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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 elsewhere in the country, this US$250m project goes over the open sea, meaning that vast concrete supports have been planted in the seabed. The bridge was still not operational at the time of writing, and it wasn't yet clear how its opening would affect ferry services to/from Male from Hulhule.

Local opinion is divided about the bridge. While some argue that connecting the capital to its airport is an important infrastructural addition to Male, many people see the project as a huge waste of money and maintain that taking a ferry across the lagoon will always be faster and preferable.