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Hulhulé | |
|---|---|
District ofMalé City | |
 Hulhulé Island in 2007 | |
  Hulhulé Location in Maldives | |
| Coordinates:4°11′15″N73°31′45″E / 4.1875°N 73.5292°E /4.1875; 73.5292 | |
| Country | Maldives |
| Geographic atoll | North Malé Atoll |
| Government | |
| • Council | Malé City Council |
| Population | |
• Total | 0 |
| Time zone | UTC+05:00 (MST) |
Hulhulé (Dhivehi:ހުޅުލެ), located at4°11′N73°32′E / 4.183°N 73.533°E /4.183; 73.533, is an island in the NorthMalé Atoll of theMaldives where the city's airport,Velana International Airport, is located. The island has no permanent population.[1]
It is one of the islands closest to the capital islandMalé. Hulhulé is considered award of Malé.
The 2.1-kilometre (1.3 mi)Sinamalé Bridge links the island with Malé. The bridge, which has two car lanes and separate lanes for motorcycles and pedestrians, opened on 30 August 2018.
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TheVelana International Airport is located on this island along with some official premises, e.g. Maldives Meteorological Service.[2] The airport is served internationally by various holiday charter flights (mostly fromEurope) and several scheduled carriers includingCathay Pacific,Hong Kong Airlines,Emirates,Qatar Airways,Etihad Airways,British Airways,Turkish Airlines,Singapore Airlines,Malaysia Airlines andSri Lankan Airlines. In addition to serving as an international and domestic airport, Hulhulé is also home to the seaplane terminal operated byTrans Maldivian Airways. The island also serves as a hub for travellers wishing to connect to a domestic flight to the further outlying atolls, such asLaamu.
Before the airport was built, it was the home of the aboriginalGiraavaru people and other settlers who resided for convenience and agricultural purposes. People who lived in Hulhulé used to commute to Malé to sell their produce. In 1968, they were forced to abandon their ancestral home onGiraavaru island under anIslamic regulation that did not recognise communities with fewer than 40 adult males who could form aquorum at theFriday prayers.
The Giraavaru people were ferried across the atoll lagoon to Hulhulé Island. When the airport was extended, they were shifted across to Malé and housed in a few blocks in newly reclaimed areas in theMaafannu district.
The airport island Hulhulé is located northeast ofMalé Island, between it and new artificial residentialHulhumalé Island, to which it is connected by a causeway.
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.
