What to see in Maldives

Maldives is an archipelagic nation that has become extremely popular as a tourist destination due to its captivating beauty and preserved culture. With island beauty that’s hard to replicate and hard to find, Maldives has been providing unforgettable experiences for decades. The island nation has quite a number of places to lay your eyes on and we’d like to take you through what we think are the best places and things to see in Maldives to make the most of your trip. Let’s get right into it.

Male’ City

Historical & Cultural Sites

Hukuru Miskiy

huHukuru Miskiy is the Dhivehi term for Old Friday Mosque or the Male’ Friday Mosque. It’s a piece of history that’s been standing since 1658 and has a partner to go along with it known as the minaret which was made in 1675 and is located close by. Maldivian craftsmen used coral blocks to build the mosque and then hand carved the designs you see today. The quality of the work speaks for itself as it has stood for 400 years and is a testament to the talent and skill of Maldivian craftsmen of that age. 

Maldives Islamic Centre

Officially named the Masjid al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu al-Auzam and usually referred to as the Grand Friday Mosque, the Maldives Islamic Centre was made in the 1980’s with the help of other Islamic countries such as Brunei, Egypt, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. It’s the largest mosque in Maldives and with over a capacity of 5,000 people, is also known as one of the largest mosques in South Asia. It is a symbol of religious faith and is almost always full for Friday prayers.

Muleeaage

Muleeaage is the name given to the President’s palace and is located close to the Hukuru Miskiy. It was built in 1919 and is heavily guarded with armed military officers located at the front gate and patrols around its high walls. The palace has been kept in pristine condition throughout the years and was also used for administrative purposes for a time. The palace still retains the traditional craftsmanship and style, and while no regular citizen knows what the inside looks like, we can imagine it to have the same traditional look with modern day compliments and utilities. 

Local Markets

Male’ Fish Market

The Male’ Fish Market is where fishermen bring their catch of the day by the boatload to sell. The market opens in the early hours of the morning and gets flooded with customers looking to buy fresh fish amounting to a few days worth of Maldivian food. A line of butchers stands at the ready to dissect your fish and get rid of the unusable parts, leaving you with all the good stuff to prepare. The market is located on the outer edges of the capital close to the jetty where boats line up and pull in with their catches.

Male’ Local Market

The Male’ Local Market is located right across the fish market and is a source of local ingredients grown and brought in from various islands. Dozens of stands sell fruits, vegetables and an assortment of other local goodies are sold here for cheap and reasonable prices and are open daily throughout the day.

Maafushi Island

Maafushi is a popular island that has grown as a tourist hub throughout the years. The island still retains its icelandic beauty along with the traditional island vibes due to the people and preservation of its surroundings. Located 30 kilometres from the capital, Maafushi has a ton of guesthouses for tourists to accommodate, along with activities such as watersports, diving, excursions and more available from the local dive centres such as Maafushi Dive & Water Sports, Maafushi Scuba & Freediving and more.

The island also has a Bikini Beach for those who want to get their tan on and is as safe as can be for tourists. If you like getting in the water, you’ll be glad to know that the island itself has a decent house reef you can explore, with the reef itself being visible from the shore.

Addu Atoll

Gan Island

Gan Island has an interesting history to it. Gan was home to ancient Buddhist ruins before it was taken down to build the airport that resides there today. Locals lived on the island until 1941, when the British Royal Navy decided to establish a base of operations for World War II. It was used as a strategic port throughout the years (Cold War, 1957) and was relieved of its duty in 1976 when the British left. During these times, the locals were sent to neighbouring islands so that no Maldivian was involved. The island is now a piece of history in Maldives, with tourists flocking to this Southern island to experience these stories for themselves.

Addu Nature Park

The island is also home to Addu Nature Park, a serene nature preserve that houses the Eydhigali Kilhi wetlands, along with the Koattey, Hithadhoo Island which is a protected area. It is the second largest wetlands area in the country and features amazing lakes, vegetation and mangroves for your viewing pleasure. You can either canoe in the bay area or have a guide walk you through the park to see the natural beauty the park has to offer.

Vaadhoo Island

Vaadhoo Island is known for one thing and one thing only: The Sea of Stars. This is a name given to the natural phenomenon that occurs on the island’s shores. Bioluminescent plankton washes up the shore and creates the magnificent scenery, as though the stars themselves have fallen onto the beach. This phenomenon happens quite rarely and is better viewed at certain periods of time throughout the year. If you’d like to read up on this phenomenon a bit more, check out our article about the Sea of Stars!

Hulhumale’

Hulhumale’ is a man-made island specifically designed to combat overpopulation issues in Male’. The island was made with infrastructure in mind with a focus on:

• Creating buildings that can allow for wind to pass through, mitigating the rising heat levels.
• Creating an environment that is not too cramped compared to Male’.
• Creating an island that can house hundreds of thousands of people.
• Envisioned to become a social, entertainment hub for locals and visitors.

The development of Hulhumale’ began in 1997 and is still being constructed and expanded upon at the time of writing. The artificial island is 2.4 km long and 1 km wide, with the latest amenities and facilities available to all who call the island home. 

The island also has a beach of its own, known as Hulhumale’ Beach which is located on the eastern side of the island. The coral reef is a few dozen feet out from the beach, allowing for people to go for a leisurely swim along the coastline. The island also made a park by the name of Central Park, built on a land that is 8 hectares in size. The park is split into four equal pieces with each serving their own purpose such as a mosque zone, a leisure zone, a recreational zone and an interactive zone.

If you’d like to do a deep dive into the island, click here to read our article about everything you need to know about Hulhumale’!

Thulusdhoo is located around 30 km from the capital Male’ and it takes about 30 minutes via speedboat to get there. If you take a local ferry, it’ll take about two hours as they make stops at two other islands beforehand. Not only is Thulusdhoo known for being a surf island due to the Cokes surf break (along with accessibility to some other top-tier spots), it’s also home to the only Coca-Cola factory in Maldives where it’s the only factory to use desalinated water for production. They are also known for having boat construction yards that make traditional Maldivian boats using techniques that have been passed down orally by previous generations. 

Thulusdhoo is also big on celebratory occasions, one of them being the Eid after Ramadan (fasting month in Islam). The country explodes into a festive mood, where people share food, dance and come together as a community. With a population of around 1,400 people, the community there is quite close and tight-knit, welcoming anyone who visits or moves there. 

Utheemu Island

Utheemu Island has become a key part of Maldivian history due to a certain structure present there. The island was home to Maldivian hero Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu who, with the help of his brother, liberated the Maldives from Portuguese rule in 1573. The structure in question is called Utheemu Ganduvaru, the home of Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu which is being taken great care of to preserve a piece of history that basically acts as a time capsule to Maldivian architecture and culture. Entry into the palace is allowed with a tour guide where you get to explore this traditional wooden palace, with what Maldives was like in the 1500’s culturally preserved to near-perfection.

Hanifaru Bay (Baa Atoll)

Welcome to one of the nation’s most coveted locations. If you’re someone who loves to snorkel and are planning on coming to Maldives, you’ve already done your research on this place. Hanifaru Bay is known for being the world’s biggest known whale shark and manta ray aggregation site. This football field sized bay was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011 and has been under observation since. To have the best chance of experiencing these creatures up close, plan your trip anytime between May to November as this is the season manta rays go there in droves. Diving is forbidden but you can snorkel with the help of a licensed guide as safety is still paramount. With an entry fee of $30 USD, you get to swim with these majestic creatures at a safe distance (3 to 4 metres) and take pictures without the flash function on. It’s important to note that you should ask your place of accommodation and see if they can book the trip for you to make planning easier on your end. Chances are they might know exactly what to do to get a guide to take you to Hanifaru Bay.

Fuvahmulah Island

In Maldives, there is one island that separates itself due to its unique geography. This one island is also known as an atoll in itself. And that’s Fuvahmulah. This island is the third largest in the archipelago coming in at 4.5 km in length and 1.2 km in width. It’s located in Gnaviyani Atoll, 494 km south of Male’. Unlike its neighbours, the island has a large area covered in lakes, mangroves and wetlands, creating an exceptional environment within the country. Due to this, the island was a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in September 2019. The island features two lakes, by the name of:

• Dhadimagu Lake 
• Bandaara Kilhi Lake

Dhadimagu Lake and Bandaara Kilhi Lake cover an area of 14 acres and 15 acres respectively, with an average depth of 12 feet and 4 feet respectively. Guests can take a walk around these parts and take in this distinctive habitat.

Alimatha Island

Alimatha Island is home to the extravagant NAKAI Alimathà Resort Maldives, located in Felidhoo Atoll 66 km from Velana International Airport and can be reached in 20 minutes via speedboat. The island is known for its near-golden sand and shimmering waters and is a favourite of guests who have come to visit. The resort offers a wealth of activities, cuisine from around the world and lodgings that exceeds expectations. They also offer some of the best dives in Maldives, in the form of canals. Take a trip to either Miyaru Kandu (which translates to ‘Sea of Sharks’ in Dhivehi, the Maldivian language), a canal 5 minutes from the resort and known for its marine inhabitants such as sharks and its overhang or a trip to Fotteyo Kandu, known for its rainbow-esque coral reef. So if you’re an ocean lover, you’ll find that along with these options, you’re pretty much spoilt for choice on where to go!

Replete are some of the most beautiful things to see in Maldives, where you will always have something to do. We hope you put together some of these locations into your itinerary when planning your holiday. Head on over to MadlyMaldives to book your dream trip and head on over to our parent website, Splendid Asia, to see what makes us MadlyMaldives one of the best booking assistants in Maldives.