What the Maldives Has to Offer – More than a Tropical Haven

A shrine on a coral island built from pink coral sounds too good to be true, but that's exactly what the Old Friday Mosque is. The oldest on the archipelago Old Friday Mosque dates back to 1656. A work of art the coral walls are inlaid with Arabic sculptures and scripts from the Quran. Non-Muslims must get permission to visit the place from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs; it's not a drawn-out process and as long as you are appropriately attired you will be given permission instantly, to explore the place and its garden where a cemetery is home to tombs of kings, queens, sultans and loved national heroes.

The building is new, a gift from China and rather unattractive, but the treasures within are quite fascinating by comparison. The well-chronicled artefacts displayed there are perfect to learn about the history of the nation. Artefacts harking back to the time the Maldives was a Buddhist nation were sadly destroyed during a raid, although what remains are just as fascinating, such as vintage weaponry, the nation's very first gramophone, religious artefacts and antique lacquer workboxes which the Maldives is famous for. The museum too is located on Male the capital, and while Maldives island resorts enjoy being located on their own private islands, many like Dhigali Maldives offer quick and easy access to Male including island hopping tours.

An island located in the South Ari Atoll, Dhigurah exudes the right balance of island life. A charming little local island for you to explore the place boasts a grand count of about 600 inhabitants. On one side of the island is a gorgeous beach which connects to a pretty sandbank. The perfect place for a day on the beach, the island is home to a lovely collection of restaurants and cafes as well as a bikini beach and souvenir shops for picking up some local handicrafts.

Since fishing is the nation's main economy earner, the Maldives Fish Market is a pretty important hub. It's not for the faint of heart though, for sights and smells can be quite overwhelming, although, if you love experiencing local culture and customs in a foreign country, this is the place to be. The public gutting of fish, smelly buckets of entrails and a basically 100% male-dominated society, sans the few foreign women wandering about, makes this quite the experience.

A rather impressive ode to modern engineering, this bridge connects the capital, Male to Hulhule the 'airport island'. The most impressive factor is that this bridge runs over the open sea, with concrete columns embedded deep in the sea bed.