Joanna James
The Maldives, an archipelago of over 1,000 islands, boasts a history and heritage as exotic as the land. As a top holiday destination, the nation is a foodies' haven with luxury resorts catering to every whim. Explore your options here and learn about eating to your heart's content in the Maldives.
The Maldives is home to a range of private island resorts, with a no-holds-barred collection of amenities, extending to dining options. Therefore, while enjoying the thrills of staying on a private island in the Maldives, you also get a chance to dine at the best restaurants in Maldives. Some of the popular resorts like Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences offer a fabulous array of dining options. And guests at such resorts can look forward to dining at themed restaurants offering Japanese fusion, Italian, Indian, and all the local favourites.
As part of your gastronomic journey in the Maldives, you must explore local cuisine. The islands with their limited resources and an abundance of seafood have managed to create a blend of unique flavours using exotic ingredients unique to the tropical location. Coconuts and yams are staples. The latter is often served fried like French fries or cooked with a mix of coconut flakes. Coconuts are incorporated into basically every dish, from using thick milk to enhance the curries to making delicious flatbread and fresh fish salads. There is no dearth of seafood in the Maldives, so you can look forward to dining to your heart's content on succulent prawns, crabs, and other delicious and wholesome varieties of seafood.
Maldivian food is fresh, wholesome, and influenced by its neighbours Sri Lanka and India. You will find breakfast specials such as garudiya, a nourishing fish soup, roshi a type of roti that's eaten with curries and fish salad, and of course, the lovely curries and vegetable dishes eaten with rice. Head into the capital Male on a day excursion and you can stop at the tea shops for local finger food or short-eats known as hedika. Some of the favourites are samosa-like rolls filled with boiled egg and sautéed cabbage, Gulha, which is fish-filled balls of dough, keemia batter-fried fish rolls, and kuli boakiba, which is a lovely fish cake with a spicy kick. Of course, you can't give the desserts a miss, especially when there is so much to savour.
Island flavours and decadently sweet treats will make you a happy tourist in the Maldives. Here are some must-try delights. Rice pudding served in small bowls called bondi bai will certainly be the perfect end to a scrumptious meal, while zileybee is the kind of sweet you enjoy while relaxing on the terrace of your Maldives resort, buy a bag full of the dripping-sweet fried coils of yellow happiness and munch to hearts delight. Look for colourful portions of food and you know it will be a sweet treat.
Kids will love a range of specially created dishes at the Maldivian resorts, especially little ones who cannot manage too much spice! They will be looked after with crunchy fish fingers, creamy pasta loaded with seafood and plenty of desserts!
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.
