Things to do in Maldives

The 17 best things to do in Maldives

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1. 1Maafushi

   Swim with whale sharks in South Ari Atoll

   South Ari Atoll's marine protected area, known as SAMPA, is a place where whale sharks are seen all year. The same sharks return so often that it has the highest re-sighting rate of any whale shark hotspot in the world, and most of them are simply cruising, which makes for calm encounters. Day trips from Maafushi start early: boats check in at 7:00 AM, cross to the atoll in about 1 hour 45 minutes and spend 7 to 8 hours out, often adding a manta ray snorkel and lunch on Maamigili. National rules keep swimmers at least 3 m from a whale shark's body and 4 m from its tail, with no touching, feeding or flash photography.

   Tip: Pick an operator that gives a proper safety briefing and watches for other boats, since swimmers have been killed by boat propellers at SAMPA's whale shark sites.

   Visit on a boat trip
   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); iCom Tours, Maafushi (icomtours.com); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (GOV.UK); Government of Canada
2. 2Maafushi

   Snorkel Kuda Giri's coral garden and Biyadhoo Reef

   The classic first boat trip from Maafushi is a half day on two nearby reefs. Kuda Giri is a coral garden full of colorful corals and tropical fish, where hawksbill turtles sometimes glide past, and divers can also explore the Dhoonier Wreck close by, two sunken aircraft launched in 2025 as a new artificial reef. The second stop, Biyadhoo Reef, is the house reef of a resort island, home to clownfish and a favorite resting place for green sea turtles; boats snorkel the reef without landing on the resort. Trips meet at 9:30 AM, last about 4 hours and end with lunch and free time on the local island of Guraidhoo, a 10-minute ride away.

   Tip: Keep your hands off the coral and give turtles plenty of room, and bring a little cash for Guraidhoo's souvenir shops.

   Visit on a boat trip
   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: iCom Tours, Maafushi (icomtours.com); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board)
3. 3Maafushi

   Snorkel Embudu Reef and the Fish Tank's stingrays

   This longer trip from Maafushi pairs two very different snorkels. Embudu Reef, the house reef of a resort island, is full of coral formations and marine life, and eagle rays sometimes glide by. About 15 minutes away, the Fish Tank lives up to its name: you drop into huge schools of colorful fish and friendly stingrays, all of them wild, drawn by a nearby fish processing facility. Boats look out for dolphins on the way, and the day ends with lunch and free time on Gulhi, a quiet local island with a clear lagoon and a soft white sand beach. Check-in is at 9:00 AM for a 9:30 AM departure, and the trip takes about 6 hours.

   Tip: Bring sunscreen, swimwear and some cash for Gulhi's souvenir shops; snorkel gear, towels, water and lunch are provided.

   Visit on a boat trip
   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: iCom Tours, Maafushi (icomtours.com)
4. 4Vaavu Atoll

   Lunch on a stingray sandbank in Vaavu Atoll

   A full day south of Maafushi reaches Vaavu Atoll, with three stops in the water. The first stop, Shark Point, is home to nurse sharks that you snorkel above with the crew as guides. Next comes a newly found shipwreck lying in clear turquoise water, slowly turning into an artificial reef as fish and coral settle on it. Lunch is served on a sandbank where stingrays glide through the shallows, with time to swim and relax before the ride back, watching for dolphins. Trips check in at 7:00 AM and last 7 to 8 hours. Couples can also arrange a private picnic on a secluded sandbank.

   Tip: Pack plenty of sunscreen and swimwear; the crew brings snorkel gear, towels, a beach umbrella, water and lunch.

   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: iCom Tours, Maafushi (excursion operator); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board)
5. 5Malé

   See the coral-stone Old Friday Mosque in Malé

   Hukuru Miskiy, built in 1658, and its minaret, added in 1675, are the oldest buildings still standing in Malé. For centuries this was the country's most revered place of worship, and it shows off the skill of Maldivian craftsmen: the walls are interlocking coral blocks covered in fine carving, cut coral columns hold up a vaulted, decorated ceiling, and the interior holds traditional woodcarving and lacquer work. The coral stone is joined tongue and groove, a highly developed building technique for its time. Next to the mosque is a 17th-century graveyard of carved tombstones, rounded on top for women and pointed for men, with gilded inscriptions marking royal graves.

   Tip: Cover your shoulders and upper legs, and take extra care to be respectful around the mosque, especially during Ramadan.

   View from outside
   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (GOV.UK)
6. 6Malé

   Trace Maldivian history at the National Museum

   The Maldives' first museum opened on 19 November 1952 for National Day, and today it fills a large building in Malé built with funding from the Chinese government. More than 7,000 artifacts are grouped into three sections. The oldest holds coral stone carvings from the Hindu and Buddhist era before Islam arrived in 1153. The second, home to most of the exhibits, covers the sultans, with thrones, ornaments and garments worn by kings and queens. The third follows the change from sultanate to republic since 1800. The museum opens Saturday to Thursday from 10:15 AM to 4:00 PM, the ticket counter closes at 3:30 PM, and it shuts on government and public holidays.

   Tip: Travel light, since bags, handbags, food and selfie sticks are not allowed inside, and keep the flash off when you take photos.

   Foreign adult: $10 · Pay at the ticket counterFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: National Center for Cultural Heritage, Maldives
7. 7Maafushi

   Spend a day on Maafushi, the guesthouse island

   Maafushi is a local island in Kaafu Atoll, about 27 km from Malé, where visitors stay among a community of about 2,400 people rather than on a private resort. Its 48 guesthouses and hotels offer an affordable alternative to the resort islands, and the whole island covers just 35 hectares. Dive centers cater to beginners and experienced divers, excursion centers sell the reef trips above, and small eateries called cafés serve Maldivian and international dishes. Evenings bring sunsets over the lagoon, watched from the beach, a dhoni or a seaside café, and with little light pollution the night sky fills with stars. From the airport, speedboats take about 40 minutes and the slower ferry dhoni up to 2 hours.

   Tip: Away from resorts, including on beaches used by locals, keep your shoulders covered and your arms and upper legs covered when swimming, and remember that alcohol is sold only on resort islands.

   Free to visit
   Sources: Secretariat of the Maafushi Council; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (GOV.UK)
8. 8Maafushi

   Eat mas huni and garudhiya in a local café

   Maldivian cooking rests on two ingredients, fish and coconut. The classic breakfast is mas huni, fresh tuna mixed with grated coconut, onion, chili and lime, eaten with roshi flatbread. Garudhiya, a fish soup served with rice, lime and chili, is eaten through the week, sometimes with fried fish, boiled yam or fried moringa leaves on the side. At evening tea, look for hedhikaa, the short eats: kulhi boakibaa fish cake, bajiyaa, which are like small samosas, and mas roshi, cakes of tuna and grated coconut. On Maafushi, small eateries called cafés serve garudhiya alongside international dishes, and Maldivian food is easy to find on every local island and at resorts.

   Tip: Order hedhikaa with a cup of tea in the late afternoon, when Maldivians traditionally eat them.

   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); Secretariat of the Maafushi Council
9. 9Malé

   Fly over the atolls on a seaplane transfer

   For many resort guests, the trip from Velana International Airport ends with a seaplane flight over reefs, lagoons and tiny islands. Most travel in the Maldives is by boat or seaplane, and the largest seaplane fleet in the world flies from the airport to more than 80 resorts. After check-in, a minibus takes you to the seaplane terminal, and the planes take off from and land on the water. Because they fly only between sunrise and sunset, plan to land in the Maldives by 3:30 PM to reach your resort the same day; later arrivals can spend a night in Malé or Hulhumalé. The standard allowance is 20 kg of checked luggage plus 5 kg of hand luggage.

   Tip: Ask for the seaplane transfer when you book your resort or package, and keep swimwear and medicines in your hand luggage in case a bag follows on a later flight.

   Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Trans Maldivian Airways (seaplane operator); Trans Maldivian Airways (seaplane operator); Government of Canada
10. 10Baa Atoll

    Snorkel with manta rays at Hanifaru Bay

    Baa Atoll, named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011, is home to about 250 coral species and 1,200 reef fish species, along with turtles, manta rays and whale sharks. Its star is Hanifaru Bay, a tiny bay on the atoll's eastern side that has seen some of the largest gatherings of manta rays anywhere: up to a hundred feed together as the tide pushes plankton into the bay. Whale sharks come for the same plankton during the southwest monsoon, roughly from May or June to October or November. To protect the feeding ground, diving is banned and visitors may only snorkel from the surface. Flights from Velana International Airport to Dharavandhoo take about 20 minutes.

    Tip: Plan a Hanifaru trip for the southwest monsoon months, when plankton builds up in the bay, and follow your guide's instructions in the water.

    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme; Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board)
11. 11Maafushi

    Watch the sunset from a traditional dhoni

    Evenings in the Maldives belong to the water. A sunset cruise on a dhoni, the traditional boat that still works as a water taxi between the airport, Malé and nearby islands, is a classic way to end the day, whether you stay on a resort or a local island. On Maafushi the sky turns orange, pink and gold over the lagoon, and you can watch from the beach, a seaside café or the deck of a boat. Once it is dark, the lack of light pollution brings out a sky full of stars. Couples often add dinner under the stars or a picnic on a secluded sandbank to make a night of it.

    Tip: Listen to the safety briefing and check that life jackets are on board, especially on smaller excursion boats.

    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); Secretariat of the Maafushi Council; Government of Canada; UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (GOV.UK)
12. 12Malé

    Dive the Maldives Victory wreck in North Malé

    North Malé Atoll was the first atoll to open to tourism, and its dive sites are among the most popular in the country. The Maldives Victory, which sank in 1981, is its best known wreck dive. It rests at about 35 m, and in the decades since it has been covered in colorful corals, with groupers, fusiliers and batfish living around it. The depth makes it a dive for experienced, certified divers. Beginners have plenty of choice too: the Maldives has calm lagoons and gentler reefs for first dives, and resorts run boat trips to reefs a short ride from the island.

    Tip: Before you dive, ask how your operator would get you to one of the country's three hyperbaric chambers, since many resort islands are more than an hour away.

    Dive with a licensed operator
    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (GOV.UK)
13. 13Malé

    Dive Banana Reef and spot mantas in North Malé

    Banana Reef, known for its wealth of fish and sea life, is one of the most popular dive sites in North Malé Atoll, alongside Nassimo Thila, with its caves and coral formations, and HP Reef, with its caves and crevices. Thilas are underwater pinnacles that draw fish in from every direction. The atoll's marine life runs from colorful reef fish to sharks and manta rays, and in the southeast of the atoll, Manta Point draws mantas that gather to feed during the southwest monsoon, from May to October. The atoll has many resorts close to the international airport, which makes its reefs easy to reach on a short stay.

    Tip: Never touch the coral, and keep a respectful distance from mantas and other animals, following your dive guide's briefing.

    Dive with a licensed operator
    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board)
14. 14North Malé Atoll

    Surf the reef breaks of North Malé Atoll

    Sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives catches southern swells on the outer reefs of its atolls, in water of around 28 degrees Celsius. North Malé Atoll was the first to be discovered for its waves and is still the most popular and accessible, with many resorts close to the airport and some of the longest rides in the country. Its well known breaks line the eastern rim: Cokes at Thulusdhoo, Lhohis at Lhohifushi, Jailbreaks, Honky's, Malé Island Point, Sultans and Ninjas. The season runs from mid-February to November, with the best conditions from March to May and from September to the end of November.

    Tip: If you will fly to your resort by seaplane, sort out your board in advance, since oversized equipment needs a charter flight.

    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (official tourism board); Trans Maldivian Airways (seaplane operator)
15. 15Malé

    See Muleeaage, the presidential palace in Malé

    Muleeaage, the official palace of the President, stands on the site of the ancestral home of former sultans. The present building went up between 1914 and 1919, when Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddeen III had it built for his son, Prince Hassan Izzuddeen, who was coming home after his studies in Ceylon. Despite its royal roots, it never served as a sultan's palace. The prince lived there from 1920 to 1934, and it later housed government offices and visiting heads of state. President Mohamed Ameen Didi made it the presidential palace in the First Republic, President Ibrahim Nasir declared it so again in 1968, and presidents have lived there for varying periods since.

    Tip: Admire it from outside on the same Malé walk as the Old Friday Mosque and the National Museum.

    View from outside
    Search tickets and tours on KlookSources: Visit Maldives Corporation (visitmaldives.com)
16. 16Malé

    Ride the public ferry from the airport to Malé

    Velana International Airport sits on its own island, Hulhulé, so even a trip into the capital can start on the water. The public airport ferry leaves every 15 minutes from 5:30 AM to midnight, from the ticket counter near Terminal 2, and lands at the Hulhumalé Ferry Terminal in Malé. On land, public buses link the airport with Malé and Hulhumalé, and taxis cross the bridge around the clock and can be booked through local apps. For other islands, speedboats leave from the airport jetty and the Malé terminals, with times that can change with the marine weather.

    Tip: Download the national ferry and bus app to check timetables and buy tickets before you land.

    Pay per ride
    Sources: Maldives Airports Company Limited (Velana International Airport); Maldives Airports Company Limited (Velana International Airport)
17. 17Malé

    Stretch your legs in Hulhumalé's Central Park

    Hulhumalé is a planned city built for the growing population of the Greater Malé region, laid out in zones for homes, shops, offices and recreation, with walkable neighborhoods and green spaces. Central Park is its largest and most prominent green space and a gathering place for residents and visitors alike, and the island adds running and jogging tracks, futsal pitches and small neighborhood parks between the residential buildings. An extensive network of walkways makes it easy to explore on foot, and public buses connect it with the airport and Malé, so it works well for a first or last night around a flight.

    Tip: If your flight lands too late for a seaplane transfer, a night in Hulhumalé is an easy way to break the journey.

    Free to visit
    Search tours on KlookSources: Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Hulhumalé; Housing Development Corporation, Hulhumalé (official); Housing Development Corporation, Hulhumalé (official); Maldives Airports Company Limited (Velana International Airport); Trans Maldivian Airways (seaplane operator)

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