Hulhulé Island

Hulhulé (ހުޅުލެ), located at 4°11′N 73°32′E, is an island in the North Malé Atoll of the Maldives where the airport is located.

It is one of the islands closest to the capital island Malé. Hulhulé is considered a ward of Malé.

Malé International Airport

The Malé International Airport is located on this island along with some official premises, e.g. Maldivian Bureau of Meteorology. The airport is served internationally by a variety of holiday charter flights (mostly from Europe) and several scheduled carriers including Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines. In addition to serving as an international and domestic airport, Hulhule is also home to the seaplane terminal operated by both Maldivian Air Taxi and Trans Maldivian Airways. The island also serves as a hub for travellers wishing to connect to a domestic flight to the further outlying atolls, such as Laamu.

Before the airport was built it used to be the home of the aboriginal Giraavaru people. In 1968, they were forced to abandon their ancestral home on Giraavaru island under an Islamic regulation that did not recognise communities with fewer than 40 adult males who could form a quorum at the Friday prayers. The Giraavaru people were ferried across the atoll lagoon to Hulhule Island. When the airport there was extended, they were shifted across to Malé and housed in a few blocks in newly reclaimed areas in the Maafannu district.

Accommodation

One hotel, the Hulhule Island Hotel, is located on the island. This hotel is more for transit passengers over-nighting as opposed to a true resort hotel.

Panorama of capital Malé as seen from Hulhule' ferry terminal

See also

• Hulhumalé artificial island connected by road with Hulhulé Island