MumbaiMale

One of the world’s smallest capitals in the world, Male is known for its colorful buildings and ancient mosque. It is one of the most visited places in the Maldives. With heritage sites on one side and trees and water on the other, it is a must-visit. One of the oldest reefs discovered in the Maldives, Banana Reef is adorned with beautiful caves, stunning coral growths, majestic cliffs, and is populated with sharks and barracudas.

Artificial Beach is the most beautiful beach in the Maldives. Shaped like a crescent, the beach offers breath-taking views and has a pleasant climate. It is filled with cultural activities like live music concerts, colourful carnivals, etc.

The Maldives has an abundance of marine life for its whale shark migration, stingrays, sea turtles, and reef sharks, making it one of the premier scuba diving destinations on the planet. The crystal-clear blue waters offer invisibility and are warm and inviting. If diving is not your thing, then go snorkelling.

Maldives is an ideal place for observing dolphins and whales over the day and soak in the vivid hues while watching the sunset. The island has a wide array of species of whales and dolphins.

The Iberry Cafe is a small, boutique-style eatery in the residential part of Maldives. The service is swift and the atmosphere is always alive with patrons’ chatter. This cafe serves a huge variety of dishes typical of the area, the most popular being fish curry and shrimp fried rice. Jazz Cafe serves a mix of Maldivian and international dishes in a low-key, trendy setting. It holds live music gigs and is known for its yellow chicken curry and roast chicken with barbeque sauce.

Muraka, Kitchen, Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, and Palace Sichuan are some more of the restaurants worth visiting.

Majeedhee Magu is primarily popular for clothes, but you can also find electronics, bags, cosmetics, accessories, watches, shoes, and perfumes here. Male Local Market is located on the northern side of the island and is ideal for fruits and vegetables, coconut milk, dry fruits, pickles, and local snacks.

The Maldives does not have many luxurious and large malls. Centro Mall in Hulhumale Island is a great place for international brands.

The easiest way to explore Maldives is by walking. All of the resort islands, including Male, are easily manageable on foot. The local ferry network is quite limited, and ferries are often late. Since this mode of transit is quite unreliable, it is not recommended.

If you want to reach somewhere in a hurry, take a seaplane. This will allow you to enjoy a scenic bird’s-eye view of the reefs and islands.

There are plenty of tourist places to visit in Mumbai. If you are a fan of scenic sea faces, visit Bandra Bandstand, Worli Sea Face and Marine Drive. A backdrop of multiple Bollywood films, Marine Drive has a place in the heart of every Mumbaikar and is one of the best places to watch the sunrise and sunset in the city.

The Gateway of India, an ‘arch’aeological wonder, was built during the British rule and is a hot spot for tourists, street vendors, amateur photographers and balloon sellers. Any trip to Mumbai would be incomplete without a visit to Elephanta Island. You can take a ferry ride to this UNESCO World Heritage Site and bask in the remarkable temple carvings.

Mumbai Darshan tours are best experienced on double-decker buses that take passengers through the main attractions located in the heart of the city. A trip to Dharavi, Asia’s biggest slum, would be a unique experience for any traveller to see a contrasting way of life.

For nature and wildlife lovers, a safari through the wilderness of Sanjay Gandhi National Park is a refreshing experience. Adlabs Imagica, located in Khopoli, nearly on the outskirts of Mumbai, is an adventure lover’s paradise consisting of theme parks, water parks and snow parks that are ready to get your adrenaline pumping.

Mumbai is a confluence of global flavours that will tantalize any palate. Juhu and Chowpatty beach are great street food options that are easy on the wallet. Parsi cafés offer an authentic taste of Iranian cuisine in cozy, heritage-style architecture that can be found in and around Colaba and Fort.

The Bohri Kitchen is a unique dining experience that serves up delectable home-cooked food of the Bohra Community. Mughlai specialities can be best enjoyed at Khyber, Bademiya and Gulshan-e-Iran. Prithvi Café, Kala Ghoda Café and Le 15 Pâtisserie, are all-time favourites for a light snack or a mesmerizing meal.

Fashion Street, Colaba Causeway, Mangaldas Market, Bandra Linking Road and Hill Road are the best street shopping destinations that offer great pieces at great prices. The stretch of Crawford Market and Lokhandwala street sell every item you may have heard of and are great places for bargain hunters.

To get your hands on some precious stones and jewellery, you can head over to Zaveri Bazaar. Chor Bazaar showcases some of the best vintage and antique items available in the market and it will literally take you on a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The veins of the city, Mumbai locals are a must if you want to experience the Mumbaikar life. There are local train stations conveniently located throughout the city with a train running every 10 minutes. If you do manage to get a footing into the local trains (especially during peak hours), it is one of the most convenient methods to navigate the city. For an air-conditioned commute, metros and monorails can be availed though they are not as far reaching as the locals.

If trains are not your preferred means of travel, you can hail cab services like Ola and Uber or the famous ‘kaali-peeli’ taxis, buses, and auto rickshaws.