How to spend one day in Male, Maldives – let your adventurous spirit run riot

Male, the capital city of Maldives sure does hold its own when compared with neighbouring islands that comprise the archipelago. Easily accessible within an hour, Male is home to splendid scenery and in short, offers a little bit of something for everyone. If you only have 24 hours, here is how you should go about spending it.

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Getting about

Given that Male covers a mere 3.2 sq miles, you won’t be found scratching your head over what type of transportation facility to avail of. This is because, for the carefree, Male will be an ideal destination where you can walk all you want and not be bothered about paying for taxis or waiting to hail a bus. The taxi service in the city is by far, one of the most convenient methods of commuting but does come with a slightly escalated price tag when compared with the popular pastime of renting a motorbike. With the latter, you can pocket out a starting fee of USD 60 that will grant you the leeway you need to comb through every nook and corner of Male for one whole day. Further, rideshare options are available but if you value personal space and have a phobia of travelling with strangers, then do look elsewhere. 

What can you achieve in 24 hours?

The simple answer is quite a bit. Essentially, Male captures the very essence of the Maldives with sprawling beach sections, leafy parks, age-old heritage sites and a slew of water sporting facilities readily provided. While a walking tour will bring you to the local markets where you can pick and choose your favourite produce, it is recommended that you invest time at Sultan Park. Replete with landscaped garden spaces, fountains and tree houses that will suit the little ones, Sultan Park offers ample space in which to unwind and watch the world pass by and if arriving during the evening, then you will have the best seat in the house to witness a stunning sunset. Located alongside Sultan Park is the famed edifice of the National Museum which contains an array of artefacts and exhibits that would please all you history and culture buffs out there. Among its prized possessions, engravings on wooden planks that date back to the 13th century warrant a closer inspection while the coral stone sculpture of Lord Buddha’s face is a work of art and perfection. Also, the marine collection of President Nasheed deserves mentioning with the 19-foot skeleton of the Longman’s Beaked Whale coming off as a popular topic for discussion. Next in line is a trip to the Old Friday Mosque which enjoys a history of over 500 years. Built mainly out of coral stone, the shrine is both beautiful and detailed and scattered across its immediate vicinity are numerous tombstones which serve as the final resting places for former sultans and national heroes. Symbolic of religion and peace is the Medhuziyaaraiy Shrine which is an absolute ‘must’ when in Male. Housing the remains of the Moroccan scholar, Abdul Barakat Yoosuf Al Barbary whose efforts successfully paved the way for the advent of Islam in the country in 1153 AD, the attraction is associated with pride and respect for it chronicles one of the more important events that occurred on the island nation. Before your day nears its end, do consider descending to the depths of the ocean while in the Whale Submarine. As part of this 45-minute guided tour, you will be treated to remarkable vistas of a coral reef, the seabed along with countless species of marine life which include the yellow-striped snapper.

Travel advice

Time in Male is best slotted into your itinerary should you have an overnight layover to contend with before proceeding to your chosen mode of accommodation. Moreover, the city’s wonders afford guests the ability to acclimatise themselves to the cultural nuances of the nation while still allowing for plenty of merrymaking and unwinding. If contemplating where to stay that will not exhaust too much time and energy, then look forward to booking into Milaidhoo Island Maldives which is a mere 35-minute seaplane ride away where many Maldives beach villa options can be found.