Alif Dhaal Atoll

Four nights in South Ari, from Maamigili to Dhigurah

Plan four nights in South Ari around its whale sharks, which patrol the southern rim from the airport island of Maamigili to the long village island of Dhigurah, a marine protected area since 2009. Dhigurah, a little over 3 km long, makes a good guesthouse base, and resorts line the same stretch of reef.

In 2009 that coast became the South Ari Marine Protected Area, the largest in the country. Decide first how close to it you want to sleep. The resort, the transfer and the number of nights all follow from that.

• Four nights on Dhigurah: the island is a little over 3 km long and barely a quarter of a kilometre wide, with a long sandbank beach and the shark reef just offshore. Book whale shark trips on two separate days, plus a manta morning.
• Five to seven nights on a resort island: the atoll has 17 of them, among them Mirihi, Lily Beach, Vilamendhoo and Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. If the sharks are the main reason for coming, favour one on the southern side.
• Ten days across both halves of Ari: pair a South Ari stay with a guesthouse on Ukulhas or Rasdhoo in Alif Alif, the northern half, and dive the thilas and channels of each.

South Ari only became its own administrative atoll on 1 March 1984, when Ari was split in two, so older dive books and charts may simply call the whole area Ari. Mahibadhoo is the capital. When you book, confirm if your property uses the seaplane or the Maamigili flight, since that one detail decides if an evening arrival at Velana costs you a night near the airport. Compare hotels and guesthouses early for the December to April peak.

For connections back to the capital, see the Malé city guide; for the wider country, the Maldives guide.

Whale sharks in South Ari, and the best months for calm seas

Whale sharks are seen in South Ari all year: two studies by the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme found no seasonal pattern in sightings in the protected area. That leaves sea conditions to decide your month, and January to April brings the calmest water. Keep a spare day, because trips search the reef edge.

The weather, not the animals, is what changes.

The sharks here are mostly young males; the programme's database records a 72.5% male bias. Researchers think the reef works as a secondary nursery, and sharks seem to leave once they grow past about 8 m and reach maturity. Expect animals of several metres; the giants of documentary footage are rare here.

January to April brings the calmest water and the best visibility, sometimes as far as 30 m, ideal for snorkellers who want to watch from the surface. March is among the driest months at about 49 mm of rain. October, by contrast, averages around 245 mm, and a rough morning can keep the excursion boats in harbour. Mantas visit their cleaning stations more reliably in the southwest monsoon, so divers chasing both species may prefer May to November and accept some lost days.

Whatever the month, leave a spare day. Whale shark trips search the reef edge for a shadow, and some days the sea simply keeps its secrets.

South Ari's islands, history and food

Meet South Ari beyond the resort jetty on its ten inhabited islands. Maamigili is the largest village, guesthouses are spread between Maamigili, Dhangethi and Dhigurah, and Fenfushi keeps an ancient mosque. Ask your guesthouse kitchen for Maldivian food, and swim in bikinis only on the marked beaches.

Its interior has decorated wooden ceilings and lacquered panels. Visit outside prayer times. Take off your shoes at the door and dress as you would for any place of worship.

History here runs further back than Islam. Buddhist remains, including a stupa, have been found on Ariadhoo, a reminder that the islands followed another faith before Islam arrived. Ariadhoo has no village, so ask a guesthouse host whether a visit can be arranged.

Look for fihunu mas (barbecued fish) and bambukeylu hiti, a curry of breadfruit. Rice and tuna appear at almost every meal. Alcohol is not served on local islands, and guesthouses cannot change that, so plan a resort day trip if a cold beer matters.

Bikini swimming is limited to marked beaches on inhabited islands, and walking the village in swimwear causes real offence. Cover shoulders and knees on the lanes, keep voices low near the mosque, and let the islanders set the pace of a conversation.