Mangroves and wetlands of the Maldives: where to see them

In Dhivehi, a *kulhi* is a pond, marsh or enclosed wetland on an island. Some are brackish and ringed by mangroves. Others hold fresh or nearly fresh water, with reeds, ferns and taro growing at the edges. A few connect to the sea through narrow channels and rise and fall with the tide. Others are cut off and fed by rain and groundwater.

Mangroves are trees and shrubs that live in salty, waterlogged mud, often on roots that arch out of it. In the Maldives the common local name is *kandoo*. Mangroves usually grow around an inland pool or along a sheltered lagoon edge, not on open, wave-washed beaches.

Reporting on government figures in 2020 said 74 islands have significant wetland and mangrove habitat. For more on how islands form and where these sites sit, see our atolls guide.

In October 2020 the Ministry of Environment said 15 mangrove species had been identified in Maldivian wetlands. The fifteenth was *Bruguiera hainesii*, a tree listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Government surveys reported it at Kelaa in Haa Alif Atoll. Local volunteers had already found it at Kulhudhuffushi in 2019, where people knew it by local names such as *bodukandoo*.

The most common mangrove in many kulhi is *Bruguiera cylindrica*, the tree most people simply call kandoo.

Nurseries for fish and shellfish

Mangrove roots and shallow pools give young fish, shrimp and crabs shelter from bigger predators. Island councils have pointed to their kulhi as breeding grounds for milkfish (*beyngu*) and shrimp.

Natural coastal protection

Where mangroves grow near the shore, their roots slow waves and trap sediment. In a country where most land sits only a metre or so above the sea, that matters. Our guide Is the Maldives sinking? explains the bigger picture.

Water and flood control

Inland wetlands hold rainwater after heavy showers and help recharge the island’s thin freshwater lens, the layer of fresh groundwater that floats on seawater under each island.

Birds and wildlife

Kulhi are some of the best birdwatching spots in the country. Look for grey herons, the Maldivian pond heron, little egrets and white-breasted waterhens. Our birds of the Maldives guide covers what you might see.

Island life and tradition

Reeds from the marshes are woven into mats, and taro grows in the damp ground around some lakes. Wetlands also filter run-off before it reaches the lagoon, which helps the corals in our coral reefs guide.

Addu: Eedhigali Kilhi and Koattey

Hithadhoo, the main island of Addu City in the far south, holds one of the largest wetlands in the country. The Eedhigali Kilhi (also spelled Eydhigali) and Koattey area is a declared protected area covering mangroves, wetland and the nearby marine area. It now forms Addu Nature Park.

There are piers over the water, cycling routes through the greenery and guided nature walks. Canoeing is offered in Bedhi bay, known for its red mangroves, where you may see baby stingrays and small sharks in the shallows. At the Koattey end there is a lighthouse built by the British during the Second World War. Addu Atoll became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in October 2020, and the state protected several more kulhi in Addu around that time.

Gan, in Addu, is about an hour and a half by domestic flight from Velana International Airport.

Fuvahmulah: the freshwater lakes

Fuvahmulah, a single-island atoll in the south, is shaped like a shallow bowl. It holds two freshwater lakes, Bandaara Kilhi and Dhadimagi Kilhi, which is very rare in the Maldives. Both lakes are surrounded by marsh and soft mud.

Fuvahmulah Nature Park sits at Dhadimagi Kilhi. It was built under a climate change adaptation project funded by the European Union. It has a boardwalk for birdwatching, and bicycles, canoes and paddle boats for the lake. Near Bandaara Kilhi, Kodakilhi is a well-known spot for mud baths. Fuvahmulah was also named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in October 2020.

Kulhudhuffushi: the big northern mangrove

Kulhudhuffushi, the main island of Haa Dhaalu Atoll, has one of the larger mangrove wetlands in the Maldives. This is where volunteers found the rare *Bruguiera hainesii* in 2019. In 2018 part of the wetland was approved for reclamation for an airport project, and environmental groups campaigned to protect what remained.

Huraa: a small mangrove near Malé

In North Malé Atoll, the local island of Huraa has a small mangrove area, the only wetland in that atoll. You may spot herons and crabs among the roots. It is a short boat hop from several local islands.

From Dhiffushi, Huraa is part of our island-hopping trip to Thulusdhoo and Huraa. Dhiffushi itself has no kulhi, so this is the easiest way to see a mangrove if you are staying on the eastern rim of the atoll.

Land reclamation and building

Land is scarce on small islands. Wetlands have often been filled in for housing, harbours, roads and airports. Once a kulhi is filled, it rarely comes back.

Rubbish and pollution

Waste and sewage seeping into a kulhi harm the water and wildlife.

Sea level rise and the 2020 die-off

From early 2020, mangroves began dying on islands in the far north, starting at sites such as Kelaa, Uligan, Neykurendhoo and Vaikaradhoo. The die-off later spread to at least 11 islands, including one in the south. A study published in *Scientific Reports* in November 2024 linked it to record-high sea levels in 2020, tied to a strong Indian Ocean Dipole event. Salty water stayed high for long enough to stress and kill the trees, mostly kandoo.

Patchy protection

In 2019 the government pledged to protect at least one island, one reef and one mangrove in every atoll. Several wetlands are now declared protected areas, but many others are not. Our protected areas guide explains what protection means in practice.

• Stay on paths, piers and boardwalks. Mangrove mud is soft and deep, and trampling damages roots and crab burrows.
• Keep your distance from birds. Herons and waterhens nest in the reeds. Don’t chase them for photos, and keep your voice down.
• Never cut branches, pull seedlings or take plants. Many mangroves are slow to recover.
• Take your rubbish with you. Plastic caught in mangrove roots stays there for years.
• Ask before entering. Some kulhi sit next to homes, taro gardens or private land. Ask the island council or a local guide where it’s fine to walk.
• Bring insect repellent. Still water attracts mosquitoes, especially at dawn and dusk. See our health and safety guide.
• Go with a local guide. You’ll learn names and stories you’d miss alone.

For more ways to keep your trip light on the islands, read our responsible travel guide.

Addu and Fuvahmulah are both reached by domestic flight from Velana International Airport. Both have guesthouses on local islands, so the usual local island rules apply: dress modestly away from bikini beaches and no alcohol. Our local islands guide covers this, and getting around the Maldives explains flights, ferries and speedboats.

Wetlands look their greenest after rain, during the southwest monsoon from mid-May to November. The dry months, January to March, bring clearer skies and easier walking. Early morning is best for birds and cooler air.