A clean island
A waste-management pioneer.
Rappey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rappey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ukulhas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rappey — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Rappey — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rappey — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ukulhas — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Rappey — CC BY-SA 3.0
A small oval coral island at the northern edge of North Ari (Alif Alif) Atoll, about 72 kilometres west of Malé, roughly a kilometre long and 225 metres wide. Ukulhas is known across the Maldives for being clean: it was the first island in the country's history with a systematic waste-management system, it won a Green Leaf award in 2014 for protecting its environment, and each year its people run clean-ups, tree planting and awareness campaigns on reefs and marine life. A long tourist beach of soft sand and clear water runs along one side of the island, with reefs for snorkelling around it. Trips leave for sandbanks and for dolphin and manta ray watching in Ari Atoll, per visitor guides, and a small uninhabited islet nearby is a favourite local picnic spot. The village has a small old mosque, said to be the oldest on the island. Speedboats from Malé and the airport take about 70 to 90 minutes, while the public ferry takes about four hours and does not run every day, per visitor guides. December to April is the driest season, and modest dress is advisable away from the tourist beach.
A waste-management pioneer.
Soft sand, clear water.
Dolphins and manta rays.
Northern edge of North Ari (Alif Alif) Atoll, about 72 km west of Malé
For being clean: it was the first island in the Maldives with a systematic waste-management system and won a Green Leaf award in 2014. It also has a long tourist beach and reefs for snorkelling.