Maldives Capitol : Male'......

Malé is the capitol of the Maldives, is the commercial centre, seat of Government and the location of many important historical and religious landmarks. With an area of just over 1.77 square kilometers, it is home to over sixty thousand people, and is the busiest and most populous island in archipelago. It has been known as the Sultan’s Island, in the past.

The Grand Friday Mosque, Masjid-al-Sultan Mohammed Thakurufaanu-al-A”z”am, is the biggest mosque in Maldives. It also includes the Islamic Centre. This grand mosque with its golden dome decorates the façade of Malé. It can accommodate over five thousand worshippers at a time. Nearly all visitors to Malé take time to visit this magnificent landmark.

The old Friday Mosque with its unique minaret and the tombs of national heroes and members of royalty resting in the quietness of its compound gives the visitor a glimpse of the past. The art in the mosque and riyal burial grounds are unique and invaluable.

Other important sites in Malé include the tombs of legendary saints, Mulee-aage- the Presidential Palace and the National Museum in the Sultan Park which shows the glories of a different era. All these are within a ten minute stroll.

The fruit and vegetable market and the firewood market are busy and colourful paces where islanders from outer atolls trade their goods. The fish market nearby, is always immaculately clean, until the fish is landed in the busy hours of late afternoon when fisher-folk begin to arrive with the day’s catch. The fishermen cutting and cleaning the fish have developed the process to an art. It is a clean and well-maintained area that generates much interest from visitors and provides a glimpse into the life of typical Maldivian fisher-folk.

Giving attention to shopping, well, Malé is the best place for shopping, given the choice and variety of goods available in this centre of commercial activity. Local and imported handicrafts and souvenirs, cigarettes and electronic items are sold. The prices in Malé have now become highly competitive, with minimum or no duty levied on most items. Most of the shops are in the main business area which is only a five-minute walk from the jetty where tourists usually arrive. It is always better to browse through a few shops before choosing what to buy. The shops recommended by guides or shop assistants volunteering to be guides are not necessarily the best places for shopping.

Duty free shops at Malé International Airport offer high quality electrical and electronic goods, cameras, hi-fi stereo equipment, watches and cosmetics along with cigarettes and other merchandise.
When the visitors arrive to Maldives and when they ever need to buy anything from Maldives it would be easier to change the Dollar money to Maldivian currency, rufiyaa comes in notes of 2, 5,10,20,50,100 and 500. A rufiyaa is divided into 100 Larees. Coins in use are 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, larees and one and two rufiyaa. Major currencies are converted to local currency at the banks, tourist Resort Island, hotels and leading shops. The American Dollar is the most common foreign currency. Payments in the hotels can e made in most hard currencies in cash, traveler’s cheques maybe accepted if they are supported by an internationally recognized bank guarantee card. The most commonly used credit cards are American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card.