salt-washed coast appears to be what propels Thulusdhoo Island.

This little island in the Male Atolls is surrounded by large areas of sand where bulbous coconut trunks emerge in their hundreds.

The beaches are fantastic, of course, and the locals enjoy bringing in their aging fishing boats for the occasional hot seafood barbecue.

All of that blends seamlessly with vacationers on Thulusdhoo's other pleasure, surfing.

Look for the nearby Villingilimathi Huraa left-hand rollers that convert into barrels for some amusement.

Banana Reef

There will be a lot of tourists visiting the Maldives islands solely for the purpose of diving.

The Banana Reef is easily the best location in the nation to don SCUBA equipment and wetsuits.

This underwater smear of sandbanks covered in algae and corals in various colors, shaped like a fruit, is situated between the North Male Atoll's islands.

Numerous outfitters provide service there, leading divers on expeditions to find the reef sharks, barracudas, and striped snappers that congregate here.