Maldives cultural attractions
While the Maldives remains a premier beach destination, there is enough on its islands to interest historians, cultural enthusiasts, students, and passionate travelers. A curious traveler, who decides to leave behind the lure of Maldivian beaches and marine life, will find that its residents are welcoming and gentle beings with strong ethos and personalities. At the same time, they will realize that the locals are profoundly religious and extremely passionate about their traditions.
As a result, annual festivals, sacred sites, and historical findings in the capital city of Malé and throughout the atolls of Maldives promise visitors an inimitable cultural explosion. Tourists visiting the archipelago, and especially Malé during religious and national holidays, have the splendid opportunity to immerse themselves into ceremonies that are animated, lively, and feature an abundance of delicious food, vibrant attires, and all-round entertainment.
The events, filled with vividness, reverence, music, and dance, showcase a more colorful side of the islands. Whereas, the ancient landmarks are testimony of Maldives’ invaluable heritage. Together, they are an insight into a nation whose inner soul is as beautiful as its breathtakingly stunning visible surroundings.
Festivals of the Maldives
An Islamic country, the Maldives celebrates most Muslim festivals on its islands with much enthusiasm and jubilation. Along with religious festivals, the residents also partake in national holidays, which are occasions to mingle with each other and honor their nation’s birth.
RAMADAN
Ramadan is a significant religious festival in the Maldives. It consists of a 30-day fasting period during the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, typically in August or September every year. Most offices open for limited hours, but there is no change in the way resorts function. Moreover, guests get to savor special foods during Ramadan, served as part of the daily iftar – breaking of the fast in the evening.
INDIPENDENCE DAY
26th July is Independence Day in the Maldives, a public holiday that honors the 1965 treaty through which the nation regained control over the islands from the British. Malé is the epicenter of most celebrations with processions by the National Security Services and National Cadets, performances by school children, and fireworks at the end of the day.
KUDA EID
Ramadan’s last day is observed as Kuda Eid, a grand affair when feasts occur in every house of the island. People start by praying at the mosque in the morning, followed by visits to their families and friends. Kuda Eid lasts for three days. It is a time full of merriment, tasty food, and traditional dance performances.
REPUBLIC DAY
The Maldives changed from a monarchy to a republic in 1968. The nation now observes 11th November as its Republic Day. Revelries on the day include parades with a marching band, children in colorful clothes, and exclusive culinary delights such as masroshi, a pancake stuffed with fish, and hakuru folhi, a particular type of coconut cake.
NATIONAL DAY
The National Day of the Maldives, held on the first day of Rabī’ al-Awwal, commemorates Mohammed Thakurufaanu’s victory over the Portuguese in 1573. A special day for Maldivians, festivities include parades on the streets of Malé and a few other islands.
PROPHET'S BIRTHDAY
The 12th day of Rabī’ al-Awwal is when the locals celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad. Known as Mawlid, it is a grand event with large processions in Malé and other prominent island cities. On this auspicious day, people give donations, decorate mosques, attend large gatherings where poets and literary greats recite Sufi songs and stories about the Prophet.
Museums in the Maldives
Malé’s museums are an ideal way to spend rainy days indoors, are essential educational destinations, and act as windows that allow travelers a glimpse into the islands’ vibrant history. There are also smaller museums on a few inhabited islands that highlight regional lifestyles, fishing culture, and notable personalities.
National Museum
Inaugurated on 11th November 1952, the National Museum is home to several age-old artifacts collected from various Maldivian islands. Buddhist era relics, ornaments from the palaces of the monarchs, Maldives’ first printing press, vintage weaponry, antique musical instruments, and a skeleton of Longman’s beaked whale, the National Museum’s impressively diverse collection is an homage to the legacy of the country.
National Art Gallery
The National Art Gallery, established in 1999, is an opportunity for visitors to appreciate the works of both Maldivian and international artists. Regular exhibitions cover traditional and modern art techniques. The gallery also hosts workshops and presentations for art lovers from time to time.
Utheemu Ganduvaru
Situated on the island of Utheemu, the wooden palace of Maldives’ beloved hero Mohammed Thakurufaanu is an essential part of the island’s royal history. Tourists can take a guided tour of the property that features elegant furnishings and portrays how the rich lived in the Maldives centuries ago.
Religious Sites in the Maldives
Hukuru Miskiiy Mosque – Malé, Maldives
HUKURU MISKIIY
The oldest mosque in the Maldives is also one of its most cherished structures boasting of delicate engravings and designs, including scripts from the Quran. Inside, the Old Friday Mosque has a 13th-century panel that depicts the arrival of Islam on the islands. Visiting the mosque for non-Muslims is possible with prior approval and only during non-prayer times.
KALHU VAKARU MOSQUE
Famously known as the “traveling mosque”, it is the only structure in the Maldives to have been dismantled and re-built at another spot. The mosque moved from Malé to Furanafushi in the 1970s, but was then brought back, and is presently in Malé’s Rasrani Bageecha.
GRAND FRIDAY MOSQUE
As the most significant religious site in the Maldives, built-in 1984, the Grand Friday Mosque is a pre-eminent sight in Malé. Its exteriors are made of white marble and devoid of much design. The mosque has a beautiful interior featuring wooden doors and panels and can hold 5000 worshippers. Entry for tourists is limited to non-prayer times, and one has to be conservatively dressed to go inside.
TOMB OF MOHAMMED THAKURUFAANU
Next to Bihuroazu Kamanaa Miskiiy, a tiny mosque in the center of Malé is the tomb of Mohammed Thakurufaanu. The Maldivian flag permanently flies next to the grave, and locals take great pride in this monument. Tourists are encouraged to visit this most important historical site in the city.
AASAARI MISKIIY
Maldives’ second oldest mosque is on the island of Nilandhoo. Many believe it was constructed using stones from pre-Islamic religious sites. Its unique architecture consists of Arabic scriptures chiseled on the walls and elaborate woodwork.
MEDHU ZIYAARAIY SHRINE
The tomb of Abdul Barakat Yusuf al-Barbari, responsible for bringing Islam to the Maldives, is in a beautiful building close to the Huruku Miskiiy. Several islanders visit the shrine regularly to pay their respects to the Moroccan scholar.
Archaeological Sites across the Maldives
Traversing across the atolls of the Maldives, travelers are likely to stumble across various archaeological sites, especially Buddhist relics, that are fascinating and help understand the nation’s religious temperament during its pre-Islamic era.
Thoddoo Buddhist Temple
A vital archaeological discovery in the 1950s was that of a Buddhist temple on the island of Thoddoo in the Alif Alif Atoll. During excavation, several artifacts came to light, including a well-preserved statue of Buddha and Roman coins. The site is popular with tourists and highlights the significance of Buddhism in Maldivian history.
Kuruhinna Tharaagandu
A noteworthy archaeological site in the Maldives, Kuruhinna Tharaagandu, comprises the remains of a Buddhist monastery that dates back to the 7-8th century. It takes 2-4 hours from Malé to reach Kaashidhoo, the island where the monastery is situated.
Vasho-Veyo
An open-air circular bath made with Porites coral stone, Vasho-Veyo is an impressive piece of architecture that speaks volumes of the skills exhibited by the locals of Fuvamulah. Visitors to the island will also find a Buddhist stupa, Fua Mulaku Havitta, that is now unfortunately in ruins.