Malé

Malé (މާލެ), pronounced Maa-leh, is the capital of Maldives. The city occupies the entire islet of Malé at the southern rim of North Malé Atoll. Malé is occasionally dismissed by travellers as a mere transit point with "nothing to do", and it is indeed not a party place. However, it does have a distinctive character of its own, with narrow streets, colourful houses and a strong communal feel, and it may be interesting to stop a little longer and soak in the atmosphere if you've got time on your hands.

Understand
Malé is home to over 250,000 people, on island only long and  wide. By some measures, it is the world's densest city. The new island of Hulhumalé, built (as the name says) between Malé and Hulhulé (the airport island), has been reclaimed from the sea to provide some much-needed extra space.

The neighbouring islands Hulhumalé (artificial) and Vilimalé are served by frequent and very cheap public ferries and provide much quieter get-aways from the capital city. To see the "real" Maldives (i.e. the ones familiar from postcards) you have to get further away, of course.

Orientation
Malé's main street Boduthakurufaanu Magu, home to banks and most government buildings, runs across the coastline of the island. Roughly in the middle is the square of Jumhooree Maidhaan (Republic Square), 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.

Get in


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 seaplane. If your destination is the city, turn left, cross the road and head for the public ferry dock. Ferries to the city take about 15-20 min for Rf 10 and leave every 10-15 min during daytime, every 30 min after midnight. Another option is to take a taxi or bus. Many taxis ask for up to a Rf 100 fee to cross the bridge, even though the government forbids them from charging more than the flat rate.

You will not be allowed into the airport's air-conditioned departures area until flight check-in opens, usually 2-3 hours before your flight (check the monitors hanging above, a number next to your flight indicates the boarding counter number). Facilities "outside" include nursing room, lounges, money exchange counters, ATMs and a help desk.



Get around
Malé 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 the airport ferry.

Public transportation in Malé City is available in taxis, which charge a flat rate of Rf 30, Rf 70 Malé to the airport, Rf 80 Hulhumalé phase 1 to the airport, Rf 85 Hulhumalé phase 2 to the airport, Rf 85 between Malé and Hulhumalé phase 1, Rf 100 between Malé and Hulhumalé phase 2, Rf 40 between Hulhumalé phase 1 and phase 2, Rf 5 extra between 00:00 and 06:00. No charge for trunk usage. Taxis can be booked via Avas Ride mobile app.

MTCC Greater Malé Bus operates metro bus service between Malé, Hulhumalé and within Hulhumalé and Malé, shuttle bus service between Malé, Hulhulé and Hulhumalé, Hulhulé, which charges Rf 10 to main routes, Rf 5 within Hulhumalé, Rf 7 within Malé, Rf 15 between Hulhumalé phase 2, Malé and Hulhulé, MTCC bus service uses the visa/mastercard and touchlink card for cashless transactions which can be purchased for Rf 20. MTCC bus tickets can be bought via Raajje Transport Link (RTL) website and mobile app. Metro buses are not able to hold luggage.

Expect the buses to be crowded during rainy weather, and take the timings as a rough estimate, since traffic density weighs down heavily on them.

There are also ferries from the Hulhumalé ferry terminal to Hulhumalé and the airport every 20-30 minutes.

See



 * Malediven Rückflug Hulhumale 6.jpg
 * Hulhumalé is in a short bus or boat ride away. Boats leave from their own terminal, next to airport ferries (upstairs of the terminal building is a good restaurant with great harbour views!). Hulhumalé is an artificial island where new buildings are rising rapidly. There is also a nice looking beach on the other end of the island from the jetty. There are restaurants and cafes on the island.
 * Vilimalé is in a short boat ride away. It's the fifth ward of Malé (counts as part of the city) and was once a resort. When arriving by ferry, turn immediately left to come to the beach and some old bungalows. Beaches on the other side of the island feature strong currents, so beware, casualties are reported there every year. Compared to the bustle of Malé, this ward is much more relaxed.
 * Malediven Rückflug Hulhumale 6.jpg
 * Hulhumalé is in a short bus or boat ride away. Boats leave from their own terminal, next to airport ferries (upstairs of the terminal building is a good restaurant with great harbour views!). Hulhumalé is an artificial island where new buildings are rising rapidly. There is also a nice looking beach on the other end of the island from the jetty. There are restaurants and cafes on the island.
 * Vilimalé is in a short boat ride away. It's the fifth ward of Malé (counts as part of the city) and was once a resort. When arriving by ferry, turn immediately left to come to the beach and some old bungalows. Beaches on the other side of the island feature strong currents, so beware, casualties are reported there every year. Compared to the bustle of Malé, this ward is much more relaxed.
 * Malediven Rückflug Hulhumale 6.jpg
 * Hulhumalé is in a short bus or boat ride away. Boats leave from their own terminal, next to airport ferries (upstairs of the terminal building is a good restaurant with great harbour views!). Hulhumalé is an artificial island where new buildings are rising rapidly. There is also a nice looking beach on the other end of the island from the jetty. There are restaurants and cafes on the island.
 * Vilimalé is in a short boat ride away. It's the fifth ward of Malé (counts as part of the city) and was once a resort. When arriving by ferry, turn immediately left to come to the beach and some old bungalows. Beaches on the other side of the island feature strong currents, so beware, casualties are reported there every year. Compared to the bustle of Malé, this ward is much more relaxed.

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.

Buy

 * A fishmonger prepares to clean and butcher a pair of large fish in Malé.jpg

Eat
During Ramadan, many cafes and restaurants are closed, or only open after sunset. The restaurant at the Nasandhura Palace Hotel (see Sleep) is open during the day.



Drink
No alcohol is available on Malé, even at the hotels, with the solitary exception of the Hulhulé Island Hotel.









Sleep
Many visitors to the Maldives end up spending a night on Malé City out of necessity, as transfers to more far-flung resorts are generally only available during daylight hours. Malé's guesthouses are targeted primarily at travelling locals and may not provide air-conditioning. The price starts at US$20. Guesthouses can be rented through Airbnb.

Hotels in Malé City cost about US$40 to US$240 per night. You will find many hotels on the artificial island Hulhumalé which tend to be cheaper, and you may expect a beachfront room for US$31 or a bit more. It's a good idea to book before arriving in the Maldives as immigration will want to know where you are staying. If you are a tourist, tourist tax is added to the price.

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

Stay safe
Anti-government protests have broken out at various times in the past two decades, often turning into riots that were sometimes brutally suppressed by the government. Avoid participating in protests or political activism.

The narrow roads can become traffic-congested, and often flood during the two monsoon seasons.

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

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next
From Malé, resorts all around the Maldives pick people up and whisk them to their idyllic shores. If you are in the Maldives for longer than a few days, you should consider leaving Malé and checking out another island such as:
 * Mahibadhoo the capital island of Alif Dhaal Atoll, 78 km (42 nautical miles) south-west of Malé
 * Maafushi