The complete Guide to
Male’
Including information on Villingili and Hulhumale’
Table of Contents About the book
viii
How to use this guide
ix
Explanation of Icons used in the Maps
x
How to use the Maps
xi
1 - General Information
1
Overview 2 History 2 Male’ in transition 3
2 - Places of Interest
5
Jumhooree Maidhan 7 The Islamic Centre 7 The Republic Monument 8 The National Museum and Sultan’s Park 8 Hukuru Miskiiy and Minaret 8 Medhuziyaarai (Tomb of Abul Barakaath Yusuf al Barbaree) 9 Male’ Sea Wall 9 Artificial Beach and Surrounding Area 10 Mosques of Male’ 10 Children’s Park (Kudakudhinge Bageechaa) 11 Souvenir Shops 11 National Art Gallery 11 Fish Market 11 Local Market and Surrounding area 12 Convention center (Dharubaaruge) 12 ii
The complete guide to Male’
Male’ South-West Harbour Citizen’s Majlis President’s Office Theemuge Muleeaage
13 13 13 13 13
3 - Things to Do
25
Surfing in Male’ Take a swim or relax at the Artificial Beach Snorkeling Diving Scuba diving courses Diving rates Popular Scuba Diving Sites near Male’ Diving Schools Operating in Male’
Take a speed boat ride Underwater submarine cruise Visit to Villingili Visit to Hulhumale’ Visit to Kuda Bandos Discovering Alimas Carnival Watch a movie Stop and have a drink or a snack at a Gaadiyaa. Recreational Fishing
4 - Getting Around
26 27 27 28 28 29 29 30
32 32 33 36 38 38 39 39 40
49
Common modes of transport Taxis Road Names and Traffic Signs
50 51 53
5 - Walking Tours
54
Walking Tour 1 – Mosque tour
55 The complete guide to Male’
iii
Walking Tour 2 - Souvenir Shopping tour 59 Walking Tour 3 - General Shopping tour (Ahmadhee Baazaar) 60
6 - Eating and Dining Overview Cafés and tea shops Restaurants Popular Local Foods Bajiya Gulha Biskeemiya Boakibaa Rolls Kavaab
7 - Shopping Shopping for souvenirs in Chandanee Magu Designers Products Electronics Clothes Dive gears Majeedee Magu Sports gears Surf gear
8 - Accommodation Accommodation Options Hotels in Male’ Guest Houses in Male’
9 - Parks and Gardens Jumhooree Maidhaan iv
The complete guide to Male’
61 62 62 63 65 65 65 66 66 66 66
68 70 71 71 71 71 72 72 72
75 76 77 78
80 81
Sultan Park Fisherman’s Park
81 81
10 - Festivals
83
Ramadan Kuda Eid Eid ul Al’h’aa Republic Day (11th November) Victory Day Prophet Mohamed’s Birthday The Independence day (26th July)
84 84 84 84 84 85 85
11 - Money Matters
86
Local currency / legal tender Foreign currency exchange 15 things you can do for 50 Ruffiya in Male’
12 - Ideas for the Curious
87 87 88
90
Ideas for couples in Male’ Have a breakfast at Salsa Café or Trends, the Garden Restaurant Shop at Chaandhanee Magu Watch a movie at Athena Cinema Visit Villingili island Romantic Places to Eat Romantic Places to Stay
13 - Health and Well-being
91 91 92 92 93 93 93
94
Staying healthy in Male’ Medical Care in Male’. Women’s Health Gyms
95 95 95 96 The complete guide to Male’
v
Exercising and Jogging in Male’
14 - Staying Connected Cyber Cafés in Male’ Public Telephones in Male’
15 - Best of the Best Best places to photograph in Male’ Best restaurants Best shops to visit Best places for Ice Creams Best places for Pizza Best Supermarkets
97 98 98
99 100 100 101 101 101 101
16 - Useful Information
102
Key Facts about Male’
103
Credit cards accepted Electricity Postal Services Time zone Telecom services Transportation Ferries
103 103 103 103 103 104 104
Useful Contact Numbers
105
17 - Maps Map Index Selected Street Index
vi
96
The complete guide to Male’
107 118 128
List of Maps MAP A - PLACES OF INTEREST
6
MAP B - POPULAR DIVING SITES NEAR MALE’
31
MAP C - MAP OF VILLINGILI
34
MAP D - MAP OF GREATER MALE’ AREA
35
MAP E - MAP OF HULHUMALE’
37
MAP F - WALKING TOUR 1
56
MAP G - WALKING TOUR 2
58
MAP H - Walking tour 3
60
MAP I - Chaandhanee Magu shopping area
69
MAP J - ALIKILEGEFAANU MAGU
73
MAP 2
108
MAP 3
109
MAP 4
110
MAP 5
111
MAP 6
112
MAP 7
113
MAP 8
114
MAP 9
115
MAP 10
116
MAP 11
117 The complete guide to Male’
vii
About the book Every year thousands of tourists, hundreds of expatriates or foreigners visit Male’. Their purpose may differ, but most of them often have to share one experience while they spend their time in Maldives. A visit to Male’. Although most visitors can find plenty of guides and books on Maldives, it is difficult to find one specific to Male’. This has been the inspiration behind publishing this guide. This book has been written in a very simple manner covering as much information that will be useful. Whether it is for tourists or expatriates, we hope this guide will provide the necessary information required to make their stay in Male’ most memorable. The book has been designed to provide all the necessary information for anyone visiting Male’ for a day or two or for longer periods. We have also tried to include as many maps and illustrations as possible to provide the best visual picture. This book has been divided into different sections or chapters. Each section or chapter is further divided into sub sections. The book does not require you to start at the beginning and follow your way through to the end; instead you can start anywhere you like.
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The complete guide to Male’
How to use this guide The aim of this guide is to provide the reader with useful information through texts, photos and illustrations in a simplistic manner. There are a number of features in the book that will help you to learn and grasp easily. First, the Table of Contents summarizes the main features of the book. Secondly, there are several conventions used in this book to alert the reader on important issues and provide more information and tips. Following are the conventions used in this book. Black text in a coloured box on top of the page indicates a section. Each section has a unique number and colour.
1 - General Information
Text in a green box with symbol provide interesting facts. Example: The length of sea wall around Male’.
FACT
Text in a light blue box with symbol provide useful tips. Example: Best places to have dinner.
TIPS
Red bold text alerts the reader on something useful such as a phone number or reference to a map location. Alternatively, the following symbols are used to assist the reader. ´ Reference to map;
The combined length of the sea wall around Male’ is 4.873 Km.
For a romantic dinner, consider Villingili.
For Popular dive sites in Male’ atoll, ´ See Map 2, B4.
Phone
Price of goods or services. Blue underlined text indicates an Email address or a web address.
www.tourism.gov.mv
The complete guide to Male’
ix
Explanation of Icons used in the Maps Restaurant
Mosque
S
School
CafĂŠ
ATM
ATM
Hospital
Public Telephones
P
Filling Station
Traffic Lights
Gaadiyaa Speciality Shop
Police Station
Supermarket/Minimart
B
Office Building
Dive Schools Banks Public Toilet
H
Hotels/Guest House
G
Government Office
Cinema Gym Places of Interest Ferry Terminal Fishing spots
Excercise area Swimming area Wireless Internet zone x
The complete guide to Male’
399
Block Number
How to use the Maps In this book, maps have been included to illustrate important features of Male’ that suppliment the texts. MAP 1 provides an overview of the important features in Male’, including major streets, Hotels / Guest Houses, Restaurants, Parks, Places of Interest etc. MAP 1 is further subdivided in to 10 sections. Each section is illustrated in detail as a separate map under the “Map section” at the back of the book. These maps are numbered from “2 to 11”. Most of the references made are for maps “2 to 11”. Each of these map will have a horizontal and vertical grid reference scale. Horizontal grid reference scale is alphabets while vertical grid reference scale is in numbers. To locate a place or a street, simply follow the following steps: 1. Go to the map index or selected street index or refer to the map reference in the text. Such references will always have the Map number followed by the horizontal and vertical grid reference. Example; ´ Map 5, B4. 2. This indicates that the location is on Map 5, with horizontal grid reference B and vertical grid reference 4. In addition, there are additional sets of maps with alphabetical listings from “A to J”. Reference to these maps are clearly indicated in the text. There are no horizontal and vertical grid reference scale on these maps.
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How to use the maps MAP 1 - Full Map of Male’
Map 2
Map 3
Map 7
Map 8
Map 4
Map 9
Map 5
Map 10
Map 6
Map 11
Horizontal Grid Reference A B C 1
Vertical Grid Reference
MAP 2, C2
2
Map 2 3
4
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The complete guide to Male’
1 - General Information
1 - General Information
Overview The Maldives’ natural beauty makes it a haven for visitors, a tropical paradise in its pure sense. The archipelago consists of 1190 islands scattered over the Indian Ocean. The white sandy beaches, fringed with tropical vegetation surrounded by crystal clear waters add to the uniqueness of the islands. 200 of these local islands are inhabited and the rest are either uninhabited or developed as resorts (Island hotels). The population of the Maldives is around 300,000 and the majority lives in Male’ – the capital. Male’ is entirely different from any other island with its paved roads, high rise buildings, throngs of people and vehicles that seem to continually move to and fro on the narrow streets. Male’ is the financial and business hub of the country. So it is no wonder that the island bustles with activity throughout the day and most of the evening.
History Historians believe the earliest people to settle in Male’ to be the Giraavaru people. They used the island to clean and cook the fish that they caught. Male’ in Dhivehi means “great blood” referring to the lagoon of the island, soaked with fish blood. According to an ancient myth on the origin of Male’, a young man, Koimala from the island of Serendip (Sri Lanka), who proclaimed to be a king from Rasgatheemu Island, saw Male’ as the ideal place for the seat of his throne. He negotiated with the leaders of Giraavaru 2
The complete guide to Male’
Island and was able to put up his kingdom on the island. Koimala belonged to the first dynasty which ruled the Maldives for some time. The early settlers of the Maldives were believed to have practiced Bhudism until Koimala’s son, Kalaminja, converted to Islam on the hands of a scholar from Maghrib – Abul Barakaath Al Bar Baree. Once the king converted, his people followed. Various ruins and relics like statues, “havittha” and “dagabas” that were later uncovered at various parts of the Maldives are lingering evidence of early Buddhist practice in the Maldives.
1 - General Information
Photo: A historical photo of Orchid Magu
Male’ in transition Male’ is the smallest but easiest and perhaps the safest capital in the world. The island is around 2 square kilometers and accommodates a third of the country’s population. There are no beaches on Male’; instead the surrounding seawalls protects the island against strong waves. A newly landscaped artificial beach area and adjoining breakwaters stretching all the way up to the harbor in the southwest of the island provides a pleasant jogging route, especially popular in the evenings when it is cooler. While the government offices are located in one area, the main streets are lined with shops and offices. In the old bazaar area, which still houses the country’s hub of wholesale and retail trade, the lanes are so narrow that a single vehicle would find it difficult to navigate through, especially with its throngs of busy people.
The complete guide to Male’
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1 - General Information Male’ is increasingly becoming green despite the packed concrete buildings. The streets in some of the residential areas are shaded with trees and you may find arched vegetation at certain areas. A stroll around Male’ would offer interesting sites and shots for the memories; the fish market and the local market at the northern waterfront, the new harbor in the south-west corner and the 400-year old Friday Mosque, to name a few. A stroll around the residential and shopping areas would provide an insight into the life and livelihood of the residents of the capital or simply sit and relax at one of the small parks dotted around the capital and just observe the pace of life. You may be surprised at the large number of motor vehicles in Male’. If you prefer, you could make a tour of the capital by taxi. Many taxi centres operate a number of comfortable, airconditioned and well-maintained taxis. The charges are set by the government; the basic fare for a single journey for four persons or less, from one point to another is Rf15.00, luggage carried in the trunk is charged at the rate of Rf 4
The complete guide to Male’
5.00 per item. The basic charge increases to Rf 20.00, from 12.00 midnight to 06.00 in the morning and charters cost roughly Rf 85.00 per hour. Today Male’ is a typical busy capital, but of course the small size of the island makes it very special and accessible everywhere. FACT
One third of the existing size of Male’ has been reclaimed.
Male’ overlooking the southern side
North-east side harbour
2 - Places of Interest
1
ee M
agu
ndhu M agu
aanu G
oalhi
Violet H
38
3
4
igun
2
Dine N Dine 5
Abadhah Ufa H
igun Dinemore
6
H
City Palace Hotel
Boduthakuru
18
Masjidhul Nooru
Violet Higun
34
ya Hig un
Henveiru Grounds
M A G U
faanu Magu
u 20
Lans
19
Tandoor
Dhunbugas Magu
H
Artificial Beach
7
Bod
Vaijehe y
ufun
Magu
Mag gan du
imoo Go alhi
MAP A - PLACES OF INTEREST
16
Gulisth
17
u Mag
Magu
G
Dheyli
Asra fee
oalhi Hiyalee G
Filigas
The complete guide to Male’
Filigas Higu n
6
Sea Explorer
Male’ Inn
hey Magu
8 21
Heena G oalhi
Bodufungandu M agu
Burevi Magu
aM
22
agu
9
Hithigash Magu
Raiyvilla Higun
▲ N
23
un
2 - Places of Interest
2 - Places of Interest Although Male’ is a tiny city, sightseeing is one of the most awesome experiences you can enjoy here. We have marked the following as the top attractions that you must not miss.
Jumhooree Maidhan The Jumhooree Maidhan is a large public square situated on the northern waterfront of Male’. The official national flag post is located here and this huge flag would be one of the many landmarks you see when you arrive in Male’. If you are lucky, you would run into the flag hoisting ceremonies, held to mark certain national events ´ (Map 4, I1). The Official Jetty is located near the Jumhooree Maidhan and it is used by the officials of the Government and visiting foreign dignitaries. The park in front of the jetty is a place for social gatherings and relaxation. Large crowds gather here in the evenings especially on weekends. Children love to play in the Jumhooree Maidhan and you will find a lot of young children running around and enjoying themselves. The park is also home to hundreds of pigeons which make the scene more interesting. In the
afternoons and morning, you will find regulars feeding the pigeons.
The Islamic Centre The Islamic Centre symbolizes the faith of the Maldivians. Completed and opened in 1984, it is visited by hundreds of tourists every year. If you get hold of a tourist guide, you may have to pay him and they will show you around for a reasonable price. Don’t miss it and take plenty of photos. The tall minaret and the golden dome of the mosque at the Centre are famous landmarks of Malé. The mosque, Masjid-al-Sultan Muhammad Thakurufaanu-al-A’z’am, is the biggest mosque in the Maldives. The grand steps lead to the first and second floors of the Islamic Centre. Inside the mosque, the walls are decorated with Arabic calligraphy from Maldivian calligraphers. Some of the calligraphy found in the mosque are contributed by the President of the Maldives, H.E Maumoon Abdul Gayoom ´ (Map 4, H2). The complete guide to Male’
7