Visiting Maldives, one of the most exciting tourist attractions is the National Museum. An old palace building in the Sultan Park has been converted to house the museum. A large collection of historical objects are on exibit at the museum that portrays the rich past and cultural legacy of Maldives.
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Visiting Maldives, one of the most exciting tourist attractions is the National Museum. An old palace building in the Sultan Park has been converted to house the museum. A large collection of historical objects are on exibit at the museum that portrays the rich past and cultural legacy of Maldives.
The Republic Square is beautifully built with green grass and lush plantation, along the northern waterfront. It is Male's most popular venue amongst adults and children alike for social gatherings and recreation. On the Eastern end of the square stands the official flag post on which the largest permanent flag in the country is hoisted. When you arrive in Male, this is the place where you are mostly likely to step out to when you get off your boat. The sea is active on one side of the square with the placement of the Presidential Jetty used by the President and members of the cabinet on trips to various locations around the Maldives and the world. On the west are some commercial buildings and located in the south is the Islamic Centre and the headquarters of the National Security Service (NSS). The new Headquarters of the Police are located on the east of the square.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Maldives is the island of Fuamulaku. The island is exceptionally fertile and has numerous fruit and vegetable farms where one can get delicious locally grown pineapples, mangoes and oranges etc. The fruits and vegetables grown over here are not found elsewhere in the country. Fuamulaku is a secluded island in the middle of the Equatorial Channel and a very unusual place to visit. Since Fuamulaku is located out of the tourist zone, visitors need a special permit and a local person to visit this place with them. This permit can be arranged by the resorts hosting the visitors. The best time to visit the Fuamulaku, Maldives is between the months of December and April, which is the dry season.
Huvafenfushi Maldives Resort is a paradise for nature lovers. It is surrounded by picturesque silvery beaches and set amidst a serene lagoon enveloped in lush greenery; it offers just the right locale for a relaxed peaceful holiday. Located on Male Atoll, it is home to the first underwater spa in Maldives. The abundance of aquamarine species is also one of the attractions for nature-loving tourists. The resort offers unmatched extravagant accommodations and hospitality with its beautiful bungalows which overlook the azure sea and charming staff. The resort offers a number of exciting activities for the guests’ leisure like a yoga pavilion, swimming pool, CD/DVD library, in-house souvenir shop, fully equipped gym and a wide range of water sports activities for an adventurous stir. All this and much more makes Huvafen Fushi Resort one of the most fascinating places to visit.
Hulhumale is an artificial island located in the south of North Male Atoll. The island was restored to create more room to meet the existing and future housing, industrial and commercial development needs of the Male region. The official settlement was inaugurated by President Gayoom on May 12, 2004 and the development and management of the island is being undertaken by a Government owned corporation. For many tourists this is an interesting destination as it provides an opportunity to be close to nature as well as see modern Maldivian architecture.
The Helengeli Island Resort has one of the finest house reefs, making it an ideal place for divers and snorkelers. It is located on an island with a spectacular house reef and a white sandy beach bordered by a magnificent blue lagoon. Helengeli offers a variety of culinary delights at its comfortable restaurants. The resort arranges excursions to inhabited local islands to give you the unique opportunity to learn more of the Maldives way of life. A special excursion which is arranged is the dolphin search, as the waters surrounding Helengeli are home to dolphins. Guests can also go for a snorkel safari and snorkeling with manta rays. Due to Helengeli's location on the outer reef, the unspoiled house reef is just off the beach and is easily accessible to both snorkellers and divers. The "Helengeli Thila" is one of the best diving sites. A diving excursion is arranged twice a day to some of the 36 dive sites nearby Helengeli. The diving school is run by Ocean Pro and equipped with the best modern equipment. Experienced, multilingual European diving instructors teach PADI courses.
Adaaran Club Rannalhi is located in south Male Island and is known for its untouched natural beauty and fertility. Perhaps this is the reason why the island is also called "Rannalhi”, which in Dhivehi means a "A Measure of Gold”. This is a very lively place where something is always happening. Some guests are enjoying water sports, while others are part of group activities led by friendly animators during the day or become part of restaurant theme nights, enjoy music or dance till the wee hours of the night. Guests can watch the play of wind and water around the award-winning Dhoni bar, or enjoy the more private ambience of the Bungalow Bar.The club also houses a boutique which has a rich selection of clothing, souvenirs, accessories etc. The gem and jewellery shop offers fine Sri Lankan gemstones and a selection of exquisite jewellery. The Ayurvedic Massage Centre uses traditional Ayurvedic massage to rejuvenate the soul.
In the south of the country lies the heart shaped Addu Atoll from where travelers, from Gan can cycle to three inhabited islands via a causeway. Addu Atoll is the main economic and administrative centre in the south of the country and is just a little smaller than Male’. It has a population of 28, 000 across seven islands. The biggest influence on Addu’s modern history has been the British bases, first established on Gan during WWII as part of the Indian Ocean defense. The base had around 600 personnel permanently stationed here with the number rising up to 3000 during periods of peak activity. The British built a series of causeways connecting Feydhoo, Maradhoo and Hithadhoo islands and had most of the population working for them on or around the base. In 1976 when the British went for good, they left an airport, some large industrial buildings, barracks and a lot of unemployed people who spoke English and had experience working for Westerners. In the 70s when the Maldives tourism industry took off, many of the men of Addu went to Male’ to seek work in resorts and tourist shops. As a result, at resorts all over the country, most of the staff are from Addu. There are several flights a day to Male’ and direct charter flights to Gan. Island Aviation flies from Male’ to Gan and back two or three times a day. The standard fare for foreigners is US$ 271 round trip. Private yachts report by radio to the NSS in Gan or Hithadhoo to arrange security and customs clearance, but many have to continue to Male’ for health and immigration checks to complete the ‘clear-in’ process. The best way to get around Gan and over the causeway to neighbouring villages is by bicycle. Taxis shuttle between the islands and around the villages; from Gan to Hithadhoo and cost about Rf100. Taxis wait at the airport and you can order one from any resort. The buses seen on the main road are only for workers in the Gan garment factories. Resorts pick up guests by free minibus from the airport, though you may need to call at arrival.
South Ari Atoll (Alifu) is one of the most exciting dive locations in Maldives with several world-class dive sites and magnificent tropical plantation. It has thilas and outer reefs which are much better for diving rather than channels. These thilas include: Hangngnaameedhoo Thila, Dhangeti Bodu Thila, Omadhoo Thila, Tinfushi Thila, Kudarah Thila, Broken Rock Thila, Angaga Thila, Mandhoo Thila, Bulhaalohi Thila, Kandholhundhoo Thila Ellaidhoo Thila.
The Maldives is famous for its beautiful white sandy beaches but its capital city Male is not blessed with beaches. So for the people of Male an artificial beach has been constructed. It receives hundreds of visitors in the late afternoon. Infact, the beach is now not just meant for enjoying an evening walk or a swim, but it also is gaining popularity as a number of entertainment and cultural activities take place here like carnivals, parades, different kinds of water sports, live music shows etc.
The Bandos Island Resort, or "The Island of Hospitality" as it’s also called, was built in the 1970's. It is one of the pioneer tourist resorts of Maldives. Located just 7km from Male International Airport, this tropical paradise is where sun, sand and sea can be found in perfect harmony with comfort and luxury. Recently refurbished, the resort houses very fine restaurants. The Harbour Restaurant defines fine-dining and specializes, among many other culinary delights, in Maldivian game fish, innumerable seafood delicacies, and superb Italian pastas. The Gallery Restaurant is the main restaurant at Bandos and usually has elaborate buffet setups during mealtimes. The Sea Breeze Café is situated at the edge of the water where guests can enjoy the breathtaking view of the lagoon. Guests can view the sunset at the Sundowners Bar, located next to the diving facility or enjoy tropical cocktails at the Sand Bar, while participating in the night-time karaoke events, or just by grooving to the live band at the resort nightclub.
Fushifaru Thila, one of the many sites of the Fushifaru region, is a picturesque diving site. The sea here is calm but there’s a lot of movement happening underneath with fabulous coral and fish species. The thila is nearly 250 m long and 30 m wide, with the reef sides sloping gently from the reef-top at 10 to 15 m to the atoll bed at 30 m, the top of the thila is the best part of the site with excellent hard and soft corals. In many places the water is clear enough to see some marine action without even putting your head under water. Large Porites or finger corals where large numbers of wrasses are found are placed throughout the length of the thila. Mantas are also often spotted here from May to November. Out of the channel divers can see smaller fish ducking and diving on top of the table reef on one side of the channel. This is a great site for diving as well as observing marine life.
Hangngnaameedhoo Thila is 150 m long with hordes of various sea creatures. Broken Rock Thila is around 100 meters long and houses fusiliers, trevallies and blue-lined snappers. Hukuruelhi Faru, a great dive spot, is a fantastic manta ray cleaning station. The dive site can be reached easily from Rangali, within 10 minutes by boat, and from Mirihi Island, within 35 minutes.
Located on the eastern tip of North Male' Atoll, Paradise Island Resort, locally known as Lankanfinolhu, is a sight for sore eyes. The third largest resort in Maldives, it offers superb accommodation to tourists with its water and beach bungalows. Paradise Resort offers plenty of recreational and water sports facilities like diving, wind surfing, water skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, canoeing, basket ball, volleyball, gymnasium and island hopping. The five restaurants at the resort offer a wide variety of cuisines like Maldivian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Italian, Thai, and delectable seafood. There are five bars providing delicious cocktails. Theme parties are also arranged to provide an element of fun mixed with entertainment to its guests. www.paradiseislandmaldives.net
This is the site where Buddhist remains from the Maldives' pre-Islamic past have been impressively excavated. Isdhoo or Isd? is one of the inhabited islands of Haddhunmathi Atoll, Laamu. Located on this island are important ruins from the historical Maldivian Buddhist era. These ruins include one of the largest stupas (a structure with Buddhist relics) found in Maldives to date. L?m?f?nu, which are ancient royal edicts written on copper plates, are also found here. The l?m?f?nu were written in the curly Ev?la form of the Divehi script or old Maldive alphabet. These are very important documents as they bear the History of the Maldives.
Located on the beautiful island of Lhaviyani Atoll, Kuredu Island Resort is quite popular for its sea life, beautiful beaches and tropical plants. It is 80 miles north of the International Hulhule Airport. It has 300 rooms, tastefully decorated with bamboo furniture. There are five restaurants at the resort offering traditional Maldivian atmosphere, which is open walls and thatched roofs. The Grill, Francos, Far East, the Maldivian Teahouse and Sports Café serve excellent quality food. Babuna Bar organizes various games and theme parties and at the Akiri Bar, one can enjoy a quiet evening. Besides these two bars, there are various beach bars at the resort. Recreational activities at the resort include scuba diving, tennis, badminton, wind surfing, island excursions, volleyball, golf, parasailing, and swimming.
Located in the north of the North Malé Atoll, this atoll was opened to tourists a few years back. Also known as Faadhippolhu Atoll, it consists of about 50 islands of which only 5 are inhabited. Here you can experience the beauty of the Maldivian white beaches and aquamarine lagoons with stunning fish and other marine species. The best diving opportunities on Lhaviyani Atoll can be found in the northern part of the atoll. If diving is your passion, a visit to this atoll is a must.
This beautiful island city, which is the capital of Maldives, is crowded with taxis, motorbikes, business people, hawkers and crisply uniformed school children. Male offers a stark contrast to the other islands of the country with brightly colored tall thin buildings which reflect the amazingly turquoise water that surround the country. This is where all business activity and overall economic progress takes place. The country’s political affairs are managed here also. Male is smaller in size than the nearby airport island of Hulhumale’. This is where the economic, political and cultural leaders of the republic congregate and where nearly all the country’s huge numbers of exports arrive. Numerous expatriates and travelers find themselves here frequently. Male’ is a great place to visit to experience the Maldivian way of life. Male’ is pleasant and pleasingly unpredictable. It has many historical sites to see. The beautiful artificial beach is a must see. The city is full of activity as alcohol-free bars and many restaurants jostle with an incredible array of shops and lively markets. This is the place where all imports into the country are administered and sold. It is very exciting to be amidst the general hullabaloo of a capital city.
The Male Fish Market is one of the most fascinating tourist destinations in Male. It is located along the beach front, to the west of the Republic Square. This area is the centre of all trading activity and is full of hustle and bustle throughout the day. The waterfront and the connecting streets in the area are swarming with shops stocked with a variety of local goods. You will see some dhonis arriving from various parts of the country to unload dried fish, fresh fruits and vegetables and others will be loading everything from foodstuffs to construction materials. The motion increases in mid-afternoon as fishing 'dhonis' start returning with their day's catch, which is primarily tuna, is carried across the road into the open-sided market and laid out on the tiled floors. As soon as the fish are brought in they are bought and taken away by men from all over Male. Keeping in mind the nature of goods sold here, especially seafood, the authorities keep the market thoroughly clean.
This is the smallest island in Maldives, without exaggeration one can walk around it in 15 minutes. Manta Point is a ‘tropical paradise’ and one of the best diving spots. It’s one of the best places in the world to see manta rays maneuver through the water around you. It’s a mesmerizing sight. They swim forward in flocks of four or five, some of them up to three metres across blocking out the sun. There’s a ledge to keep them away but they’re used to people and they’ll swoop down, often close enough for you to touch, then leap back up towards the surface of the ocean. The time between June and November is peak manta season, so be sure to visit here then.
Mehdu Ziyaarath, located opposite the Hukuru Miskiiy is the shrine of Abu al Barakaath Yusuf al Barbari, a North African. According to the people of Maldives, he was the one responsible for converting the Maldivians to Islam in 1153 AC.
The Mulee Aage was built by Sultan Shamsuddeen III for his son prior to the First World War. The house became government property when the sultan and his son were expelled in 1936. Mulee Aage was renamed the Presidential Palace in 1986 and was renovated to hold official events and to accommodate visiting Heads of States and other foreign dignitaries. However, in 1994, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom moved it to a new official residence.
Soneva Gili & Spa is a one of a kind resort, describing it would be like describing a painting. The whole resort is set on turquoise blue water, consisting only of water villas, on the private tropical island of Lankanfushi. This island is located in Male' Atoll, which is one of 19 atolls that stretch over 800 kilometres through the Indian Ocean. Soneva Gili is only 20 minutes away by boat from Male. The forty-four stilted villas with thatched roofs are built in traditional Maldivian style from natural materials and have roof-top and over-water sundecks. Their high points are open air bathrooms, king-size daybeds and a personal entertainment center. For those seeking privacy, the Crusoe Residences are only accessible by personal boat. The resort has its own fully -equipped PADI diving school plus a variety of water sports. This place tops the list of must see destinations for beach holiday lovers.
This region presently is almost totally untouched and a wonderful place to visit for its peace and quiet. Major development is set to take place here over the next decade to cover all five southern atolls that are currently off-limits to non-permit-holders. Safari boats are regularly exploring dive sites as far south as the Huvadhoo Kandoo (famously known as One-and-a-Half-Degree channel), and surfers are often lead to the remotest breaks of Gaaf Dhaal.