This capital city of the Republic of Maldives is unlike from other islands in the country. It is packed with tall yet colorful buildings, surrounded by ethereal turquoise water. This pint-sized island of Maldives still is maintaining its pristine white beaches, but still very much like has the feel of a thriving city.

Airports in Male

1. Male International Airport (MLE)

MLE which also knowns as Velana International Airport is located on Hulhule Island nearby the capital island of Male. Before this, it was known as Ibrahim Nasir International Airport and is the main airport for the Republic of Maldives. The airport is connected to Hulhule island by road which means you can take a taxi or shuttle bus if you want to go there. However, if you are planning to go to Capital Male, you need to take ferry boats that offer frequent trips. Some of the resort islands near the airport provide speedboat transfer that is available for both day and night time. To go to another island, MLE offer seaplane transfer that only available during the day, so you need to plan your arriving time accordingly.

How to Get Cheap Flights to Male?

Traveloka is a travel search engine that makes it easy for travellers to find the cheapest flights to Male. All you need to do is key in the information in the search box, and the application will recommend the best trip according to your budget. It compares flight prices across some trusted airlines to help you to get the best possible deal. Use Traveloka’s price alert feature to be notified of flights in your desired price range to get the best flight price to Male.

When is the Best Time to fly to Male?

The best time to visit Male usually during the low season – in between May and September. On this period, the tourist spots are crowded and the prices for the hotel will drop. The weather is also suitable for scuba diving and surfing. The peak season usually falls around December to April, where the tourist will gather to witness the birth of a baby island. However, you need to plan earlier because the prices of the hotel and taxis will shoot up.

Across the year, Male will be hot and sunny with the average temperature 25ºC-31ºC. Male is a tropical city that has a dry season and wet season. Usually, dry season will start from January to March which many tourists will come during this period that makes all the prices shoot up. The wet season will fall around mid-May and November although there will be an occasional rain, people do enjoy coming in this period due to the dropping prices. Plus, in this period, surfers will enjoy the best waves and divers will enjoy getting closer to underwater life.

The Maldives is a Muslim country, and it would best if you come around the dates of festivals in Islam so that you can get the most out of Male. One of them is Eid Adha which associated to hajj, a pilgrimage to Holy Mecca. However, like in any other island in the Maldives, Male called Eid Adha as Bodu Eid. They are doing a lot of fun activities like dancing to traditional drums while wearing different costumes. Some even wear costumes woven from coconut palm leaves. If you love foods, you can come here during the Holy Month Ramadan. Since the majority of people here are Muslims, during the fasting month, a lot of restaurants will offer special iftar cuisines (breakfast). You can try Ramadan juices that have a combination of interesting flavors like apricot, rose and kamardine.

What are the Top 3 Things to Do in Male?

1. Doing water-based activities – as Male is an island, you can try to get close to the marine life by snorkeling off the coast, or you can take scuba diving course here. You can ride the boat and enjoy the beauty of the ocean and feed the sea life while you are on the boat. Relating to that, you can take a submarine trip and going deeper into the ocean as you are learning about underwater life directly.

2. Visit the local fish market – Get the freshest fishes from the local waters and bring some to grill for your lunch or dinner. You will be impressed by the variety of fish that the market offers, have a chat with the friendly vendors about the species of the fishes that they sell.

3. Visit the botanical garden – Enjoy the stunning view of native flowers along the trail over there. The serene park with shady trees will make it pleasant for you to take a stroll to relax from the heat of the day. After that, drop a visit to National Museum of Maldives nearby and be marveled at the artifacts from the cultures from the island.