Isdhoo

Isdhoo in Laamu Atoll carries a mound around fifteen metres high known as Isdhoo Havitta, the largest surviving pre-Islamic structure in the Maldives, understood as the remains of a Buddhist stupa dating from before the twelfth-century conversion. It was dug into by early investigators and has not been properly excavated since. The island also has an old coral stone mosque and a long history as a settled place.

What you actually see

• Isdhoo Havitta - a mound around fifteen metres high, the largest pre-Islamic structure in the country.
• The stupa interpretation - the reading of the mound as a Buddhist monument.
• The coral stone mosque - the old mosque on the island.
• The long settlement - an island occupied continuously for a very long time.

When to go

November to April is the dry season with easier travel. The mound is open ground at all times. Flights to Kadhdhoo run from Malé.

Honest expectations

The mound is overgrown and reads as a hill rather than a monument. Early digging damaged it and it has never been properly excavated. There is no interpretation on site.

Nearby

Kadhdhoo airport is south, and Malé is far north.