Wednesday, February 19, 2025 - Male, Maldives

Male is the densely populated capitol city of the Maldives, which is an island nation in the Indian Ocean.  Approximately 143,000 people live in Male, which is approximately one-third of the country's entire population  The Maldives is a quiet place, often ignored by the world's media.  There are small islands surrounding Male which boast of beaches which look like they are straight out of a travel magazine.  However, since the Maldives are located such a long distance from any other land mass, it remains an exclusive tourist destination.  Residents associate themselves more with Asia than Africa, although geographically they are closer to Africa.

The Maldives is made up of 1,192 tiny islands, 200 of which are inhabited.  A majority of the islands have more of a desert landscape, with no substantial mountains or forests.  Since Male is mainly flat terrain there is a threat from rising ocean levels.  The ocean surrounding the Maldives is incredibly clear and filled with an abundance of sea life.  There are hundreds of beautiful species of fish and other sea life. 

 

Male has a rich, fascinating culture which is quickly becoming more conservative Islamic.  Islam arrived on the island in the 12th century.  Now, there are mosques on nearly every street corner, with more than 30 mosques on this tiny island.  The law prohibits the practice by Maldivian citizens of any religion other than Islam, and the Constitution precludes non-Muslims from voting, obtaining citizenship, or holding public positions.  The president, who is required to be a Sunni Muslim, is the supreme authority to spread the doctrine of Islam.  

Islam is the main subject in all schools, at all levels.  When Bob asked the tour guide if Sharia Law was practiced, the guide tried to downplay its importance by adding that they ALSO have a civil justice system.  However. ALL government regulations are based on Sharia law.  If an action or crime involves a Muslim, it will be judged and punished according to Sharia Law (all actions seem to fall under Sharia law).  If visitors want to practice a non-Muslim faith they must do it in the privacy of their rooms.

The 1970's brought a boom in tourism, with wealthy world travelers looking for sun, sand and sea.  In 1972 the first resort opened.  However, strict laws were put into place to limit mass tourism.  The Maldives wanted to avoid the massive hotels and resorts seen so often in other tropical islands.  There is a restriction on building that specifies that no structure may be taller than a mature palm tree.  Prices are high because the island has few natural resources.  The government remains in a quandary over the growing tourism.  The lucrative tourist industry contributes one billion dollars to the economy.  However, the government views western culture as a virus and worries that it will corrupt their citizens.  They do not encourage the local people mixing with visitors.

A few years ago, a couple of tourists from a Costa cruise ship were arrested because the female was wearing a bikini and the male was shirtless! A few years ago when we were here, our suite attendant came to us and said that she and some girlfriends got off the ship and went swimming.  They were wearing conservative swimsuits.  However, a waiter (on land) approached them and told them they had to put their clothes back on to swim, otherwise they could be arrested! They were shocked, but they agreed and went swimming with their jeans and t-shirts!  They didn't last long in the water due to the weight of their clothes.  Then, they had to wear them all the way back as they walked through town and rode the tender to return to the ship.  Islam continues trying to ban spas in the Maldives.  Due to concerns over modesty they want to ban the wearing of bikinis in their country, and prohibit local people from visiting resorts.  Locals have very little access to the beautiful beaches.  In spite of all these restrictions on their freedom, residents tell visitors that life is good.

Male is definitely the heartbeat of the island.  There is a very Islamic feel to it.  Minarets fill the air with their call to worship and provide a calm, traditional atmosphere and serve as a reminder to tourists that this is a devoutly Muslim nation.   We were warned to stay on the main street on the island, due to possible trouble with the locals if we wander off on side streets.  A walk down the main street lead to the Male Fish Market.  Our destination lecturer had warned us that there was more blood on the floor than in a Quentin Tarantino movie! However, we also heard that there were lots of colorful fish there.  On arrival there was, indeed, a LOT of blood with fresh fish being brought in continuously by the fisherman, with fish dripping all the way down the aisles to the area where they are cleaned, gutted, and prepared for sale.  The smell was powerful, but it was also a fascinating place.  There was a great selection of exotic, brightly colored fish.

The Vegetable Market was much smaller than expected.  It was very close to the Fish Market, which seems to garner all the attention.  There was a decent variety of choices, and the fruits and vegetables appeared to be quite healthy.  However, we were informed that most of the produce sold was actually grown in Sri Lanka!! The fact is not surprising considering that there is little open space in Male.  Structures are built right up to the water's edge so there would be little land left for gardening.

Since I decided not to go snorkeling due to my mobility issues, I remained on the ship while Bob went on the excursion. So, here's Bob to tell you about his exciting adventure:

A small group (16) of us departed the ship via a tender boat and headed to the the Male jetty where we were scheduled to board a dive boat (New Life).  We were greeted by the friendly crew and once aboard we were fitted for dive fins and a face mask in preparation for our snorkeling adventure.  During the three hour adventure we had two diving experiences.  

 

 

We arrived at the first of two spectacular reefs/lagoons situated in the Indian Ocean, about 30 minutes out of the Male port.  We all donned our gear jumped into the bathwater warm blue/green transparent water next to an underwater reef about 200 yards from a beach adjacent to one of the dozens of sand bank islands that dot the area.  

We were immediately greeted by thousands of small rainbow colored fish, purple urchins, trumpet fish, eels, and one small shark. As we swam slowly in the crystal clear water, one of the crew members that joined us in the dive, would point out various underwater sights and distinctive fish.

 

 

At the end of our second dive, one of the monitoring crew members tapped me on the shoulder and gestured me to put my head above the water.  Apparently, during my mesmerizing dive I drifted away from the boat.  As I bobbed my head above the water I became aware that there were no other swimmers in the water--I had drifted about 100 yards away from the dive boat and all of the swimmers had returned to the boat about 10 minutes earlier!!!  Although the crew member offered me a paddle board to swim to the boat, I told him that I could make it to the dive boat on my own by just swimming--that was a freaky experience being out in the ocean that far from the dive boat.  Note to self--look up more often when snorkeling!! Bob had a great time on his snorkeling excursion.  Glad he didn't drown!!

In conclusion, the Maldives is a country at a crossroads.  The government is trying to protect its culture by isolating its people from western practices and beliefs.  Yet, they need tourists for their economy to survive.  They want to keep visitors limited to the resort areas, but many of us are eager to explore the town, putting us in contact with their citizens which the government finds very threatening.  I wonder how long the government will be able to keep their people from wanting more of the freedoms the people in western countries have.  It will be interesting to follow their progress in the coming years.

Once again, I have mixed feelings about this country.  There are alluringly pristine beaches with gently swaying palm trees and crystal clear water and a huge variety of brightly colored fish dashing in and out of the delicate coral reefs.  Yet, when visiting Male there is always a slight feeling of tension.  Islam rules the island with a heavy hand and tourists must always be alert not to break any laws, otherwise they could be arrested.  There is always a feeling of relief when we are both back on the ship and safely on our way to the Seychelles.  Now, we have a few relaxing sea days before we arrive.  So, now onto the spectacular Seychelles where our world adventure continues!