NORTH MALE ATOLL AND APPROACHES
CH 2598
General description
2.250
Male Atoll is the principal atoll of the Maldives and comprises of about 50 islets and islands.
The lagoon is encumbered with coral reefs, and deep; the reefs, as a rule, easily discernible in favourable conditions of sun and sea; the bottom, except over the coral reefs, is coarse sand.
 On the E of Male Atoll, the seabed shelves steeply to depths of 2000 m; to the W it shelves less steeply to depths more than 300 m.
Tourism is the principal occupation.
South-eastern side of Male Atoll:
The reef comprises a number of large reefs and is sharply marked by change of water colour or, in swell conditions, by breakers upon it. With several openings into the lagoon from this side of the atoll, there is a chain of islands spaced along the entire length.
Principal islands and islets:
2.252
Most of the islands and islets on this side of the atoll, are wooded, and are described below, positioned from Farukolhufushi (4º 13'.9 N, 73º 32'.7 E):
Lankanfushi (4 miles NNE), a low islet, is a tourist resort.
Himmafushi (5 miles NNE) is the prison island for the Republic of Maldives; landing is strictly forbidden. Reclamation work and dredging was in progress (1994) on the W side of the island.
Girifushi (5½ miles NNE) There is a military training centre on the island and entry is restricted. A ricochet danger area, W of the island, is placed out of bounds during live firings; a red flag is flown at the W tip of the island when this firing is in progress. Thaburudhoo, situated close E of Girifushi, is another military training centre to which access is also restricted.
Huraa (7 miles NNE), is a tourist resort with a breakwater extending NW from its W side.
Kanifinolhu (7¾ miles NNE), is a tourist resort with a breakwater extending NW from its W side.
Thulusdhoo (10½ miles NE), is a tourist resort, which is reported to have a port suitable for vessels up to    2000 dwt. A large development was in progress (1994) on the NE side of the island. Fresh water is reported to be available.
Meerufenfushi is an island, wooded with coconut palms, that supports a tourist resort; access to the island is tortuous. East of the island the sea bed slopes less steeply than elsewhere off this side of the atoll; this shoal water has in the past attracted local fishing craft.
In addition to the islands and islets described above, there are several other small islets shown on the chart all of which are reported to be tourist resorts.
shoal water has in the past attracted local fishing craft.
In addition to the islands and islets described above, there are several other small islets shown on the chart all of which are reported to be tourist resorts.
Lagoon  entrances 
2.253
Thulusdhoo Channel (4º 22'.7 N, 73º 39'.2 E), the N.most entrance on this side of the atoll, lies between Thulusdhoo (2.252) and Viligilimathidhahuraa (2.252),  5 cables ENE; the channel is about 2 cables wide with a least charted depth of 35 m in the approach from SE.
Between Himmafushi (4º 18'.6 N, 73º 34'.3 E) (2.252) and Lhohifushi, 3½ miles NE, there are several entrances into the lagoon which are reported to be well defined but they are all generally narrow and some are encumbered with shoal patches as shown on the chart. The line of the fairway leads to deep water within the lagoon but there are reefs close SW of this line.
Principal marks
2.254
Landmarks:
A conspicuous radio mast and a tower (both uncharted) stands on Girifushi (4º 19' N, 73º 34'.7 E)(2.252). 
Useful marks:
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1       Radio mast (uncharted) (4º 21' N, 73º 37' E) stands on Lhohifushi(2.252).
2	Two partially visual wrecks at positions (4º 22'.53 N, 73º 38'.70 E) and (4º 21'.16 N, 73º 20'.58 E) are in the NW of Thulusdhoo Island and SW of Nakachchafushi Island respectively.
North-eastern side of Male Atoll:
Description
2.256
The barrier reef trends from Meerufenfushi (4º 27' N, 73º 43' E) (2.252), about 19 miles NW to Kagi Channelolhi (2.258) which enters the lagoon close E of the N point of the atoll; the reef has several large reefs with a few islets and several openings into the lagoon.
Principal islets
2.257
The islets on this side of the atoll, on the barrier reef and within the lagoon, are described below and positioned from Meerufenfushi (4º 27' N, 73º 43' E):
Asdhoo (3½ miles WNW), an islet covered with coconut palms, is a tourist resort.
Lagoon entrances
2.258
Dhiffushi Channel (4º 29' N, 73º 42' E) is deep but divided into two small channels, close within its entrance, by a long narrow reef; the widest channel is the S channel in which there is a least charted depth of 22 m. Within the lagoon the channel gives access to a passage, which requires considerable care that leads to Male 21 miles SW; also, close within the entrance a boat channel, that leads W of Meerufenfushi (2.252) and Dhiffushi (2.252), gives access to these islands from within the atoll.
Asdhoo Channel, lie 1 mile NW of Dhiffushi Channel, and enters the lagoon between unmarked reefs; the channel, about 3 cables wide, with a least charted depth of 24 m gives clear access to Asdhoo (2.257).
There are several other entrances into the lagoon on this side of the atoll, most have deep channels but there are no landmarks to identify them. Nevertheless, a vessel may pass through the wider ones in favourable conditions and keeping a good lookout.
Useful mark
2.260
1	A new beacon exists NW of Ziyaaraiyfushi Island in position (4º 34'.35 N, 73º 22'.66 E) with characteristics of FL (4) 20s.
Western side of Male Atoll:
Description
2.263
The barrier reef extends from Gulhi Falhu (4º 11' N, 73º 28' E) towards W and NW in a curve to Kodhipparu, about 11 miles NW; then to generally N and NE to Olhuhali (2.264), 23 miles NNE. There are a  number of large reefs with a few islets on the reef the barrier reef and several openings into the lagoon.
Principal islets 
2.264
On this side of the atoll, the islets are generally small. Several are low-bush covered islets about 7 m high lying on the fringing reef, giving effective warning of the below-water reef lying some distance seaward of them. Most of the principal islets are tourist resorts, and are described below:
Rasfari (4º 23'.7 N, 73º 21'.1E), a low islet, stands on the barrier reef and is covered with trees and scrub. 
Nakachchaafushi, with a jetty on its E side and Boduhithi, with breakwaters and a jetty on its S side and another jetty on the N side, lie, respectively, 2 miles SE and 3 miles NE of Rasfari.
Hebadhoo (Hembadhoo) (4º 28'.9 N, 73º 23'.6 E) lies about 2 miles within the lagoon and is a heavily wooded island. Madivaru, Medhufinolhu, with two landing places on its W side, and Ziyaaraiyfushi, lies on the barrier reef 2 miles NW of Hebadhoo.
Makunudhoo (4º 32'.5 N, 73º 24'.4 E) and Eriyadhoo about 3 miles N, both islets having landing places, lie about 2 miles within the lagoon; 
Lagoon entrances: 
2.265
Ziyaarahfushi Channel  (4º 33'.5 N, 73º 22'.5 E), with a least charted depth of 5.5 m in the middle of its fairway, although wide, has a large shoal patch; this opening gives access to Makunudhoo and Eriyadhoo. Himmiya Channel, which passes through the barrier reef 3½ miles NNE of Ziyaarahfushi Channel, is narrow at its entrance and has several obstructions where it broadens out into the lagoon.