City Guide: Male

Deep blue sea, turquoise islands, snow white beaches, and -of course- palm trees... Maldives, the serene location of carefree vacations and honeymoons, is a unique land-as if a part of heaven itself. The total number of islands is 1190, 200 of which are inhabited. Only 99 have a variety of lodging facilities.

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• Tourist Attractions

  Atolls, 26 in number, are lined in a circle forming this natural wonder. The two main economic activities are fishing and tourism. Male, the capital city, is the largest and most populous residential area. The second largest city is Addu City.

  Laccadive Sea, surrounding the Maldives, is warm and clear year-round; making it very suitable for underwater sports. You can easily observe 50 meters underwater. Coral reefs, approximately 3 thousand in number, and monsoon currents are sufficient enough to make the region one of the richest diving locations in the world.

  More than a thousand species of sea creatures-from microscopic in size to larger- which are carried from the Indian Sea via monsoon currents, live in the area.

  Almost all holiday resorts have diving schools and required resources for diving. It takes a 15-60 minute trip with fully-equipped boats to get to the area where diving takes place. In the underwater resembling an aquarium, sites with sunken ships are perhaps the most interesting spots for diving. In a country which is made up of more water than land, fun in the water is endless.

  In the Maldives, you can try almost every type of watersport; especially swimming, windsurfing, and waterskiing. Waves caused by monsoon currents, which flow from June until the end of September, also determine surf season.
  

• Culture & Entertainment

  The best way to explore the daily life and culture of the Maldives is to tour the fisherman's villages which can be found on any of the inhabited islands. Although there are modern buildings on some of the islands, traditional wooden huts are essential to fisherman's villages. These village huts called “holhuashi” and usually made of coconut trees will immediately catch your eye on beaches.
  In traditional Maldivian life, fishing and agriculture hold the two top places among daily activities. Of course, there are also people from the villages who opt for working in tourism and commerce. A little past noon, everybody finishes work. Locals of all ages, take showers and put on clean clothes to welcome the night. An interesting detail that is similar with the Turkish culture is the continuation of the tradition of visiting the homes of family and friends. Another tradition is not going empty-handed: there is always something to share in a bowl.

  Night fishing is one of the most significant symbols of the Maldivian culture. The local people, most of whom fish with traditional methods, state that it is easier to catch fish at late hours and continue the tradition. In many holiday resorts, touristic activities for nightfishing are organized and the fish that guests catch are cooked and served back to them. We must point out that the waters are abundant; and that in as little time as an hour you can catch quite many fish.

  Even only sitting on the beach or watching the sunset are activities that are must-have experiences.
  

• Food & Drink

  In the Maldivian Cuisine where dishes are usually served with a sauce, naturally, major Indian and Sri Lankan influences are felt. Especially fish and other seafood hold a significant place. Fish, called “mas” in Maldivian, is used in many dishes. A curry sauce called “riha” is used in almost every dish. Red meat, although it is an imported product, is commonly consumed in meals. Vegetable dishes, on the other hand, are relatively minor in the Maldivian Cuisine.

• Shopping

  You may head to the northern part of Male island in order to buy Maldivian souvenirs. Many items including local handcrafts and reflecting the traditional culture are sold in stores in this area. Fish Market is, without a doubt, another point of interest for shopping in Male Island. Generally, the market gets busy during the early hours of the afternoon; as fishermen return during that time, which means fresh fish. In the Maldives, fridays and saturdays are days off.

Ticket Sales Offices: Male

• Male: Airport Map Information

  İbrahim Nasir Intl. Airport

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• Male: Airport Map Information