How to live like a local in the Maldives

The best part about travel is that it allows you to experience new cultures and traditions. Sometimes, though, we are so busy discovering the more touristic sites of a destination that we completely forget about appreciating the local lifestyle.

Since many travelers, when visiting the Maldives, prefer to stay on a single resort, they often miss out on knowing more about the lives of the Maldivian people. Moreover, it is usually easy to get so charmed by the luxuries of private islands that we end up distancing ourselves from the realities of life in the archipelago.

Island retreats do organize several traditional programs for their guests. However, to truly immerse oneself into Maldivian life, you must experience its subtle nuances and daily occurrences.

Luckily, Maldivian people live simple lives. Whether it is working, playing, eating, or socializing, it is easy for an outsider to become a part of the daily routine on the islands.  

No matter where you stay in the archipelago, you can live like a local in the Maldives by participating in the following activities.

Practice Dhivehi

When wondering how to live like a local in the Maldives, start by learning the local language. Dhivehi is a beautiful language that you can quickly pick up while talking with the locals.

Otherwise, many resorts have language speaking courses for their guests. While not detailed, you can still learn common phrases and words used by Maldivians in everyday conversations.  

Drink coconut water

It’s hard to imagine life in the Maldives without coconut. From coir rope making and wood crafting to Maldivian souvenirs and food, you’ll find different parts of a coconut tree in practically every aspect of daily activity on the islands.

However, one of the easiest ways to admire the versatility of the coconut is by drinking coconut water. Locals have it all the time as a refreshing and natural drink that is both healthy and tasty.

Ideally, you should drink coconut water straight from the fruit. Makeshift stalls near the beach regularly sell coconuts full of somewhat sweet and cool water. The locals cut the top off, make a tiny hole in the shell, and put in a straw for you to drink from the original source.

Play a game of football

The Maldives is famous for a variety of sports, from blackwater diving and surfing to the traditional sports of bashi. Football, though, is without a doubt the most popular game played across the archipelago.

Even the smallest of inhabited islands usually have a football playing field. Nevertheless, if you want to live like a local in the Maldives, play a game or two of beach football.

The local kids typically head over to the beach late afternoon or early evening to play football. A friendly bunch, these young kids are always happy to accommodate outsiders in their game. Football on the beach is an excellent opportunity to have fun and strike up a pleasant conversation with the locals.

Have some sai and hedikaa

A sai hotaa is a traditional Maldivian teahouse. Modest in looks, it serves sai (tea, usually black), coffee, and a range of delicious short eats known as hedikaa.

Kept in a display case for all to see, hedikaa make for excellent bite-sized snacks that go perfectly with a hot drink. Bajiya – fish samosas, gulha – fish balls, fried mushimas, and dhonkeyo kahuru – banana fritters are but a few hedikaa you have to try with your evening tea. 

When you wonder how to live like a local in the Maldives, an evening stop at a sai hotaa is a given. Every inhabited island has a sai hotaa or two. After work, people come here to meet friends, enjoy tea, munch on Maldivian snacks, and basically talk about anything and everything.

A sai hotaa is also busy in the morning. However, pre-dawn activity at the teahouse is due to fishers having an early breakfast before they head out into the sea.

Go fishing

Fishing and tourism are the most important revenue generators for the Maldivian economy. Surrounded by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, which are teeming with various marine life, Maldivians go fishing for daily food consumption and business.

Travelers hoping to live like a local in the Maldives need not have experience in fishing. It is, however, essential that you participate in this activity to get a better understanding of island life. You can always ask to go for a ride with local fishermen in their dhoni and watch them masterfully catch fish.

The other alternative is indulging in some night fishing. A popular tourist attraction in the Maldives, line fishing done at night is perfect for beginners. Admittedly, it doesn’t entirely capture the thrill and hard work involved in the commercial fishery. Still, it does provide a little insight into the effort involved in this essential activity.

Learn to cook Maldivian food

It is impossible to learn how to live like a local in the Maldives without indulging in its culinary culture. The food on the islands uses simple and local ingredients. However, the end product is delectable and packed with distinct flavors.

Among the main ingredients used by Maldivian people in everyday cooking are fish (mainly tuna), coconut, ginger, curry leaves, and condiments from neighboring Asian countries. Although Maldivian food can sometimes be a little spicy, it is simple to moderate the spice levels while cooking it.

Most resorts have cooking classes for their guests. When living on a public island, you can ask your host to book a cooking session with a local.  

Learn to make Maldivian handcrafts

Working with hands, using locally found natural elements, and creating functional items or beautiful art is part of everyday life in the Maldives.

Artisans around the country mainly specialize in building boats and making various handicrafts using coconut and its by-products.

Tourists on most public islands can visit a dhoni (traditional island boat) building shipyard, learn coir rope making, or indulge in thun’du kunaa (the art of mat weaving). Besides these standard practices, some islands also have artisans performing wood crafting and lacquer work. 

Learning the skills to make handicrafts, some of which are must-buy souvenirs from the Maldives, undoubtedly takes years. Nevertheless, you can always witness their creativity. Or, maybe even dabble in its manufacturing process to better understand local life in the Maldives.

Enjoy the beach

Maldivian people are very much aware of their beautiful surroundings and make the most of living in paradise. The beach is a popular hangout spot where locals of all ages visit throughout the day. You’ll find island residents at the beach playing, swimming, or having a picnic with the family.

When staying on an inhabited island, please remember that all tourists (men, women, and children) must dress conservatively on public beaches. If learning to live like a local in the Maldives, you should visit the public beaches and interact with the residents.

However, head to the island’s bikini beach if you wish to sunbathe and get a proper tan. Open only to tourists, you can play around here in skimpier clothing.

Enjoy an evening chat

Maldivians love their evening chat and chai time. It is now a cultural aspect of local life you must experience when wondering how to live like a local in the Maldives.

After work, people often spend time at a sai hotaa (tea house), by the beach, or on the streets mingling with each other. Conversations can range from island or country politics to sports, upcoming festivities, and food.

When not sitting on a sandy beach, people typically congregate near a joali or undholi. Joali is a Maldivian rope chair you will find all over the island. It’s like a hammock where children and adults sit and talk.

Undholi, on the other hand, is a larger, often wooden, swing. Multiple people can sit on a single undholi. While you will find joalis around town, undholi are common only in private courtyards.  

Daily prayers

The Maldives is a Muslim country, and its residents are very religious. On all public islands, you will hear a prayer call at dawn. There are a total of five prayer calls throughout the day.

While women pray at home, most men pray at the mosque or in the open at the time of the prayer call. When encountering locals in the midst of their daily prayers, give them space and avoid interrupting them.

Although it depends from person to person, men usually pray at least once during the day. However, sometimes you might find shops closed during business hours on public islands. It is generally because the proprietor has gone to pray but will be back soon. 

Moreover, island inhabitants are very passionate about Maldivian festivals. If you happen to be in the country during Ramadan, Eid, Independence Day, or Republic Day, do participate in the traditions, celebrations, and cultural merriment that engulfs the entire nation.