Haa Alifu Atoll

Haa Alifu is the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, rarely visited compared to the central atolls and retaining a relatively undisturbed reef system and local island atmosphere. The atoll contains Utheemu, the birthplace of Mohamed Thakurufaanu, the national hero who expelled Portuguese colonists in the sixteenth century, and his wooden palace there is one of the few surviving traditional Maldivian wooden structures. The outer reef channels are noted by divers for minimal boat traffic and healthy hard coral formations.