Boasting s 1,192 islands surrounded by crystal-clear, turquoise waters, white, sandy beaches and year-round good weather, Maldives is the ultimate tropical island getaway. While beaches are the country’s star attraction, it often steals the spotlight away from other factors that make Maldives a unique travel destination.

An island nation home to 342,000 inhabitants, Maldivian culture is inspired by the Islamic faith that is practiced by majority of the country’s residents. Even away from the shore there is still much to see and do in Maldives with the country being home to many mosques, boutiques and even has a museum. A little spoken of affair is the country’s local cuisine. Although many luxury resorts offer the best Romantic Dining Maldives options and serve a range of international cuisines, authentic Maldivian food can be found at the local eateries and cafes scattered across Male, which lies 35 minutes away from Naladhu Maldives.

A tropical island destination, sea food naturally holds pride of place in Maldivian cuisine with tuna and swordfish being popular seafood dishes. Apart from seafood, Maldivian curry dishes include delicious, creamy garudhiya or fish soup and chicken and beef curries coloured with green curry leaves and served with fragrant rice or chapathi-like flat breads called roshi. For a light snack, sample the popular Kavaabu, deep-fried snacks made from a delicious blend of rice, lentils, tuna, coconut and spices. Other snacks found in road-side cafes include spicy fish pastries called bajiyaa, fish cakes (kulhi boakibaa), fishballs (gulha) and fish pancakes called masroshi. Popular Maldivian sweets include foni boakiba, githeyo boakiba and huni hakuru folhi.

While premium quality alcoholic beverages are sold in the island’s luxury resorts, alcohol is not sold in Maldives, with the closest beverage to alcohol here being Raa or toddy tapped from palm trees that are left to ferment to create a drink that is slightly alcoholic. Locals however opt for fresh tropical fruit juices, Kurumba or coconut water and the local favourite, black tea known locally as Kalhu Sai.

 

Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.

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