Things to do in the Maldives

The Maldives are over a thousand low coral islands grouped into atolls, and very little land rises more than a couple of metres above the sea. Malé, the capital, packs a dense city onto one small island, with the coral-stone Friday Mosque, a golden-domed Islamic centre and a busy fish market. Hulhulé Island, joined to Malé by a bridge, holds the main airport.

Maafushi, a local island south of Malé, has small guesthouses, sandy lanes and snorkelling reefs and shows everyday island life. Most resorts occupy a private island each, and the atolls offer snorkelling and diving among manta rays, turtles and reef sharks, with whale sharks seen in South Ari Atoll.

Tuna is the staple: mas huni, shredded smoked tuna with coconut and onion, is eaten with flatbread at breakfast, and garudhiya is a clear fish broth. Short eats, sweet tea and tropical fruit complete the island table. The dry northeast monsoon from December to April brings calm seas, and the southwest monsoon from May to November is wetter and windier.