• Get in
• Get around
• See
• Do
• Buy
• Eat
• Drink
• Respect
• Stay safe
• Get out

Jumhooree Maidan, the heart of Male

Malé (މާލ), pronounced Mah-lay, is the capital of Maldives. The city occupies the entire islet of Malé and is located at the southern rim of North Male Atoll.

[edit] Understand

The island is 1.7 km long and 1.0 km wide, but with over 80,000 people crammed onto it, Male is by some measures the world's densest city. The new island of Hulhumalé, built (as the name says) between Male and Hulhule, is being reclaimed from the sea to provide some much-needed extra space.

[edit] Orientation

Male's main street Boduthakurufaanu Magu, home to banks and most government buildings, runs along the north shore. Roughly in the middle is the square of Jumhooree Maidhaan, a handy reference point since it has a giant flagpole visible from far away. From the flagpole extends a series of ten jetties running eastward, with jetty #1 (the Presidential Jetty) right in front of the square and jetties #9 and #10, used by the airport ferry, at the northeastern tip of the island.

[edit] Get in

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Male International Airport (Template:IATA) [1] is located on the neighboring island of Hulhule. The airport has a good set of facilities, including bank, ATM, pharmacy, internet point and a left luggage service ($3/bag/day) awkwardly located in the arrivals area; the guards will let you in if you tell them you're going there.

Most visitors to the Maldives are met by travel agent reps right outside Customs, who then whisk them away to their resorts by speedboat or plane. If your destination is the city itself, turn right and head for the public ferry dock. Ferries to the city take 10 min and leavy every 10-15 min during daytime (Rf.10 or $1), every 30 min after midnight ($2).

On the way back, note that you will not be allowed into the air-conditioned departures area until flight check-in opens, usually 2-3 hours before your flight. Facilities "outside" include free showers (bring soap and towel), a basic but cheap cafe, an overpriced but airconditioned restaurant and a Movenpick ice cream shop.

[edit] Get around

Male is small enough to walk around in an hour, and almost all sights are concentrated on the north shore, within a 15-min walk from airport ferry jetty (#9-10).

Public transportation in Male is limited to roving taxis, who charge a flat Rf.10 plus Rf.5 per bag. There are also ferries from the new terminal next to Jetty #10 to the new Hulhumale development every 20-30 minutes from 5 AM until 1 AM.

[edit] See

• <see name="Friday Mosque" alt="Hukuru Miskiiy" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="" url="Free">Built in 1656 during the reign of sultan Ibrahim Iskandar I, intricately carved with Arabic writings and ornamental patterns. Unfortunately non-Muslims are not allowed inside without prior permission.</see>

• <see name="Independence Square" alt="Jumhooree Maidan">Male's centerpoint is this little park on the north coast, marked by a flagpole with a giant Maldivian flag. It's also the focal point of every political demonstration in the capital, and hence has a heavy security presence buttressed by the police HQ in the Shaheed Hussain Adam Building next door.</see>

• <see name="Islamic Centre" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="" price="Free" url="">Male's best-known architectural landmark, just south of Jumhooree Maidhaan. The complex contains the largest mosque in the Maldives, topped with a golden dome and capable of accommodating 5,000 people. Visitors are welcome inside outside prayer hours, but no interior photographs are allowed.</see>

• <see name="Maldives National Defence Force HQ" alt="Bandaara Koshi, Bandeyrige" address="Ameer Ahmed Magu" directions="off Independence Sq, opp Islamic Centre" url="http://www.mndf.gov.mv">Emphatically not a tourist attraction, the sinister, windowless white bulk of the recently renamed National Security Service (the Maldivian secret police), topped with guard towers every few meters and strict admonitions not to photograph it, is an unmissable sight in central Male and a reminder of the iron fist ruling the country.</see>

• <see name="Sultan Park and National Museum" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" hours="Sat-Thu 9 AM-5 PM" price="Park free, museum US$3" url="">The sole surviving building of what was once the Sultan's palace is now the Maldivian National Museum, housing a scruffy, haphazard collection of royal regalia and old photographs, including three moon rocks and a faded Maldivian flag that went to the moon. At least there's air-con and some semblance of English explanation.</see>

[edit] Do

There is a small artificial beach on the east coast, about a ten-minute stroll from the airport ferry. It's not much compared to other beaches on the Maldives, especially as most locals bathe fully clothed, but there is some excellent surfing if you're experienced enough.

[edit] Buy

• <buy name="Fish Market" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="" price="">Just west of Independence Sq and with a cluster of fishing boats docked just opposite, this is where fish are brought, gutted and sold for local consumption. With pools of tuna blood running into the street, it's not exactly sanitary, but there's a good cafe upstairs serving the freshest fish around. Busiest in the afternoons.</buy>

• <buy name="State Trading Organization" alt="" address="Orchid Magu" directions="" phone="" email="" fax="" url="http://www.stomaldives.com/" hours="" price="">State-run supermarket retailing mostly generic imported goods from India, Singapore and the Middle East. Not particularly exciting, but vastly cheaper than the resorts, and a good place to pick up eg. Maldivian tuna and local snacks.</buy>

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

No alcohol is available on Male, even at the hotels, with the solitary exception of the Hulhule Island Hotel.

[edit] Sleep

Many visitors to the Maldives end up spending a night on Male out of necessity, as transfers to more far-flung resorts are generally only available during daylight hours.

[edit] Budget

Male's guesthouses are targeted primarily at traveling locals and generally do not offer air-conditioning.

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit] Respect

Dress respectfully if visiting Male. Men should wear at least T-shirts and shorts below the knee, while women should keep shoulders and legs covered.

[edit] Stay safe

Anti-government protests broke out in 2003, 2004 and 2005, all turning into riots that were brutally suppressed by the government. Check ahead if any protests are planned and steer clear if any form. While foreigners have not been specifically targeted, a small bomb exploded in front of the National Museum in 2007, injuring several tourists.

Crime rates in Male are low, although some advise not walking around alone after dark.

[edit] Get out

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