According to wholevehicles, Male is one of the smallest capitals in the world – its area is only two square meters. km. Nevertheless, in this city, which almost entirely occupies the island of the same name, one third of the population of all the islands lives – about 90 thousand people.

A tourist who comes here on an excursion will be struck by the contrast of Male compared to other islands. After a tropical paradise of the outback islands, it impresses with its skyscrapers and highways – it doesn’t even have natural beaches. However, recently an artificial recreation area was created in the southwest of the island, where people living and working in Male often come – especially in the evenings when it gets cooler. However, tourists do not come here at all in order to lie on the beaches.

The main street of the city is the Boduthakurufaanu Magu embankment. Here are government buildings, banks and offices. In the middle is Jumhooree Maidhaan Square, to the right of which are berth No. 1 (presidential) and No. 9-10 (ferries to the airport).

How to get there

Male International Airport is located on a separate island – Hulhule, which is located just 2 km from the capital island. The airport receives flights from Moscow, Colombo, Qatar, Dubai, Trivandrum, Vienna, Kuala Lumpur and other cities. The terminals have all the services necessary for a tourist: an ATM, a bank, a pharmacy, the Internet, a left-luggage office (~ 3 USD per day). The pier from which ferries depart to Male is located to the right of the exit from the airport. Ferries depart every 10-15 minutes during the day (1.5 USD), and every half an hour in the evening (2 USD).

The beaches of Male

Male also has its own beach, which, of course, cannot be compared with resort islands. However, surfers will love it here. Artificial Beach is located in the east of the island, a 10-minute walk from berths No. 9-10.

Shopping and shops Male

Most of the souvenir shops are located at the northern end of one of Male’s main thoroughfares, Chaandani Magu. This place used to be called “Singapore Bazaar” because many of the goods sold there were imported from Singapore.

The most famous souvenirs from the Maldives are undoubtedly thudu kuna – Maldivian mats woven from local natural palm fiber. Another souvenir is miniature wooden dhonis – traditional fishing boats that can be seen almost everywhere in the Maldives.

By the way, when choosing a souvenir for yourself, you must remember that the export of products made from tortoise shell, black corals, pearl oyster shells and red corals from the country is prohibited. And customs, I must say, are on guard.

It is worth bringing home fish and seafood from the Maldives – both to give to friends and to remember yourself about a wonderful vacation in a tropical paradise. In Male, for this you can visit the fish market and all kinds of supermarkets. There you can buy canned fish (the most popular is canned tuna, which is caught in the traditional way), dried and dried fish – in general, the choice is the widest.

Entertainment and attractions in Male

The capital is not rich in attractions, but you should definitely visit it: the National Museum in Sultans Park, the shady park of Jumuri-Maidan, the Muliaage Palace (1913). The most revered shrines of the country are the chapel of Medu Ziyarat, the tomb of the country’s national hero Mohammed Takurufanu, the Islamic Center with the Great Friday Mosque, the Old Friday Mosque with a unique minaret and the tombs of national heroes and members of the royal family.

According to abbreviationfinder, Malé is the capital of the Republic of the Maldives. It is located on the island that bears the same name, on the southern edge of Malé Atoll in Kaafu Atoll. It is the seat of government and the business, commercial, corporate, health and educational center. Malé has a population of approximately 105,000 people. See population of Maldives.

History

Malé was part of a British protectorate from 1887 to 1965, when it became the capital of the newly independent Maldives (a country that adopted the name of the Republic of Maldives in 1968).

In 1953 he tried to establish a republic but a few months later the sultanate was reimposed, Malé being the capital of the same, in 1968 the republic was reinstated, continuing as the capital.

In 2004 the sixth division of the city called Hulhumalé was inaugurated, an artificial island populated since that same year, on December 26, 2004, the devastating earthquake in Sumatra (2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake) occurred and the subsequent tsunami flooded two thirds parts of the city. The tsunami and the earthquake caused 220,000 deaths throughout the entire Indian Ocean.

The 29 of September of 2007 exploded a bomb near a mosque, wounding 12 tourists. It is considered the first bomb to have exploded in the city.

Geography

Malé, the capital and largest population of the Maldives, is located on the island of the same name, on the southern edge of the Malé Atoll, in the Indian Ocean, near the Earth’s equator. It has an area of 5.79 km² and a population of approximately 105 thousand residents.

Climate

The climate is tropical and they have two seasons. One dry, between November and March, with average temperatures of about 26ºC and the other wet. In this season the sky is usually overcast and it rains normally.

Economic development

Malé is the economic and administrative center of the Maldives and its main commercial port. The city is highly urbanized and is divided into six areas; among which are Henveiru, Galolhu, Maafannu, Machangolhi and Hulhumalé.

Among its important economic activities are the fish canning industry; In addition, there is trade in derivatives of local products such as the fiber of the coconut bark, palm trees, copra and shells and tourism that is gaining great importance, since it has paradisiacal beaches of coconut and palm trees with fine white sands and crystal clear waters. ideal for rest.

The city is connected by boat to Sri Lanka and is close to the Hulule International Airport. It also has a seaplane base and a boat anchorage.

Services

Male in particular, although not all the Maldives islands, has all the basic services of any city in the world that is within a continent, there are banks, ATMs throughout the city and international courier services that allow common operations. In addition, public and private health centers, taxis, bars, restaurants and much more.

Social development

Culture

Western fashions, pop music and videos are common in the Capital.

Traditions

• The National Holiday, the day that Mohamed Takurufán and his men expelled the Portuguese from Malé in 1573, and which takes place on the first day of the third month of the lunar calendar.
• The most important religious celebration is in charge of Ramadan (known locally as rorda mas), the Islamic month of fasting.

Health

There are public and private health centers.

Maldives

The Maldives Islands are a very interesting country within the global framework since 99% of its territory is made up of water. There are almost 2000 islands in the Indian Ocean that form a spectacular territory where the tropical paradise is its main offer for the rest of the world. A world that is beginning to realize that the Maldives is a unique and extremely beautiful place when it comes to natural beauty. The Maldives Islands have emerged on the world scene as a place to escape from the daily routine and live a dream vacation that so few places in the world can offer. This is why the economy in the Maldives is basically dependent on tourism.

Sightseeing

Tourism as the main aspect of the economy in the Maldives

When talking about the economy of the Maldives, the first thing that springs to mind is the tourism that these paradisiacal islands generate. Being the largest industry in the Maldives islands with 20% of GDP and 60% of foreign exchange; The economy of the Maldives Islands is based more than anything on tourism and tourism-related activities. In the Maldives there are almost 200 inhabited islands and most of them are made up of 5-star hotels (where each hotel is an island) that offer tourists the opportunity to spend the best vacations of their lives. Also, more than 90% of all taxes received by the government are related to tourism and import taxes; aspect that favors the economy of the Maldives Islands in an incredible way.

Fishing

Another very important industry, when talking about the economy of the Maldives, has to do directly with fishing. In a country where 99% is water, it is not difficult to deduce that there is a lot of fishing and that this is a great reason why the economy of the Maldives has been growing over the years. Many native people of the Maldives are engaged in fishing as their main source of income which is also a very important aspect of the economy of an amazing country.

Others

The economy of the Maldives Islands is not based only on tourism and fishing, but there are other activities that contribute to the forging of an important economy in that country. Forced by the lack of land for farming and domestic labor, agriculture and manufacturing play only a very small role in the Maldives economy; however that does not mean that they do not exist. Other economic activities in the Maldives include clothing production, boat building, and handicrafts. However, these are not activities that generate a lot of income and only make up 16% of GDP.

The Maldives is a palm-fringed atoll in the Indian Ocean. You can decide whether you prefer to relax in an underwater spa in the Maldives or go on snorkeling tours and diving on the house reef. In any case, you should pay attention to the best time to travel to the Maldives.

Take a dive, spot manta rays and even whale sharks, and swim in beautiful lagoons. Take a boat trip in the evening to see dolphins or enjoy an hour-long picnic on your own thila (sandbar).

Best travel time

According to politicsezine, the Maldives are hot and sunny all year round with average temperatures of 23–31 ° C. The best weather – and therefore the best time to travel to the Maldives – is between November and April . The main season is between December and March. The monsoons last from May to October and peak in June. The northern atolls have the highest rainfall from May to November; the southern atolls from November to March. It’s worth paying the higher prices for travel in the dry season as there isn’t much to do in the Maldives on rainy days other than drink, exercise, or dive.

For divers, both the dry and the wet season have their charm: In the dry season, the underwater visibility is excellent due to the current, which increases in November from the northeast. In February these currents weaken. During the rainy season, water temperatures are a few degrees lower, but this causes larger numbers of hammerhead and reef sharks to congregate in shallower waters. On the one hand, this is very attractive, but the other side of the coin is poor visibility due to the decreasing current.

Optimal travel time after months

January

With lots of sun and warmth, January is a great time for a beach vacation. There is also good visibility for diving and snorkeling. This is a very popular time to travel and it is recommended that you book in advance.

February March

These are the two driest months with warm temperatures, low humidity and excellent visibility for diving and snorkeling. As these months are also very popular, you should book your vacation in good time.

April

Another good month to travel with lots of sunshine and good visibility in the water. However, there is a slightly increased risk of rain, especially towards the end of the month.

May – September

These months are still warm and there is a lot of sun, but the chance of rain increases and there is a risk of storms. In addition, the plankton increases, so that the visibility is somewhat clouded when diving. However, lower prices and great deals make it a good time to travel. August in particular is still a popular month to travel.

October November

As in the previous months, warm temperatures and lots of sunshine are balanced with the increasing probability of rain and storm. In October and November, you can see whale sharks and manta rays feeding on plankton in the Maldives. There are many great offers to take advantage of this time of year.

December

December is warm with many hours of sunshine, but the likelihood of rain and storms increases. Until just before Christmas, many hotels usually have great deals, so earlier in the month is a good time to travel.

Climate in Malé

The Maldives has a tropical climate that is hot all year round and is influenced by the monsoons. The southwest monsoons, from late April to September, are stronger in the northern islands and are accompanied by winds that can make the sea rough and make activities such as diving difficult. In addition, the humidity is higher and more often cloudy. The northeastern monsoons from October to December are quieter and only bring brief showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening, especially in the southern atolls. The driest time outside of the monsoons is from January to April and is more noticeable on the northern atolls.

The temperatures are stable all year round: The maximum values ​​are around 30 ° C and usually only drop to 25 ° C. Throughout the year the humidity is very high and is around 80%. Rainfalls usually occur in the form of short and heavy showers or thunderstorms. They are a little more common in the southern atolls, but less so in the north. Sunshine is constant in the Maldives, an average of about 7 hours a day. The sunniest months are February and March. The sea is warm all year round, with a water temperature between 28 ° C and 30 ° C.

Food and drink

In the resorts around the Maldives you will find a large selection of international cuisine with excellent fish dishes and seafood. Most resorts also offer a selection of Asian and European dishes as a buffet or à la carte. All drinks are imported and alcoholic drink prices can be high.

Social conventions

With all the luxury the resorts offer, it’s easy to forget that the Maldives is an Islamic country. While bikinis and alcohol are allowed in the resorts, the inhabited islands, including Malé, insist on more decency. It is recommended that women wear closed clothing and not show too much skin.

Language

The Maldivian language is Divehi, a dialect of Sinhala (spoken by the majority in Sri Lanka). Recently, the Arabic language is becoming more and more important. Most of the officials speak English, which is also spoken in almost all holiday resorts.

Tip

Some resorts automatically increase the cost of additional services by 10%. A tip of 10% is expected where not included.