Joanna James
While many people visit the Maldives each year in the hopes of living out their dream vacation at a luxury resort by the ocean, the nation has much more complexity to offer. The reality is that the Maldives is also a cultural hotspot as an oceanic society that has been around for centuries.
Given that the Maldives is a nation that requires people to consistently commute over water, it has long embraced this mode of transport. It is widespread for people to spend quite some time commuting using the public ferry system to go between islands as they go about their day.
This offers an excellent opportunity for visitors to not only embrace the life of the locals but also for them to understand the beauty of the islands. There is nothing quite like embracing the adventure of travelling over the ocean to unique islands and engaging in these communities.
No matter where you are in the Maldives, whether you are on the go, looking for Maldives attractions or a location like the Heritance Aarah Maldives there is always time for a nice cup of tea on the islands.
If you were to simply enter a restaurant or café between the hours of 2 to 5 pm, you would be able to enjoy a nice cup of tea with a few treats, such as the little sweets known as the Hedika.
Many places also offer savoury items that can be enjoyed while washing it all down with a hot mug of tea!
The islands of the Maldives have been around for a long time. They have been the homes of communities and societies long before the resorts and tourists arrived. As much as the Maldives has a spectrum of islands that can be considered as cultural hotspots.
These are islands where, particularly in the north and south, there still remains the story of the Maldives prior to the influx of tourism. In these islands, you can find ancient mosques and Buddhist stupas telling how the Maldives shifted from Buddhism to Islam.
This is, by its literal definition, a reference to a big drum. The practice of Bodu Beru is a performance that is generally conducted by three drummers and a lead singer. They tell the tales of ancient times that bring back the memories of hero's, romance and sacrifice.
When combined with the beats of the drum, it becomes a hypnotic thrum that keeps pulling you in. Be warned, it is expected that you get on your feet and get dancing as the crescendo gets closer.
To go to a new nation and simply eat the hotel food would be a travesty. Instead, when visiting the Maldives, take the time to venture out to the roadside shops and restaurants to enjoy an authentic slice of Maldivian cuisine. The food that is enjoyed by the locals is where the best flavours and stories lie in wait.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
