Maldives Destination Guide

They say The Maldives are the closest thing to heaven on earth.
This amazing collection of coral islands within the heart of the Indian Ocean is a visual spectacle to behold. Many of Destinology's luxury hotels give you panoramic ocean views where the brilliant beaches simply melt into the sea. Transfers to many of our hotels will involve a seaplane journey from the capital, Male. Here, you will experience an amazing journey to your chosen island where you'll encounter natural beauty like nowhere on the planet. This amazing place is a wonderment of nature and perfect for relaxation and water based pursuits such as coral reef diving and snorkeling.
Prepare to be amazed, and expect your first visit to the Maldives not to be your last.

Maldives Attractions

Vacation goers travel to the Maldives for its visual splendor, empty coves and vast, blissful beaches. It's also one of the world's best diving sites and is home to thousands of incredible underwater atolls housing some spectacular marine life. The warm waters are a divers and snorkelers paradise and there are many PADI approved trips to be taken advantage of. You can also choose to hire several different categories of cruising vessel from Male to discover the hidden secrets of the Indian Ocean. Male offers the most built up environment of all the islands, and here you can enjoy excellent shopping facilities and restaurants, and the town itself is just 1km from the International airport.

Maldives Excursions

Excursions in the Maldives are focused around the natural island environment, and utilize to a large extent the wondrous surrounds of sea, coral reefs and beaches. Some of the most popular Maldives excursions include:

Night & Day Fishing
Experience the thrill of a live sea catch with one of the most popular excursions in the Maldives. Enjoy breathtaking sunsets with a night trip or sunrise visages with a day trip. Bandos Island is located around 6km from Male International airport and is particularly recommended for big game fishing. Yellow fin tuna are plentiful to this area early in the year, and marlin and sailfish occur all year round.

Fisherman's Island
No, it's not another fishing tripExperience an , but an insight into the lives of villagers on Fisherman's Island. You'll learn about their culture and heritage and see some of their local handicrafts. This is a memorable and highly popular excursion.

Male
See the capital and enjoy a shopping experience that you may not get elsewhere in the Maldives. There are some diverse markets selling fruit, yams, fish and locally produced vegetables, along with local trinkets that are perfect to take home as gifts.

Maldives Shopping

Male is really the only place in the Maldives where you can encounter a good range of shops and markets. Wander along the Majeedhee Magu road for a range of shops selling small commodities to clothing garments, perfumes, cosmetics, jewelry and electronics. You'll find shops open until 11pm most evenings, and its best to wait until around 8pm to begin, especially in high season when temperatures are at their highest. There are numerous supermarkets scattered around Male, selling locally sourced smoked and chipped dried fish which make for good, preserveable, high quality goods to take home.
You can find a range of diverse imported goods from Singapore at Chaandanee Magu, although it's worth noting that export of products made from turtle shell, black and red coral and pearl oyster shell is strictly prohibited.

Maldives Restaurants

Being surrounded by the Indian Ocean means one thing: superb, freshly caught seafood at a premium. There are several wonderful restaurants that showcase an amazing array of culinary creations. Organic Garden Restaurant at Soneva Fushi serves delectable cuisine including pan seared tuna steak and fresh rib eye of beef. Salt at Huvaven Fushi is equally as impressive, and the dreamlike surroundings perfect for romantic dining. Medium Rare at The Beach House at Manafaru is a stunning location where freshly prepared Maldivian dishes are always on the menu along with refined daily specialities. And finally the Sunset Bar & Grill at Conrad Maldives gives a stunning split level seating view over the Indian Ocean, the perfect spot for intimate fine dining.

Maldives Bars & Nightlife

Whilst Male is the busiest island in the Maldives, its not somewhere where you will find a lot of independent bars or nightlife. Indeed, it's worth pointing out that The Maldives are not somewhere you would come to if this was a vacation priority. However, you will find some good bars within the many hotels showcased by Destinology, with many featuring stunningly picturesque settings to enjoy a cocktail or beer in the evening.
Try the Babuna Bar at Kuredu Island Resort for a mixture of long drinks and a disco atmosphere, or enjoy a quieter experience with a brandy and cigar at the excellent Banyan Tree Maldives.

Maldives Family Attractions

The sounds of Bodu Beru can often be heard in the Maldives, there is a troupe on almost every inhabited island and their music can be heard during functions and festivals, which bring people together of all ages. Male features several interesting mosques that can be visited, along with a museum featuring artifacts of the explorer Thor Heyerdahl when he was a guest on the islands. You can take a trip aboard the submarine in Male which offers an underwater experience to explore the coral reefs without pulling on a wetsuit.
It goes without saying that beaches and water sports are the leading family attraction on these idyllic shores.

Other Maldives Travel Information

Currency: Rufiyaa, which is divided into 100 Larees. Most hotels will also accept US Dollars.
Language: Dihevi is the native language
Flight time: New York – Maldives: 23 hrs
Time difference: +10 hrs from New York time
Voltage: 110v or 220v. An adapter is recommended.