Maldives's Meemu Atoll
Meemu Atoll
Meemu Atoll located to the south of Male’ the capital, is 47 kilometers in length and 30 kilometers in width. There are about 35 islands in the atoll. Most of the islands of the atoll are on the eastern rim of the atoll, just a few on the rest of the atoll rim and surprisingly none inside the atoll. A population of about 5,000 inhabits just nine of the islands. Distinctively all the inhabited islands are on the eastern side. The atoll has been newly opened up for tourism and hence also for diving. Two new resorts are planned to open during the course of 1999.
Once the resorts open, divers would get the unique opportunity to plunge into waters where no diver has ever been and explore dive sites totally untouched. Along the northern fringing reef are five channels, the best of which is the westernmost one, known as Mulaku Kandu. The underwater topography of these are quite similar to the narrow spectacular channels of Vaavu Atoll. Mulaku Kandu has the unusual feature of a large submerged pinnacle rising from very deep water in the centre of the channel. The pinnacle is covered with beautiful soft corals and surrounded by a myriad of marine life. The channels on the western rim of the atoll will also make fantastic dive sites. As they are exposed, the best diving in these would be during the southwest monsoon. The atoll has traditionally been, and still is a popular port of call for vessels plying between the southern atolls and the capital.
Boats stopover for the night often at the capital island Muli. The main occupation in the atoll is fishing. Dhiggaru, probably the best known for fishing is also the most densely populated. Agriculture is carried out on a small scale on some islands. Kolhuvaareyaafushi, at the southern tip and Mulah are known for growing yams. A sword believed to have been used by Sultan Mohamed Thakurufaanu was deposited in the mosque at Kolhuvaareyaafushi. The sword measured 24 inches by one and a half inches.
