Lhaviyani Atoll

A week in Lhaviyani with channel dives and a Naifaru visit

Most Lhaviyani trips last a week. Fly north from Velana by seaplane or via Madivaru airport on days one and two, dive or snorkel the channels on days three and four, take a dhoni excursion to Naifaru, the atoll capital, on day five, and keep the last two days for a sunset cruise and a final night snorkel.

Spend the first afternoon learning your island's house reef with a mask and fins; turtles are common in the lagoons of the atoll, and the dive centre will brief you on currents and entry points.

Days three and four. Book boat dives or snorkelling trips into the channels of Faadhippolhu, mornings being calmer. Fill an afternoon with a sandbank picnic organised by your resort.

Walk from the harbour through the lanes of the atoll capital, past the mosques and schools, and stop at a teashop for hedhikaa, the short eats served with sweet tea. Dress modestly for the visit. Some trips continue past Felivaru and its canning factory to Hinnavaru.

Days six and seven. Slow down. A sunset dhoni cruise, a final night snorkel if your dive centre runs one, and an afternoon seaplane back to Malé to connect with evening flights.

Tuna, mas huni and hedhikaa at the Naifaru teashops

Lhaviyani is a tuna atoll, home of the national cannery on Felivaru, and its food is built on tuna, coconut, chilli and rice. Naifaru teashops serve mas huni for breakfast and hedhikaa short eats in the afternoon. Resorts mostly serve international buffets, though many hold a Maldivian night. Local islands are alcohol-free.

Mas huni, shredded tuna mixed with grated coconut, onion and chilli and eaten with roshi flatbread, is the island breakfast. Garudhiya, a clear fish broth, is the everyday meal, served with rice, lime and chilli. Rihaakuru, a thick tuna paste, flavours many dishes. In teashops the afternoon spread is hedhikaa, small snacks such as gulha (fried dough balls stuffed with tuna and coconut) and bajiya (pastry triangles with a fish filling).

Resorts mostly serve international buffets and à la carte menus, but many hold a Maldivian night or will cook local dishes on request; ask, because it is the best way to try them. On a Naifaru excursion, the teashops near the harbour are where to taste hedhikaa as islanders eat it.

Remember that local islands are alcohol-free and that, during Ramadan, eating in public during daylight is avoided on inhabited islands.

Lhaviyani's monsoons and the Naifaru Turtle Festival

Visit Lhaviyani between December and April, the north-east monsoon dry season, for more sunshine, light winds and calm seas, though resort rates peak then. The south-west monsoon, roughly May to November, brings cloud and squalls. The atoll's own event is the Lhaviyani Turtle Festival, held on Naifaru each September.

For divers, the seasons also shift currents and visibility around the channels, so ask your dive centre which sites work best in your month.

Lhaviyani's own event is in September. The Lhaviyani Turtle Festival on Naifaru is a community day about the turtles of the surrounding reefs, built around local schools, families and marine organisations. Resort guests can often join through their excursions team.

Neighbouring atolls make sense for a two-centre trip. Baa Atoll, to the west, is a UNESCO biosphere reserve with seasonal manta gatherings, and Noonu Atoll lies to the north-west. Allow a night in Malé or near Kaafu Atoll between them if seaplane times do not match.