4 Hour Highlights of Malé Walking Tour: Discover History, Religion and Culture with Secret Paradise

Discover the history, religion, and culture of Malé, the capital of the Maldives, on this 4-hour walking tour. Explore the fish market, visit historical landmarks, and enjoy a refreshing break at a local café.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Your tour starts with an overview of Male and the harbour area, a very important aspect of any island nation.

Passing by the oldest school in the city, learn about the education system and why the Maldives has a 98% literacy rate. Visit Hukuru Miskiiy - Old Friday Mosque and the tomb of Abu -al - Barakaath and learn why the Maldives converted to Islam and how the Islamic faith underpins everyday life.

Stop for a refreshing cup of traditional black tea at Royal Garden Café, a popular spot for locals. Housed in a rare example of a ‘ganduvaru’ a nobleman’s house, it provides a great example of traditional dark carved wood interiors.

Stopping at the November 3rd Memorial, hear the story of how 8 brave military servicemen died in the protection of their country from a terrorist attack in 1988. Wander through Sultan Park, a reference to the time the Maldives was governed by a sultanate with an optional visit to the National Museum. (Note: Entrance fee not included.)

Walking back towards the harbour area, pass by the Grand Friday Mosque and the Islamic Centre, Male’s famous architectural landmark and onto Jumhooree Maiden - Independence Square. From here, learn the meaning of the Maldives national flag and pick out key government buildings.

Heading west along the harbour, visit the bustling fish market and the local market, where the sights, sounds and smells will fill your senses. Chat with the local stall holders and taste tropical produce and homemade sweets.

The tour finishes at the top of one of the city’s tallest buildings, providing a great back drop to your final tour photo image!

Points of Interest

  • Jetty Number 5
What's Included
  • Secret Paradise Local guide
  • Safety Briefings
  • Tea and coffee
  • Snacks
  • All Local Tax
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Pick Up from airport, hotels in Hulhumale and Malé at a charge of $25 two pax.
Additional Information

Explore the streets of Male, the Maldives’ capital city, with the acclaimed Hulhumale tour service offered by TripAdvisor. Learn about the city’s historical background, religious significance, and cultural heritage as it emerges from the Indian Ocean. Join your Secret Paradise local guide for an immersive adventure at the local and fish markets. Discover the rich history behind the President’s Palace, Sultan Park, Victory Monument, and Friday Mosque. Enjoy a respite at a local café, a serene spot amid the city’s bustle, and appreciate the view from one of the city’s highest buildings.

We emphasize environmental education for both visitors and residents as an effort to conserve our operating environment and to reduce any adverse effects where possible, safeguarding the unique geographic location of this country for future generations.

Kindly note that the café break will not be included from March 22 to April 20, 2023, during Ramadan.

We also offer private tours upon request.

  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • The Maldives is a Muslim country therefore we would request female guests to dress with modesty in mind.
  • Tour is not suitable if you are staying on a private island resort.
  • Safety has always been important to our business, this is why our guides are Emergency First Responders & Life Guard Certified. We are pleased to offer safe travel and hygiene standards as required by the World Travel & Tourism Council. Full details of our Travel Safely policy can be found on our website.
Location
Jetty Number 5
Boduthakurufaanu Magu
Jetty 5 us located opposite the Bank of Ceylon. Note this tour is not suitable if you are staying on a private island resort.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(151 Ratings)
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Troy_b
Jun 29, 2024
The tour I always hope to recoeve - This was exactly the walking tour I hoped to receive. Ube (forgive me if his name is misspelled) was extremely knowledgeable in explaining the history and current affairs of The Maldives. His personable demeanor and competent guiding made for a very pleasant afternoon.
Review provided by Viator
Sohanferdousshokrana
May 15, 2024
A fabulous Maldives trip - Maldives trip was really an amazing on. Hulhumale, Male were so good. Shopping was quite expensive. But the real fun was the resort island Medufushi.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
C_ledwell
May 5, 2024
Terrific walking tour of Male', highly recommend it - This was a really informative and educational tour of Male' by guide Ahmed Shaffaf that covered a lot in four hours - from taste-testing at the local farmers and fish markets (spotting stingrays), political history, religious history, history of local currency, visiting monuments and local beaches, and a well-timed glass of fresh mango juice mid-tour. The tour is expertly mapped out to make good use of landmarks across Male'. I found it helpful to visit the national museum ahead of the tour for context, and do a bit of reading ahead to set the context for Maldives' rich history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hanxiaol2022
Apr 21, 2024
Fantastic city walk tour - I did the tour with Archie on April 19, 2024 and it was amazing! Archie was very knowledgeable about the history of Maldives and the landmarks known the Malé island. At no point was I in any rush. Archie really made sure that I had a good amount of time for each site. The tour is ideal for learning about the history, culture, and politics of Maldives if you have like half a day’s time on the Malé island.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Crabbyman72
Apr 1, 2024
Magnificent walk thru Malé - We visited Male from a cruise ship during Ramadan, and so many of the food tours during the day weren't available. We booked the afternoon 4-hour walking tour and learned we could take Iftar with our guide at a local restaurant. Our guide, Ahmed Shaffaf, met us at the Presidential Jetty, where the ships' tender boats landed. Very convenient! Ahmed Shaffaf took us through the nearby markets. His English is excellent, and he was able to explain everything we saw and get us samples of the various products. All the shopkeepers were very friendly and open. We felt very welcome. The markets were clean and well kept—no odor or foul floors. Afterward, Ahmed led us on a 2-mile loop through the city with frequent stops with time to duck into an airconditioned shop from time to time. Along the way, we learned about life in Male and better understood the local culture. The highlight of our tour was the opportunity to share Iftar with many residents. Afterward, it was quite dark, and Ahmed was careful to lead us down the dark seawall sidewalks safely. Ruth, from the Secret Paradise Office, was always prompt in responding to emails. Her company offers various excursions in the Maldives, and I highly recommend using Secret Paradise to plan your entire visit.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carlotta
Mar 13, 2024
A must-do! - Don’t even think twice and go for it! This is a must-do if you want to look beyond the shiny surface of Maldive’s sandy beaches and resort life to understand more of the local reality and have a glimpse of the island’s daily life. Hamti and Archie, my your guides, were extremely kind, genuine, and knowledgeable - it felt like a walk with two friends. They answered all my questions and gave me interesting perspectives on Maldive’s society, environment, and history. I will definitely take more tours with them in the future. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve_c
Mar 13, 2024
Loved exploring Male'. - I really enjoyed the discussion about politics and history with Archie and Nafsha as we toured local sites and markets. I'm still enjoying my sea almonds. I have a greater appreciation for Male' and for the Maldives.
Review provided by Viator
Andraic
Feb 18, 2024
Highlight of my Malé visit! - It was a privilege to walk around Malé with Nafsha and Archie, and learn about the country directly from Maldivians. I loved tasting local snacks at the food market, and our chat about life in the Maldives over refreshments. I only wish there we could have seen the Tsunami Monument as well, but sadly it is currently at the other end of the island
Review provided by Viator
Emily_s
Mar 30, 2024
Mr Shark was a great guide. - Mohamed Shark was an excellent guide. Very personable and informative. Unfortunately, a person in a handicap scooter signed up for this walking tour, which meant we couldn’t progress at the expected pace. Our tour ended up being 3 hours instead of four. Our time with Mr. Shark was wonderful, but unfortunately he had to spend a lot of time looking after the handicap person which took away from our experience. Please designate that walking tours are not appropriate for handicap scooters.
Review provided by Viator
Ana_n
Mar 10, 2024
Relaxed city walk - This was a relaxed walk with plenty of sightings and useful facts about the history and culture of the country. I really enjoyed learning from Archie!
Review provided by Viator
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1 Adult
September 2024
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