9 Best Things to See in Malé, The Maldives

Do you have extra time in Malé on your way back to the airport from your Maldives trip? Here are 9 of the best things to see in Malé!

Malé, the capital of the Maldives, is honestly not a great tourist destination. However, it can be an interesting place to explore on your way to or from the Maldives’ Main Airport, which is located in Malé.

, Malé is one of the world’s most densely populated cities, with more than 200,000 residents on a 3.2 square mile Island. I recently spent a day in Malé on my way home from the Maldives, and it offers interesting sites to see over a span of a few hours. It is also a great place to see authentic Maldivian life, which many tourists do not get to see!

Old Friday Mosque

The first must-see site in Malé is the Old Friday Mosque. 100% of Maldivian citizens are Muslims, and this site is important, as it was the first mosque ever built in the Maldives, first built in the year 1153.

However, the mosque standing today was built in the year 1653. It was built entirely of coral rocks that were collected from nearby coral reefs. It has been used continuously since then!

The Mosque is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is free to visit for tourists, and you can explore the beautiful architecture and carvings. Around the mosque, there is a very old Islamic cemetary which is also worth checking out.

Note: Be sure to look for the Old Friday Mosque on Google Maps. There is a “new” Friday Mosque, which is very modern, but the Old Friday Mosque is much more significant historically. You can find the location here.

Fish Market

In my opinion, visiting the fish market is one of the best things to do in Malé. Fish is the primary food source in the Maldives, and it is incredibly interesting to visit the place where locals buy most of their food.

There is one building with a fresh fish market and another that sells dry fish.

The vendors are very friendly, and most of them speak English.

Fruit and Vegetable Market

Next to the fish market, you’ll find the local fruit and vegetable market.

Here, you can purchase a number of fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the most interesting things is to see the large-scale trade of dried Betel Nut, an addictive nut that is chewed across the Maldives and Southern Asia.

Sultan Park

Sultan Park is the biggest park in Malé. The park was built on the old Royal Palace’s Gardens, and was redesigned to create a public space to enjoy nature in Malé. Entrance is free, and you can enjoy a refreshing break from the hustle of Malé city.

Kalhu Vakaru Miskiy: The Travelling Mosque

Located near the Sultan Park, the Kalhu Vakaru Miskiy, or the travelling Mosque, is a very interesting glimpse into Maldivian history.

Maldivian Sultan Shamsuddeen II. originally built the mosque in the 18th Century by the Maldivian Sultan Shamsuddeen II. The mosque could easily be reassembled, hence its name the travelling mosque. It was placed all around the Maldives during the process of converting the local people to Islam. The mosque is now permanently located in Malé, and it can be found here.

It is a very peaceful area, and it gives you a chance to explore pre-modern Maldivian life.

Victory Monument

The Maldives Victory Monument is built to commemorate Maldivian victory over the terrorist group the Tamil Tigers. On November 3, 1988, the Tamil Tigers attempted to invade and take over the Maldives. The army and local resistance fighters managed to fight them off and preserve the country.

There is not a ton to see at the site, but it is worth stopping by to see.

Explore the Local Streets

One of the best things to do in Malé is to simply explore the local life! On the streets of Malé, you’ll see thousands of motorbike and Maldivians simply going about daily life.

Malé is also a great place to try out more authentic Maldivian food than you may find at a resort or on a local island, as it is cooked for locals, not for tourists. While in Malé, we had a great (and very affordable) lunch at Manchan Maldives.

National Museum

Exploring The Maldives National Museum is a great option if you are interested in local history. If you are interested in local history, Exploring The Maldives National Museum is a great option

The National Museum of the Maldives is open from 10am to 4pm Sunday through Thursdays. It is closed on Friday and Saturdays, so unfortunately, I was not able to visit, as I was in Malé on a Saturday.

Overall, it is a very small museum. There are some displays on the Maldives’ history of Buddhism, but a lot of the most important artifacts have been destroyed or removed due to religious extremism. The museum costs about 10 USD for adults and 2 USD for students.

Walk the Seaside

Once you’ve run out of things to do in Malé, take a walk along the seaside! One of the most interesting sites is near the local vegetable market, where you can see a number of stingrays!

Getting Back to the Airport

Once you are done with exploring Malé, it’s time to make your way back to the airport. The best option is to take a water ferry from this location. Tickets cost about $1.5 USD and the ferry leaves every 15 minutes.

The ferries operate 24 hours a day, except for Fridays. On Friday, they do not operate between midnight and 6am.

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