The Republic of Maldives offers a lot of activities to do and sights to see. The beaches and reefs in this country are fantastic; though it is not to be mistaken for just another country with great beaches. There are several activities and sights to see one can engage himself/herself when in the Maldives, namely:
1. Shopping.
Like any country, souvenir shops are abundant in this country. Tourists have a range of souvenir choices: craft pieces, wood carvings, keyrings, handmade photo albums, fridge magnets and mats that are easily distinguishable with the bright pink and/or orange color they’re painted with. What’s even better is that you can also haggle for these items as they normally don’t have fixed price tags on them.
If you’re big on shopping, surely you’d be happy to know that shopping in Maldives is duty-free, and tourists can shop for branded items like watches, chocolates, perfumes, electronic gadgets, and even clothing and accessories like sunglasses. Fashion boutiques that are also duty-free offers leather items, jackets, trousers, silk shirts and even sportswear. Just be aware though that the Maldives government has banned the export of products made from turtle shells, black corals, pearl oyster shells, and red coral. So avoid or just don’t buy these items as there’s no chance you can take them out of the country anyway.
2. Scuba Diving.
Almost every single resort in the Maldives caters for scuba divers and accepts all international scuba diving certificates. For those just starting to learn scuba diving, almost all resorts conduct open water and advanced courses like night diving, rescue diving and underwater photography, and these classes are conducted in several languages like Italian, French and Japanese, aside from English.
Scuba diving equipment like masks, snorkels and fins are all available for hire, and some of the resorts in the Maldives offer scuba diving on a daily basis primarily due to its popularity and rarely are these activities canceled.
3. Snorkeling.
Snorkeling over the shallow waters of the islands is a great way to explore the underwater treasures of the Maldives. As snorkeling equipment is readily available in all resorts in the country, tourists can certainly enjoy going by themselves or with a group through the snorkeling excursions held by most resorts that give tourists and visitors a chance to be part of the diverse marine life and reef structures of the Maldives.
4. Surfing.
The Maldives is fast gaining popularity and establishing itself as a great place to surf. Surfing is relatively new to the Maldives, alhtough the 2006 O’Neil Deep Blue Contest held in the Maldives certainly helped put the country on the surfing map. While the majority of the recognized and popular surf spots are in the Male’ Atoll, it is highly recommended that tourists and visitors choose a resort located along the eastern side of North Male’ Atoll for easy and convenient access to a number of great surfing spots.
5. Fishing.
Fishing in the Maldives is one of the livelihoods in the country, as well as a popular pastime among locals and tourists. People in the Maldives take part in a variety of different types of fishing, including night fishing, morning fishing or big game fishing.
For night fishing, the boat leaves the island and anchors in one of the reefs before the sun sets in. The lines are then tethered with hooks and sinkers and are dropped overboard from both sides. If the fishing is good, it provides excitement for everyone; if not, it gives tourists and locals an excellent opportunity to relax under the setting sun while enjoying the view as your boat is slowly and softly rocked by the ocean.
For morning or big game fishing, tourists have the option of bringing their own equipment to experience the excitement during their visit. As most resorts organize night fishing trips at least once a week, big game or morning fishing can be organized by the resort you are staying in by request, if it’s not already included in the weekly program of the resort you’re staying at.