The farms
Watermelon, papaya, betel.
Alessandro Caproni — CC BY 2.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0 · Alx R — CC BY 3.0
A small farming island, about two kilometres long and one wide, in North Ari (Alif Alif) Atoll, some 68 kilometres northwest of Malé. A third of its land is farmland, a third is the village and the rest is empty. Thoddoo is the biggest watermelon producer in the Maldives, with the harvest peaking in Ramadan when demand in Malé is highest, and it is also the country's largest producer of betel leaf. Its farmers grow chillies, aubergines, pumpkins, papayas, melons, bananas, mangoes and passion fruit, and visitors can wander between the fields and buy fresh fruit, per visitor guides. Local tourism began here in 2015, and the island now has over 200 guest rooms and about ten restaurants. Visitors have their own beach of white sand and clear, deep-blue water, with reefs for snorkelling around the island. Thoddoo also has the remains of a Buddhist archaeological site from before the islands became Muslim. Speedboats from Malé and the airport take about an hour and 20 minutes, with two departures a day each way according to one of the island's guesthouses; public transport is slower. Away from the tourist beach, modest dress is advisable, and alcohol is not served on the island.
Watermelon, papaya, betel.
Deep-blue water.
Snorkelling around the island.
North Ari (Alif Alif) Atoll, about 68 km northwest of Malé
By speedboat from Malé and the airport in about an hour and 20 minutes, with two departures a day each way according to one of the island's guesthouses; public transport is slower.