Malé is the hub of shopping in Maldives. You can buy pretty much everything from fresh produce and electronics items to clothes, books, medicines and jewellery here. It is also home to many souvenir shops that sell local handicrafts and artwork, which range from playing cards and seashell necklaces to wood-carved miniature dhonis, oil paintings, hand-painted t-shirts and elegant local mats known as ‘thudu kuna’ woven with natural fibres.
The buzz of shopping activities is centred around the local market on the northern waterfront that sells agricultural produce and a fish market located just two blocks away from the local market. You can buy various local vegetables, bananas, breadfruit chips and home made pickles and sweets from the several stalls that make up the local market. Tourist footfall in the fish market gets heavier in the afternoons as local fishermen bring in fresh catch and sellers cut the fish up masterfully. The bevy of shops on Majeedhee Magu located on the island’s main road stay open till 11 in the night. For imported Singapore-made products and souvenir shops, head to the Chaandanee Magu commercial centre.
While tourists come to Maldives for its tranquil air, those seeking night-time entertainment have a good choice of resort nightclubs with world-class DJs and vintage vodka collections, among other luxurious offerings. An open-air cinema with 60 different ice-cream and popcorn flavours, high-end dining and lively bars are also some star attractions at Maldives’ resorts. As Islam prohibits gambling, there is little by way of betting activities on the island.
Every resort in Maldives Resorts has a spa, with many offering couples’ spa therapies and customized day and night spa packages.
