Sightseeing, Activities and Adventure
If you are looking for
sun, sea and sand, nothing can beat the Maldives. The national territory is 99% water, and the remaining 1% is blessed with some of the most picturesque beach scenery you can imagine. There are countless sandbars and tiny uninhabited islands with picture-perfect white sand beaches gently lapped by aquamarine seas. The resorts and hotels themselves are providers of most activities for land tourists, and you can partake in plenty of the usual aqautic activities such as parasailing, kitesurfing, wakeboard, catamaran sailing and sea kayaking. The archipelago is also quite a
popular destination for surfers, where shoulder- or head-high swells attract intermediate and advanced surfers. The best breaks are on the outer reefs on the southeast sides of the atolls, especially in the Deep South and North Male Atoll. March to November is the best time to visit to make a splash.
Male City itself is not a thriving hive of activity for tourists, although the nearby artificial
island of Hulhumale is making progress towards this aim. It has long white sandy beaches lined with coconut palm trees, and a central park which you can stroll or job around. Watersports are available, including snorkelling. Hulhumale is easily accessible from Male City and airport. In Male City itself, the National Museum has collections from colonial and pre-colonial times, including royal antiquities from the Buddhist era the period of Islamic monarch rule, such as ornaments and costumes worn the sultans. Unfortunately many Buddhist statues were destroyed or damaged during an attack in 2012. The museum is open Saturday to Thursday (excluding public holidays).
Now very much an Islamic nation, the
Grand Friday Mosque is the biggest religious building in the country, housing up to 5,000 worshippers. It was built of white marble and opened in 1984. and features and impressive golden dome and beautiful minarets.
Muleeaage is another must-visit building in the city. It was constructed between 1914-19 and today is the official palace and residence of the sitting president.
For more information and ideas on what to do, visit:
The Maldives Tourism Board.
Time Zones
The time throughout the country is 5 hours ahead of Universal Coordinated Time (UTC +5).Business Hours in the Maldives
Banks are open Sunday to Thursday from 08:30 hrs to 14:00 hrs (closed Fridays, Saturdays and public holidays). During Ramadan, the banks are likely to be open 08:30 - 12:00 hrs.Electricity
Most resorts in the Maldives use 220/240 volt AC at 50 cycles. Wall sockets are usually the 3 square pin - 13 amp British type or the 2-pin European style, so it is always worth carrying an international adapter. If you need a 110V supply you will need a small transformer to convert from 240V to 110V.Communications
There are 2 cellular network providers in the Maldives: Dhiraagu and Ooredoo. Both offer good coverage, although there are still lots of areas in the atolls without coverage. You can buy a local SIM card at Male International Airport, Male City, and other inhabited islands, but not at resorts. The resorts though do have telephones, either in the rooms or at reception. Charges are nearly always high so visitors are advised to try free calls through Whatsapp, Viber, Skype etc. The international country code for the Maldives is ‘960’. To make an international call, dial ‘+’ or ‘00’ and proceed with the number.
All the resorts offer wi-fi internet and most provide it free of charge. There are surprisingly few internet cafes in Male City, but most tourists can access the internet in restaurants and regular cafes instead.
Fixed postal delivery takes about 1 week to reach overses destinations. International courier services operate from Male City.Codes of Behaviour
There are plenty of shops and stalls in Male, selling local handicrafts such as wooden curios and woven mats. There are also a lot of jewellery shops selling silver, gold and mother-of-pearl (made from mollusc shell). Some of these shops also sell turtle shells and coral, which we do not recommend tourists buy since the trade in these items has negative consequences for the marine environment.
When in the Male, displays of affection, including holding hands and kissing, may offend local people.
Tipping and bargaining
It has been customary to give tips in Maldives since time immemorial. Indeed, the government has now passed legislation making it mandatory for a 10% service charge to be added to all bills. This means that you do not need to worry tipping, unless you want to give even more to your dive guide and other staff members who look after you well during your stay.
Clothing
The Maldives is a conservative Muslim country so nudity is forbidden. Unless you’re at a private pool or beach, swimwear should be decent, and wear modest clothing when dining out. If you visit any inhabited islands you will be expect to wear clothes that cover your torso and your legs at least down to your knees.
Criminality in the Maldives
The law most commonly violated by tourists in the Maldives is bringing alcohol in to the country. If you do have any alcohol with you, declare it at Customs; you can claim it back when you leave. They usually x-ray all incoming passenger luggage, so any undeclared bottles are likely to be found. Other items that you are not allowed to bring in to the country include pork products, idols of worship, and spear guns. ‘Inappropriate’ books, magazines and DVDs have also been known to be confiscated too.
Note that drugs are illegal and trafficking offenses are punishable by life in prison. Likewise, homosexuality is against the law. However, there have been no legal-related issues reported by LGBTQ+ couples staying in resorts in the Maldives.
