Okay, welcome to part two of the Maldives series: anchoring and actual sailing! The Maldives is beautiful, with its reefs, islands, and picture-perfect anchorages. That said, it actually isn’t easy sailing—deep anchorages, SO MANY reef passes, and trying to find supplies while on the move.
But we managed it! And now that we’ve had the experience, I figured it could help you too. So let’s get into sailing the Maldives: our top stops from north to south!
Quick Note: We didn’t stop everywhere in the Maldives—we focused on places we were most interested in (like ones with surf). So this isn’t a comprehensive guide to all Maldivian anchorages—just the ones we stopped at and loved.
Related:
Surfing in the Maldives: Our Top Spots from North to South
Indian Ocean Crossing: Part Two – Sri Lanka to Maldives
Indian Ocean Crossing: Part Three – Maldives to Chagos
Haa Alifu Atoll
Right, let’s head way up north to the most northern atoll. It’s not big, but it was our first stop!
We pulled into Uligan after our passage from Sri Lanka, and it really FELT like we were in a totally different country. I know you’re probably thinking, “Duh, that’s because you are,” but sometimes the change hits you like a smack in the face—especially when you don’t know what to expect… which we didn’t.
The anchorage in Uligan was okay. We were happy to arrive in plenty of daylight, meaning we had time to figure it out. You either go over the shallow reef and anchor in 2–3m of sand, or drop away from the ledge in something like 15–18m. Still sand, but much deeper. We took the second option and then jumped in for a swim to wash off the passage.
Over the next few days, we explored. On shore, there was a harbour and some construction work going on, but that was probably the most exciting thing. As we’d find throughout the Maldives—it’s not exactly known for its culture. So, we grabbed some supplies (mainly eggs and an old cabbage) and then anchored up to start the journey south.
Haa Dhaalu Atoll
Next up: one of the most beautiful anchorages we found in the whole of the Maldives. We came in under spinnaker, and after realizing we’d need to anchor in 26m, we hoped for the best, dropped HEAPS of chain, and checked the weather.
After sorting the anchorage and flying the drone, we grabbed our dive gear and jumped in the water—and were totally and utterly… MINDBLOWN. We hadn’t seen fish life like this possibly ever. It was so cool! We spent a few days there—mostly with our heads underwater.
Shaviyani Atoll
Whoever named these atolls clearly didn’t consider people trying to spell them! But too bad—I’ll deal with it, and you can attempt to pronounce them.
This was a quick but interesting stop, just a break in the trip south. We spent two nights at the island of Dholhiyadhoo, where there was this crazy abandoned resort. Anchored right off the over-water bungalows that had no roofs and had clearly been left for a while, we tried to find out how long they’d been abandoned and came up with something like eight years. It was interesting… but also a little sad.
The anchorage was good though, and we were well rested and ready for the next day’s hop.
Baa Atoll
A straight shot south from… ahhh, whatever-it-was-called Atoll, we hit Baa Atoll.
This was the first stop where we started to see tourism in the Maldives. We came through the pass, socked the spinnaker, and made our way into the “inner atoll” where the anchorage is. We saw a dock in the middle, and just as we were wondering what it was for, a seaplane came through right in front of us and landed, like, RIGHT THERE.
It was wild. We dropped the revs on the engines and looked around frantically to make sure no more were coming. Once the one that had just landed made it to the dock, we cautiously crossed what we now knew was the “airstrip” and—after a few circles—finally dropped the anchor. Not getting distracted by planes landing and taking off was the real challenge.
It was cool though, and even though it was just a one-night stay, it was definitely memorable.
North Malé Atoll
If you’ve seen a map of the Maldives, you’re probably wondering why we skipped so many places. A few reasons: we were keen on getting to surf, many of the other anchorages offered similar things (mainly diving), and we were ready for a bit of variety. Also, North Malé meant more convenience—food, fuel, and maybe even a café!
We found ourselves in the anchorage right next to two popular surf breaks: Chickens and Cokes. We’d read plenty about them and were stoked to paddle out.
On land, we found an ATM for the first time, and some okay stores that had veggies, eggs again, and—oh!—flour. Flour is very important when your sourdough game is strong. There were a couple of restaurant options, but they weren’t amazing. However, we did find a café-style place that served smoothie bowls—luxury.
Another bonus about Chickens and Cokes: a few surf camps around meant more atmosphere and touristy-ness, which was a nice change after weeks of solitude.
We spent quite a bit of time in North Malé and loved it! Some decent swells came through, and we found Indian takeaways that we haven’t been able to beat since. Little things like that really make a place stand out.
We also did a few missions to “Mainland Malé” where we found a bakery, passport photos, and bananas—necessities, guys!
While we were here, Mum flew to New Zealand for a week to take care of a few things and bring back surf gear and boat parts. It was super easy: ferry to the airport, three flights, land in NZ, and then reverse. So if you need to fly in or out, it’s totally doable.
South Malé Atoll
We made our way around the big city and hit a marina for the first time since Thailand. That’s not usually our vibe, but we weren’t saying no to a night of AC and a pool. Random, but fun.
Then we continued a few miles down to Gulhi Island, which turned out to be one of my favourite spots—mainly because of the surf. But there was a good shop and some okay takeaways too. We stayed a little over a week and loved it. (Barrels, people. Barrels!)
Next up was Guraidhoo, just 6NM south. It had really fun waves, and we actually got a night in a resort! Super fancy and definitely a special treat. (By the way, the buffet had bacon and wedges—if you wanna make my day, that’s one way to do it.)
Meemu Atoll
After an awesome time in South Malé, we did a solid day sail down to Meemu Atoll. We had high hopes for surf here, but were greeted with a tricky anchorage and… no swell. We gave it a few days, but eventually moved on.
It was okay. But honestly, by then things were starting to feel a bit “same same”—dry, hot islands, little going on, not many smiles, and loud mosques. Maybe it sounds ungrateful, but it’s just how it was.
So… moving on!
Thaa Atoll
Welcome to what I think everyone onboard would say was their favourite spot in the Maldives! If we could go back and spend a week anywhere, this would be it. Let me explain why:
First of all, it’s BEAUTIFUL. Remote islands, palm trees, perfect beaches, and nobody around. Pretty much exactly what you imagine when you think “Maldives.” Add to that four surf breaks within two minutes, and one of them you could paddle to from the stern? We were stoked.
We could also dinghy into town for supplies, so we stayed a while. Loved it. It’s on my “Highly Recommended” list—even if you don’t surf.
Laamu Atoll
Finally, a name that’s easier to say! East of Thaa is Laamu Atoll.
There are two main anchorages here, with a “city” (aka a spread-out town and airstrip) in between.
We came in not entirely sure where to anchor, but we figured it out… eventually. It was sketchy. After entering the 3m-deep pass, we hit a minefield of what I named death-bommies—shallow reef patches that would totally wreck Happy Days if we hit one. With eyes out, Google Maps on, and drone up, we dodged them—but clouds rolled in and the water got murky.
We did eventually get to the anchorage, but still couldn’t relax – we had to position perfectly between the edge reef and two decent-sized bommies. We managed it. Just.
We dropped the dinghy in, loaded the boards, and headed 5nm to chase a wave. But no swell. Disappointed, we headed home.
Next morning, we safely retraced our bommie-weaving path and went south to the second anchorage. We knew it would work, but hoped to find something a little nicer and closer to the surf. Unfortunately we didn’t manage that the first night—anchored in a murky inner lagoon with sketchy passes—but the next day we found a sandy 22m spot that was amazing… unlike the waves.
We stayed a few more days, made the most of it, and looked ahead to the next spot.
Gaafu Alifu Atoll
This atoll is split in two—north and south—and our first stop was the northern part: Gaafu Alifu.
It was our easiest anchorage in a while (finally), and the town was promising. We went ashore that night and found TAKEAWAYS! First time since South Malé. It was delicious. We also got a few fun “Mum waves” at a nearby right-hander. All in all, a good stop.
Gaafu Dhaal Atoll
Don’t ask me why they name it “Dhaal” or what the difference is between the northeast side and the southwest—but here we are.
Welcome to our second favourite spot in the Maldives! And this time, it’s pretty much all thanks to the watersports. Well… actually, the anchorage was spectacular too, with stunning water and just the right amount of reef clearance. Hard to beat!
We found an awesome anchoring spot on a narrow finger of sand with just enough swing room from the reef. On our second night, a storm rolled through and put us on a lee shore with 36 knots of wind and wild rain—NOT ideal. But thankfully, the anchor held, and by morning we were facing the right direction again. Crisis averted… sort of.
For the next week (and a bit), we embraced the double-session life: surfing in the morning, coming back for a nap, and then heading out for a kitesurf at the nearby sandbank in the afternoon. Pretty much the definition of a perfect day if you ask me.
So yes—we loved it. In fact, we loved it so much that we came back for a second round!
Addu Atoll (Seenu Atoll)
Congrats on making it this far—welcome to the southernmost atoll in the Maldives! This is where most sailors, including us, check out before heading further west.
We arrived here with about two weeks left on our visas and planned to get things sorted before the crossing to Chagos and the Seychelles.
Even though Addu isn’t known for its surf, we were still a little disappointed by the breaks. That said, the anchorage was safe and calm, and being on land was exactly what we needed to reset and prep.
We did a first round of provisioning, then zipped back up to Gaafu Dhaal Atoll for a few final days of swell.
When we returned to Addu, we topped up on diesel, stocked up on food, got our passports stamped, and hired scooters for our last day—super fun way to finish the Maldives!
Extra Notes for Cruisers
I haven’t gone into detail about every single anchorage or town here, and that’s on purpose—I’ve already done that on NoForeignLand! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s an amazing not-for-profit app built by sailors, for sailors. You can drop pins at anchorages you’ve visited, read reviews from others, and scout ahead for your next stops. It’s incredibly helpful, especially for a place like the Maldives where up-to-date info is gold.
Here are a few extra things we didn’t expect, and that you might not have thought of:
- Ramadan: The Maldives is a Muslim country, which means they celebrate Ramadan with fasting from dawn to sunset. Shops, cafes, and restaurants can have unusual hours or be completely closed during the day, so plan ahead if you’re cruising through at that time.
- Hull growth: Tropical waters = very healthy reef systems = rapid hull growth! We found we had to jump in about every 10 days to scrub the hull. Not a big deal, but something to be prepared for.
- No spearfishing: As tempting as it is when you see fish everywhere… it’s strictly not allowed. Respect the rules and leave the speargun stowed.
- Limited provisioning: If you can stock up before arriving, do it. Meat and dairy can be especially hard to find, and even the basics aren’t always available in the islands.
- Stunning water everywhere: No exaggeration—every anchorage had postcard-perfect water. It’s easily the most picturesque place we’ve ever sailed.
- Tricky passes: Reef passes are a part of life in the Maldives. Some are wide and calm, others narrow and gnarly. Often, you’ll need to navigate a pass to get into the atoll, then another to get into a lagoon. If you’re not comfortable with reef passes, this area may test your nerves.
- It’s expensive: Yep, the Maldives is not budget-friendly. Costs stack up quickly—for the boat and for you. Be prepared.
Summary
If you’ve made it this far—thank you! I really hope this post gave you some insight into what sailing in the Maldives is like.
For some extra info on sailing the Maldives feel free to go check out Noonsite’s Maldives section, the Maldivian Immigration Site, and Windy for the weather there!
There’s a lot more I could say, but if you have questions or want tips for your own trip, just reach out. I’m always happy to help and would love to hear if you’re planning a visit. Whether you’re into surf, kiting, sailing, or just soaking up some blue-water magic—the Maldives is unforgettable.
Did u visit where Mal used to work?
Yeah! We actually did and surfed the breaks he worked at.
This was a great read. I travel through your family’s adventures! You have have a career in writing travel books.
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊
Great write up! What an incredible experience it must be ⛵️
It was defiantly super special! I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊