Thoddoo

Thoddoo is round rather than long and has more soil than most Maldivian islands, which has made it the country's market garden: watermelon, papaya, banana, chilli and leaf crops are grown across the middle of the island and shipped to Malé, and the fields are the reason the island looks unlike anywhere else in the Maldives. A bikini beach and a house reef sit on the western side and guesthouses have grown up alongside the farms.

History

There are Buddhist ruins in one part of the island (Wikipedia, Thoddoo).

What you'll find

• The farm fields - watermelon, papaya and vegetables grown across the island's centre.
• The soil - the depth of ground that makes cultivation possible here and not elsewhere.
• The bikini beach - the visitor stretch on the western side.
• The house reef - the coral within swimming distance of the shore.

When to go

November to April is the dry season and calmest. Watermelon is harvested around Ramadan when demand peaks. Ferries run on limited days.

Before you go

Local island rules on dress and alcohol apply outside the beach. Agricultural chemical use has been a concern raised locally. Speedboats are expensive and ferries slow.

Nearby

Rasdhoo is southwest, and Ukulhas is south.

Key facts