Maldives culture, people and language: a visitor’s guide

The Maldives sits across old sailing routes between Arabia, East Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia. For centuries, ships stopped here for water, coconut rope, dried fish and cowrie shells, which were once used as money in many places around the Indian Ocean. That traffic left its mark. The tourism ministry describes Maldivian culture as drawing on the whole Indian Ocean rim, with influences from South Asia, Arabia and East Africa in its music, food and words.

Today about 382,600 Maldivians live in the country, according to the 2022 census by the Maldives Bureau of Statistics. Roughly 41% of all residents live in the Malé area. The rest are spread across 187 inhabited islands, many of them home to only a few hundred or a few thousand people. Dhiffushi, for example, has about 1,270 residents. On an island that size, almost everyone knows everyone.

Key dates

• 1153: by tradition, the year the islands adopted Islam (Britannica notes this is the traditional date).
• 26 July 1965: full independence from Britain, celebrated each year as Independence Day.
• 11 November 1968: the sultanate ended and the Maldives became a republic, marked as Republic Day.

The Maldives is a Muslim country, and Islam runs through the rhythm of every day. You will hear the call to prayer five times a day from the island mosque. Many small shops and cafés close briefly at prayer times, then reopen.

Friday

Friday is the weekly day of rest, and the Friday midday prayer is the most important of the week. Expect shops and cafés to close for a while around midday. Most public ferry routes do not run on Fridays, so plan travel between islands for another day. Read more in getting around the Maldives.

Ramadan and Eid

During the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. On local islands, visitors should not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight. Evenings are lively, as families break the fast together and cafés fill up. Ramadan ends with Eid al-Fitr, a festive holiday of family visits and island events. Eid al-Adha follows about two months later. The dates move each year with the Islamic lunar calendar. Our guide to visiting Dhiffushi during Ramadan explains what changes for guests.

Dhivehi is the national language. It belongs to the Indo-Aryan family and is closely related to Sinhala, spoken in Sri Lanka. English is widely spoken, especially in tourism.

The Thaana script

Dhivehi is written in Thaana, a script that reads from right to left, like Arabic. It came into use around the 16th century, and some of its letters were adapted from numerals. Vowels are written as small marks above or below the consonants. You will see it on signs and banknotes, often next to English.

A few useful phrases

Spellings vary when Dhivehi is written in Latin letters, so these are approximate.

“Assalaamu alaikum” is the respectful greeting, especially with older people.

Fishing is the oldest trade in the Maldives and still a point of national pride. Maldivian fishers are known for pole-and-line tuna fishing: tuna are caught one at a time with a pole, line and hook, usually skipjack and yellowfin. It is a selective method with little bycatch.

In the late afternoon on many local islands, fishing boats come back to the harbour and the catch is landed and shared out. It is one of the best free shows on any island.

The dhoni

The dhoni is the classic Maldivian wooden boat, with a high, curved bow. The tourism ministry notes that Maldivians have long been skilled boatbuilders, refining the dhoni over centuries for local waters. Most now have engines, and they still carry fishers, cargo and visitors on island excursions.

Bodu beru means “big drum”, and it is the sound of a Maldivian celebration. A group of drummers and singers, often around 15 to 20 people, starts with a slow beat that builds into a fast, loud finish, with dancers joining in. The drums are traditionally made from coconut wood and covered with animal skin. Historians are not certain where the style came from, though many link it to East African influence carried by Indian Ocean sailors. You may catch a bodu beru night on a local island, especially around holidays and festivals.

Several crafts have been passed down through families for generations. Look for these in Malé and on islands with craft traditions.

• Lacquerwork (liyelaa jehun): turned wooden boxes, vases and bowls decorated with layers of coloured lacquer, often red, yellow and black, with fine carved patterns.
• Mat weaving (thundu kunaa): finely woven reed mats, traditionally from the south, especially Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll. The reed is dyed with natural colours and woven on a simple loom. These mats were once given as gifts of honour.
• Coral and stone carving: seen on old mosques and gravestones. Today, taking or buying coral is restricted, so admire it in place rather than as a souvenir.

Maldivian food is built on fish, coconut, rice and chilli. It is simple, filling and often spicy.

• Garudhiya: a clear tuna broth, eaten with rice, lime, chilli and onion. Many consider it the national dish.
• Mas huni: shredded tuna mixed with grated coconut, onion, chilli and lime. It is the classic breakfast.
• Roshi: a thin flatbread, eaten with mas huni or curry.
• Hedhikaa: short eats, the savoury and sweet snacks served in the afternoon, such as fish-filled pastries and fried bites.
• Tea: sweet black tea or milk tea at a “hotaa” (small café) is a daily social habit, usually with a plate of hedhikaa.

Order tea and a few short eats at a local café and you are doing exactly what islanders do. See our guide to food in Dhiffushi and Maldivian dishes for what to order and where.

Family is at the heart of Maldivian life. Households are often large and close, and several generations may live on the same island or even in the same house. Elders are treated with respect. Neighbours look out for each other.

Each inhabited island has its own council, school, mosque and harbour, and its own character. Football matches, national day celebrations and weddings bring the whole community together. Island life moves slowly and often runs on “island time”. To understand how this works on one island, read about Dhiffushi’s history and island life.

Local islands welcome visitors, and a few simple habits make you a good guest.

• Dress modestly in the village. Cover shoulders and knees away from the beach. Swimwear is fine on designated “bikini beaches”. Nude and topless sunbathing is not allowed anywhere.
• No alcohol on local islands. It is not sold or allowed there; only resorts, the airport hotel island and liveaboards are licensed.
• Respect prayer times and mosques. Do not enter a mosque without permission, and keep noise down nearby.
• Ramadan: do not eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women and children.
• Use your right hand to give and receive things, and keep public affection low-key.
• Leave nature as you find it. Do not touch or take coral, shells or turtles.

Our local island etiquette guide goes into more detail, and the Maldives local islands guide explains how staying on an inhabited island works. For the bigger picture, start with our Maldives travel guide.