Male
This is the oldest mosque in the country, dating from 1656. It’s a beautiful structure made from coral stone into which intricate decoration and Quranic…
Must-see attractions in Maldives
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Male
Maldives' National Museum may be a ferociously ugly building gifted by China, but it nevertheless contains a well-labelled collection of historic…
China-Maldives Friendship Bridge
Male
This incredibly impressive piece of engineering connects Male to the airport island of Hulhule, but unlike most of the causeways connecting islands…
Male
Although the squeamish may well object to the buckets of entrails or the very public gutting of fish going on all around, the Fish Market should not be…
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Southern Atolls
At the northwestern end of Fuvahmulah, the absolutely stunning Thoondu Beach is a wide band of dazzling white overlooked by swaying palms. It's famous in…
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Male
A sweet little crescent sand beach has been crafted from the breakwater tetrapods here where locals can swim and enjoy a day on the beach. There’s a whole…
Male
The golden dome of this impressive modern mosque dominates the skyline of Male and has become something of a symbol for the city. Opened in 1984 and built…
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Southern Atolls
At the northeastern tip of the atoll, the interesting island of Isdhoo is home to a hawitta (ancient artificial mound). Buddha images have been found on…
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Southern Atolls
This traditional, largely agricultural island is notable for its four ancient hawittas (Buddhist prayer mounds). Norwegian ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl…
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Male
Muleeaage was built as a palace for the sultan in the early 20th century, though he was deposed before he could move in and the building was used for…
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Male
The busy produce market gives you an enjoyable taste of Maldives – people from all over the country gather here to sell home-grown and imported vegetables…
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Male
Thilafushi is undoubtedly the controversial flip side of Maldives' paradisiacal image – a horror show of rubbish piled upon rubbish taking up almost all…
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Southern Atolls
At 8km long, Gan – not to be confused with the other two Gans in the south – is the longest island in the country and one of the most interesting too,…
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Southern Atolls
On the southern edge of the atoll, the capital island of Nilandhoo is home to the second-oldest mosque in the country, Aasaari Miskiiy, built during the…
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Male
Under one roof you'll find the National Library, various cultural centres from countries around the world and this exhibition space, which has temporary…
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Southern Atolls
On Gadhdhoo (population 1500), women make superb examples of the mats known as thundu kunaa, which are woven from special reeds found on an adjacent…
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Male
This small island was used as the president’s holiday retreat during the Gayoom era and as such was a heavily fortified installation complete with bunkers…
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Male
In the backstreets in the middle of town, in the grounds of a small mosque, is the tomb of Mohammed Thakurufaanu, Maldives’ national hero who liberated…
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Male
Previously known as Sultan's Park and once part of the grounds of the now-demolished sultan’s palace, this former green lung of Male was redeveloped and…
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Southern Atolls
In the south of Huvadhoo Atoll, only about 20km from the equator, the island of Vaadhoo has two hawittas (stone prayer mounds) and a mosque that dates…
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Male
This small island may not look like much, but it's the vital fuel repository for Male and indeed much of the country.
