Hithadhoo has its own Hukuru Miskiy mosque, and Meedhoo is home to Koagannu Cemetery, the oldest and largest in the Maldives, with a burial ground around 900 years old.

Gan was a British RAF base from 1942, its airfield is now Gan International Airport, and the old Army Hospital now serves as a dive centre. Wander the old garrison for a fascinating slice of wartime history.

The park protects the second largest wetland in the country, along with the pristine Koattey area. It is a peaceful place for bird watching, mangrove walks and quiet time in nature.

Addu is known for manta encounters, and its dive sites also offer coral reefs, sharks and tiny seahorses.

This 140 metre tanker was torpedoed twice in WWII convoy service and scuttled in Addu’s lagoon in 1946. Today it is a coral covered underwater museum and the biggest shipwreck in the Maldives, about 25 minutes from Addu City.

This causeway links several islands, so you can cycle or drive between them, which is a rare treat in the Maldives where most islands are separated by sea. Pedal past old RAF relics, frangipani gardens, lagoon views and local cafés as you move from Gan to Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo.