The coconut palm in Maldivian life: uses and traditions

Before imports, island life rested on the sea and the coconut palm. Fish gave protein; the palm gave almost everything else.

The coconut palm is recognised as the national tree. At a palm-planting event for the 60th Independence Day in 2025, the Minister of Agriculture called it “our national tree” and urged islands to plant more.

The palm also appears on the national emblem, alongside the crescent, the star and two crossed national flags. In Maldivian tradition the palm on the emblem stands for the livelihood of the nation.

In Dhivehi, the coconut palm is simply *ruh*.

Maldivians recognise several local types of palm, told apart mostly by height and the colour of the nuts. A study published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) lists them:

• Nulu ruh: tall, with green nuts.
• Rathu ruh: tall, with reddish nuts; the most common type.
• Kuhi ruh: tall, with nuts that are green and red.
• Jafanah ruh: short, with green nuts.
• Dhanbu ruh: short, with reddish nuts.

The tall red and green types were traditionally grown for oil.

Grated coconut is the backbone of Maldivian cooking, alongside tuna, chilli, onion and lime.

Young coconut: kurumba

A young green coconut is a *kurumba*. Its water is sweet and refreshing, and the soft white flesh can be scooped out with a spoon or a piece of the husk. Ask at a café or a local shop; many will open one for you.

Mature coconut: kaashi

The mature brown nut is *kaashi*. Its hard white flesh is grated and used in:

• Mas huni: tuna, grated coconut, onion, chilli and lime, mixed by hand and eaten with flatbread at breakfast.
• Curries: coconut milk (*kaashi kiru*), squeezed from grated flesh, thickens fish and vegetable curries.
• Short eats (*hedhikaa*) and sweets: many tea-time snacks and desserts contain coconut.

Islanders also prize *mudi kaashi*, a sprouted coconut with a soft, spongy centre. It is a seasonal treat rather than something you will find on a menu.

For dishes to look out for, see our guide to Maldivian food and dishes to try. If you are staying on Dhiffushi, the Dhiffushi food guide covers what is served on the island.

Coconut oil

Oil from dried coconut flesh is used in cooking, on hair and skin, and in old home remedies.

One of the most traditional uses of the palm is tapping its sap. The person who does it is a *raaveriyaa*, or toddy tapper. He climbs the palm, trims the tip of an unopened flower stalk, and hangs a small pot (a *raa bandhi*, traditionally made from a coconut shell) to catch the sap that drips out.

The fresh sap is called *raa*. Drunk soon after it is collected, it is sweet and mild. Boiled down slowly, it becomes *dhiyaa hakuru*, a thick, dark coconut syrup sometimes called coconut honey.

One important note: left to stand, raa ferments quickly and becomes alcoholic. Alcohol is not sold or allowed on inhabited islands, so fermented raa is not something to look for as a visitor. Read our guide to alcohol in the Maldives for the rules.

Toddy tapping is less common than it once was, but some islanders still do it.

Timber for boats and houses

On a coral island, the palm was often the only large timber available. Trunks from old palms were used for house posts and beams, furniture and firewood. Coconut wood was also used in building the traditional dhoni, the boat that carried fishermen and traders between the islands. Read more in our guide to the dhoni.

Rope from the husk: roanu

The fibrous husk of the coconut is soaked, beaten and twisted into rope called *roanu* (coir in English). It was traded abroad for centuries and was essential at home for lashing boats, rigging sails and building houses. Coir also goes into mats, brushes, brooms and mattress stuffing.

Thatch and woven leaves

Mature palm fronds are woven into panels for roofs, walls and fences. This woven thatch (often called cadjan in South Asia) kept houses cool and was easy to repair after storms. Most homes today use concrete and metal roofs, but woven fronds still appear in shade huts and fences.

Softer young leaves are woven into mats, fans, baskets and hats, and festival decorations. The hard shell (*naashi*) becomes bowls, ladles and scoops, or charcoal for cooking.

Coconut products make some of the most genuine souvenirs from the Maldives. Look for:

• Dhiyaa hakuru (coconut syrup) in small bottles.
• Coconut oil.
• Carved coconut-shell items, such as bowls, spoons and small decorations.
• Woven palm-leaf items, such as small mats or fans.
• Coir rope or coir crafts.

Buying these from local makers puts money straight into island households. Check that any souvenir is not made from coral, shells or turtle shell; many marine products need a permit to leave the country, and turtle products are illegal. See our souvenirs and shopping guide for more.

On a local island, palms line the beach, shade house compounds and fill the wooded interior. Their roots help hold sandy soil together. A healthy palm can bear for decades and may provide for several generations of one family.

Trees for public spaces have even become a debate: imported date palms have been planted in some streets, partly because falling coconuts are a hazard, while others argue the national tree belongs there.

Pests and protecting the palms

Coconut palms in the Maldives face pests such as the rugose spiralling whitefly and the coconut hispid beetle, which can damage leaves and reduce yields. The government has worked with partner countries to control them, including releasing natural predators. Don’t carry plants or seedlings between islands.

Stay on a local island and keep your eyes open:

• Walk through the village in the early morning or late afternoon. You may see coconuts drying, fronds being woven, or someone climbing a palm.
• Ask for a kurumba at a café or shop.
• Try mas huni at breakfast and taste the fresh grated coconut.
• Ask your host about dhiyaa hakuru; some households still make it.
• Look up: before sitting under a palm, check for heavy, ripe coconuts overhead.

On Dhiffushi, a gentle village walk takes you past house compounds shaded by palms. The Dhiffushi history and island life guide explains how islanders lived from the reef and the palm. For more on life on local islands in general, see our Maldives local islands guide and our guide to Maldivian culture, people and language.

A note on respect

Palms in house compounds and on private plots belong to someone, even when they look wild. Don’t pick coconuts or climb palms without asking. Most islanders are happy to share a kurumba if you ask politely.