Maldives holidays are best known for relaxing on the beach, trying a few water sports and chilling out. If you want to make your holiday that little bit different though, then take a visit to the remote Addu Atoll, the southernmost atoll in the Maldives and enjoy a totally different, more interactive experience. This region is popular with independent travellers looking to get a feel for the authentic Maldivian way of life, and it’s also a great place to meet and interact with the locals on a personable level, away from the hustle and bustle of tourist life and free from the usual tourist traps.

The Addu Atoll comprises several islands and islets (many of which are totally uninhabited), largely secluded from tourist crowds and offering a true Maldivian island feel. The atoll has four channels; the Maa Kandu and the Kuda Kandu in the north and the GAn Kandu and Vilingili Kandu in the south. As a curious fact, the Addu Atoll was the only area in Maldives not affected by the 1998 global coral bleach.

Gan is a popular island of Addu Atoll, not least because of its endearing budget resort, which gives friendly, down to earth service. Gan is a former British navy base and it’s interesting to observe the changing influence this has had on the island. The resort is connected to five neighbouring islands by a 17 km road; the longest in the Maldives, giving free and easy access to other parts of the area. One of the most popular activities in Addu Atoll is taking a bike ride along this road to go and visit all the other small and un-touristy islands. You can take a guided tour which will give you a little more information about Addu Atoll’s part to play as British naval base. It’s a really enjoyable, relaxing tour, and a great way to see the whole area.

Along the way, why not stop off for a coffee or a picnic and chat to locals in the Maldivian villages to hear their stories about what local life is really like in the Maldives.

The independent flavour of Addu is what attracts most people. The Addu inhabitants even speak a different language to the main island of the Maldives, Male. This is the place then, to soak up a completely unique culture and begin to understand the complexities of the Maldivian way of life. The Maldives is so much more than sun, sand and sea, and Addu Atoll is the place to get to know it if you take the time to explore it during your next Maldives holidays.