Liyelaa Jehun: Lacquered Wood on Thulhaadhoo in the Maldives

Liyelaa Jehun: Lacquered Wood on Thulhaadhoo in the Maldives

The Maldives may be known for its beautiful water and luxury resorts, but there are still pockets of important Maldivian culture to be found if you know where to look.  We found one of these on Thulhaadhoo Island, a small part of the Baa Atoll in the northwest Maldives. Trade with mainland Asia, and China specifically,…

Exploring the Abandoned Zitahli Resorts on Dholhiyadhoo

Exploring the Abandoned Zitahli Resorts on Dholhiyadhoo

A small atoll in the Maldives named Dholhiyadhoo was set to be the home of a new, luxury resort in the Maldives from the same company that built the Zitahli Kuda-Funafaru Maldives.  The project was slated to be finished with a grand opening in 2011.  However, someone defaulted on the loan, and this year the property was finally…

Utheemu Island, Maldives

Utheemu Island, Maldives

Most of the tourism in the Maldives is all-inclusive resorts or liveaboard dive boats.  There are definitely some benefits of the tourism industry here, such as the government requiring resorts to employ a certain percentage of locals or the tourism industry boosting the economy.  The Maldives went from being one of the twenty poorest countries…

Uligamu: Formalities and our First Taste of the Maldives

Uligamu: Formalities and our First Taste of the Maldives

We arrived in the Maldives from Trincomalee, Sri Lanka after five days at sea with spectacular sunsets and a dolphin escort.  We were dropping anchor on March 27th, our anniversary!  Already, we were stunned by the beauty of these atolls, and excited to be spending 6-8 weeks in the Maldives. Anchoring in Uligamu Anchoring in…