Rinbudhoo

Rinbudhoo in Dhaalu Atoll has been the country's jewellery island for a long time, its goldsmiths and silversmiths making the ornaments worn with traditional dress and, by tradition, working for the sultans, and the skill passed down families on this island specifically rather than being spread across the country. Workshops still operate. The island is small, with a few hundred people, and sits away from the main ferry routes. Much of the work now goes to the shops in Malé rather than being sold on the island, so seeing finished pieces here is a matter of timing.

Highlights

• The goldsmithing - the jewellery work the island has specialised in for centuries.
• The silverwork - the ornaments made for traditional Maldivian dress.
• The family workshops - the skill passed down within island families.
• The small village - a settlement of a few hundred people off the main routes.

When to go

November to April is the dry season with easier travel. Workshops work on their own schedule. Ferry connections are limited.

Good to know

Workshop visits are informal and depend on craftsmen being at work. There is very little else on the island. Ferry connections are infrequent.

Nearby

Kudahuvadhoo is south, and Nilandhoo is northwest.

Key facts