Shaviyani

Shaviyani Atoll, also known by its geographic name Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi, is an administrative atoll in the northern Maldives, roughly 270 km from Malé. Its capital is Funadhoo, the main transport and service centre in the atoll, while Milandhoo is among the other sizeable inhabited islands.

Local life is shaped by fishing, small-scale agriculture and island traditions. Maroshi is historically significant as the place where the legendary Bodu Thakurufaanu is said to have hidden his vessel among mangroves during resistance against Portuguese rule. Across the atoll, mangrove forests and ocean-fed lakes known as kulhi support marine life, birds and traditional livelihoods.

Funadhoo is the practical gateway, with a domestic airport opened in 2020, a harbour, guesthouses, cafés and administrative offices. Visitors can explore wetland areas by kayak, go bird watching, visit fishing villages and travel between inhabited islands by local ferry or speedboat. Tourism remains small in scale, with only a couple of resorts and a growing local-island guesthouse scene.

Shaviyani suits travellers looking for a quieter, more traditional Maldives away from large resort hubs. It also serves business and government travel in the north, thanks to improved air links from Malé to Funadhoo and onward sea connections to nearby islands.