Gan (Addu) island guide for Malaysians: the airport island with RAF history

Gan is where almost every visitor to Addu lands. It is the island with the runway, the old RAF buildings and the start of the causeway road.

For the whole atoll, including the resorts and the other causeway islands, read the Addu (Seenu) atoll travel guide. This page is about Gan itself and whether to base yourself there. The wider island directory lists other local islands.

What is Gan like?

Gan is flat, open and quiet, shaped by its military past more than by a fishing village. Visit Maldives says the RAF base set up in 1942 became Gan International Airport.

The old army hospital is now a dive centre, and the RAF mess area is now Equator Village. WWII relics such as an old cinema and British cannon guns are on public display.

It does not feel like the crowded guesthouse islands near Male. Expect wide roads, trees, the airport and a few low buildings.

Who does Gan suit?

Gan suits travellers who value convenience and history over a classic village stay. Use this table to check your fit.

Families with young children find Gan easy because distances are short and roads are quiet. Older travellers appreciate the short airport transfer.

Where you stay on Gan

Equator Village is the main property on Gan, about 1 km from the airport according to Resortlife. Booking sites describe a pool, diving and some all-inclusive rates, with the airport shuttle charged separately.

Most guesthouses are on the next islands along the causeway. Discover Addu lists them on Feydhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Hithadhoo, a short drive from Gan.

Our Hithadhoo guesthouse guide helps if you prefer a guesthouse in the town.

Customs and dress

Gan is part of Addu City, a Muslim community. Cover shoulders and knees on roads, in shops and near mosques.

Alcohol is served only at licensed resort premises, and Equator Village is one of them. Pork and alcohol cannot be brought into the Maldives.

For general swimwear rules, read our page on bikini beaches in the Maldives.

Money, health and getting around

aMaldives says three banks operate in Addu: Bank of Maldives, State Bank of India and Maldives Islamic Bank, all with ATMs. Carry US dollars in small notes as a backup.

The main hospitals are on Hithadhoo, at the other end of the causeway. aMaldives says they treat non-trauma cases, with serious cases referred onward, so buy travel insurance that covers evacuation.

Bicycles are often free at guesthouses, and taxis, local buses and scooter rental run along the connected islands, according to aMaldives.

Getting there in brief

Fly from Male to Gan with Maldivian, which Visit Maldives says flies daily, or Manta Air. The flight takes about 70 to 95 minutes, depending on the source.

Full timings and connection planning from KLIA are on how to get to Gan (Addu) from Male airport.

How long to stay

Four nights is a sensible minimum for Addu as a whole, because a domestic flight is needed each way. One or two of those nights can be on Gan, with the rest on Hithadhoo or at a resort.

For ideas on filling the days, see what to do on Gan (Addu).

When to choose somewhere else

Choose Hithadhoo if you want shops, cafes and the Nature Park on your doorstep. Choose an Addu resort or a Male-area resort for an overwater villa.

Choose a South Male or North Male island if you only have 3 nights and want a speedboat instead of a flight. Choose Gan when the history, the diving or the easy airport access is the point of the trip.