How to spend one day in Male, Maldives – Revel in the wonders of a nation

Given its diminutive nature, Male can easily be covered on foot as this will hand you all the time in the world to journey along at a pace of your own choosing, leaving no room to be rushed or harried. In fact, the island on which the city is located can be explored in as little as 45 minutes. Also, the option of renting a bike can be toyed with where you will soon be able to hit the road and ride along windy streets. Look to the services of Atoll Transfers where for a daily fee of USD 60, you will be given a bike that you may not want to part with come evening. Bringing up the rear from a transportation point of view, taxi travel though, being the most costly will ensure that you get about in air-conditioned comfort en route to accessing and enjoying the cultural hotspots that scatter Male.

First up is the delightfully positioned Male Local Market which is perfect for souvenir shopping along with purchasing fresh fruit, vegetables and aromatic spices. If knick-knacks are your thing, the Market’s vendors will be your best bet to get your hands on flower vases made from lacquerware and seashells, fancy footwear and miniature wooden boats. Found a stone’s throw from Male Local Market is the Fish Market where you watch as the locals head out to sea only to return in the morning or afternoon with their nets at almost breaking point.

Characterised by a magnificent golden dome that can be caught sight from far off, the Grand Friday Mosque is a shrine that must be paid homage. Visitors are allowed in from 9 am to 5 pm which are outside the daily prayer hours. Be sure to be clad in long trousers (for men) or long dresses/skirts (for women) prior to entering. Affording many a backdrop to take photographs, the Mosque also features large staircases and beautiful white marble which is a tribute to the prowess of the local builder.

Easily identified by the large Maldivian flag that flies from its centre, Republic Square is often at the heart of numerous musical extravaganzas and cultural festivals that would surely appeal to those vacationers who crave the ‘ins and outs’ of a country’s heritage. In fact, should you want to plan your stay around such celebrations, then it would serve you well to query your mode of accommodation on the viability of spending a major part of your day at Republic Square which witnessed significant events that have now been chronicled in Maldivian history. If you have booked into a surf resort Maldives has to offer such as Cinnamon Dhonveli Maldives which is 13 km away from Male, then you can schedule your holiday in a way where you will have ease of access to the sights and sounds of one of the city’s most traversed sections.

There really is nothing fake about Artificial Beach which is a man-made attraction that is nestled along Male’s eastern seafront. One can while away the hours with a quiet and refreshing soak or remain on the shore where you can keep company with your favourite book.

Unique flavours, incredible spreads and impeccable service are at the core of what Male’s Seagull Café stands for. Be it chicken biryani served with cucumber raita and mint chutney or the grilled jumbo prawns accompanied with garlic butter sauce, Seagull Café will have you leaving behind the beach and its many thrills for a few hours of journeying through sensational food and craft on your plate.