Malé City Walking Tour
Overview
Malé is one of the most densely packed capitals in the world, and a morning on foot there shows you a side of the Maldives most visitors never see. It's an easy add-on on your first or last day, as the airport is just across the water.
Start at the fish market, where the day's tuna are landed and cut on long tiled counters, then walk through the local market's piles of coconuts, chillies and betel leaf. From Republic Square you see the golden dome of the Grand Friday Mosque, and a few streets away stands Hukuru Miskiy, the old Friday Mosque built in 1658 from interlocking coral stone, with its carved graveyard and 17th-century minaret.
Your guide points out Mulee-aage, the pale presidential palace built between 1914 and 1919, and takes you through Sultan Park for some shade. Along the way you'll hear how Maldivians live on an island barely two kilometres across. Dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, especially at the mosques.
Highlights
- Tuna landed and cut at the fish market
- Hukuru Miskiy, the coral-stone mosque of 1658
- Republic Square and the Grand Friday Mosque
- Mulee-aage presidential palace and Sultan Park
- Easy to combine with your flight days
What's included
- English-speaking local guide
- Bottled water
- Transfers to Malé
- Entrance fees where charged
- Food and drinks
- Tips
Request this tour
Send us your dates and a SkyRay advisor will confirm availability and price.
Itinerary
Frequently asked questions
Malé is a conservative city. Cover your shoulders and knees, and bring a scarf if you'd like to look inside a mosque (visits depend on prayer times).
From the airport, a public ferry crosses to Malé every 20 minutes, or you can take a taxi over the bridge. From a local island or resort we can add a speedboat transfer.
Friday is the weekly holiday and many places close around midday prayers, so we recommend another day of the week.
