Village Visits

Many visitors to the Maldives go directly to their luxury beach resort and never see a local village, which is a shame. This Sunni Muslim country of fishermen and traders has adapted to the international influx of tourists that are now so vital to its economy but their traditional way of life remains intact on local islands and is well worth exploring. Some resorts offer excursions to the capital of Malé, where you can visit the main mosque and vibrant fish market, or to neighboring islands, all of which have schools, mosques and clinics entirely funded by the government’s tourist tax.