Things To Do In Gan Island, Maldives

Written by Arijana Tkalčec

Gan Island is the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is quite large by Maldives standards. Gan Island is part of Addu Atoll and it is the second-largest island there. It is connected to other islands in Atoll by a bridge. But don't confuse it with two other Maldive islands also called Gan. Gan was formerly inhabited, but its inhabitants were moved to other islands after the British airbase was built. Now there is the Equator Village Resort there and that's where we stayed at.

Equator Village Resort offers 78 rooms. You can choose between standard and twin rooms. Everything is full of greenery and between rooms, there are thick green shrubs blooming with pretty flowers. The atmosphere there is really peaceful and it's easy to find a corner just for yourself. We had a full board stay, which means breakfast, lunch, dinner and all drinks (except alcohol) included. I suggest the same as that is the easiest way as there aren't many restaurants close.

A warm welcome at Equator Village Resort

What to do there?

- Fun activities at the resort:

In the resort, you can do some fun activities, such as playing tennis, table tennis, table football, pool and many water activities like canoeing, jet ski, paddle boarding, snorkeling, etc. You can even rent a bike and cycle around the island. But if you do that, make sure to cover your shoulders and legs (especially women) as Maldivians are mostly Islamic. All equipment (bikes, snorkeling gear, etc.) you can rent at the resort.

Canoeing in the Maldives

- Daily trips:

The most fun part for us was daily trips. We would definitely suggest doing as many as you can. Honestly, we would be a bit bored without them as we're not the type of people to just chill and relax the whole day so this was perfect for us. The trips you're paying additionally and their prices vary. The prices are usually between $20 to $60.

The trip we liked the most was Bushy Island. In the morning we took a boat that took us to this tiny island. It got its name after bushes on it, as that is the only thing there. It doesn't even exist on the map. First, we took a bigger boat and then when we got closer, we transferred to a tiny one. As we got to the island, we went snorkeling right away. Water is so clear and blue, it's that classic „Maldivian“ color. We enjoyed the snorkeling so much as we saw many cute fishes. And the best part; you get a nice lunch after. It was a perfect place for a picnic and chilling.

Picnic at Bushy Island

Dolphin cruise is also a great experience. You can actually see dolphins on the way during any boat trip, but here you go straight for them and when you do see them, it's just incredible. They are jumping all around and playing; you can't get bored of that sight easily.

Dolphin cruise

Another cool trip is the one to Addu Nature Park. Great place to see many birds and other wildlife on the Maldives. You can explore it by bikes or golf carts or if you have enough time and energy, by foot. A great thing to do is to snorkel there as it has a live reef. Unfortunately, we didn't do it this time as we didn't have enough time, but as a snorkeling lover, I highly recommend it.

One of the viewpoints at Addu Nature Park

Aerial view on Addu Nature PArk

For all those fishing lovers, you can choose between sunrise and sunset fishing (or just do both). I never went fishing before but this was for sure a fun thing to try. You can try handline fishing. The key is to be patient and feel the line moving so you can know when you have caught something and react fast. This was a nice experience because we enjoyed the nice sunset on the boat, was so amazed by nice colors. Besides fishing, we talked and had lots of laughs. Highly recommended. Plus, you can eat that fish later if you want.

Sunset fishing