Uligamu

Uligamu, also known as Uligan, sits at the northern tip of Haa Alif Atoll, geographically part of the Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, some 325 km north of Male'. It is the northernmost inhabited island of the Maldives and, as such, occupies an unusual place on the map: it lies on the route yachts take between Thailand and the Gulf of Aden or Red Sea, making it a customary last stop before that long ocean crossing.

With a resident population of 400 recorded in the 2022 census, Uligamu is a small community, but its position has given it an economic character distinct from most Maldivian islands. Rather than resort tourism, its income has traditionally come from provisioning and trading with passing yachtsmen — selling souvenirs and ship supplies to sailors breaking their journey there. This makes it a working stop on a maritime route rather than a holiday destination in the conventional sense.

The island is reached by domestic flight or local ferry. Its remoteness from Male' and its role as a yachting waypoint set it apart from other islands in Haa Alif Atoll, most of which do not see this kind of passing maritime traffic.