Hulhumalé

Hulhumalé was built by pumping sand from the lagoon onto a reef flat from 1997 onwards, creating an island beside the airport that now houses tens of thousands of people, with a second phase reclaimed after 2015 to more than double it. It exists because Malé is one of the most densely populated cities anywhere and had run out of room. A long artificial beach runs down one side, and the bridge links it to Malé and the airport.

What you actually see

• The reclaimed land - an island pumped out of the lagoon from 1997 onwards.
• The beach - the long artificial shore along the eastern side.
• The bridge - the link to Malé and the airport.
• The planned town - a settlement laid out from nothing on a grid.

When to go

Year round; the island is accessible at all times. The beach is busiest at weekends and in the evenings. Ramadan changes opening hours.

Honest expectations

It is a planned residential development rather than a destination, and much of it is building site. The beach is artificial and crowded. There is little of historic or natural interest.

Nearby

Malé is southwest across the bridge, and the airport is between them.