Shopping in Male Atoll - authentic goods, best outlets, malls and boutiques

North Male Atoll is probably the only place on the Maldives where you can actually do shopping in its true sense. There are almost no stores on «holiday islands», however, Malé – the capital – is perfect for people walking around shops looking for peculiar souvenirs, clothes, etc. So, do like the local population and go shopping in the night time when it’s already not that hot. Most stores work until 10 p.m., some of them even till 11 p.m.

Besides, you can start your shopping as soon as you arrive at the airport. There is a great duty-free zone here with small stores offering a decent choice of items: clothes, food, alcohol, sweets, perfumes, bags, books, guidebooks, postcards. You can also buy a local SIM card, a detailed map of the island and some tiny mementos there. Concerning electronics, it’s better to get it in the town.

If you’re looking for some special items, we would recommend you go to all the shops in Malé the majority of which are located on Chandhanee Magu Street, also known as Singapore Bazaar. It’s not like a typical bazaar, it’s more like a bunch of small shops and stores. And still, you can bargain everywhere in this place. There are no fixed prices; you can easily make a price three times lower if you know how to do it right. By the way, you can bargain even in duty-free. It’s a fantastic way to save some money, so try it. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The most useful goods are sun creams, glasses, swimming suits, and beach footwear – you can buy them all in hotel shops. Moreover, you can always buy there all you need for active holidays: flippers, masks and even diving costumes. On the other hand, such essential stuff as medications, baby food, diapers are better to be bought in advance.

The best point to purchase souvenirs is Malé. There are the whole streets here with small shops like Orchid Magu, Faamudheyri Magu and Fareedhee Magu offering diverse ethnic goods. But, those are all imported and have nothing to do with the locals’ crafts. Nevertheless, you can buy various Indian jewellery, Sri Lanka fabrics or Indonesian carved figurines to remind you of your trip here. There are no rest days in stores, it’s only that all of them are open only after 2 p.m. on Fridays.

In case you’re looking for national curiosities, try to go to the non-touristic islands of North Male Atoll (Huraa, Himmafushi, Mafushi). Here you can find wooden, coral, nacre, and pearl wares by local craftsmen. Make sure you don’t forget to get a certificate in a shop that proves you can export the wares you’ve bought. Concerning souvenirs, wooden lacquered dishes made in the traditional technique will definitely be a good choice. In addition, you can find plates, vases and statues brought from Thulhaadhoo – the centre of this craft. Certainly, it’s better to get right to that island, but it’s on Baa Atoll, so this kind of trip would be rather expensive and long.

A mini dhoni boat – sometimes made from corals and shells or just wood- would be and usual and very special gift. If you buy an expensive one, sure ask for a certificate and pay attention to a proper package, as they are usually quite fragile and may get damaged while transporting. Coral handmade stuff and jewellery are another marvellous gift idea, you should buy it in specialized stores – you can ask guides or hotel staff for an address – and, again, remember about a certificate in order to avoid problems at customs.

You definitely should go to the Malé fish market, buy fresh fish (some restaurants are glad to cook fish or meat for their guests who bring it from the market) and then smoked or dried fish in a vacuum. They usually sell tuna filet like this. In addition, you have a chance to buy shark teeth too. You can get it in most small shops due to the fact it’s one of the most popular souvenirs among visitors. It’s pretty cheap. Shark jaws are believed to be a greater option, you can find them in shops as well.

The local traditional praying mats made from coconut fibre are especially popular around tourists. However, it’s not an easy task to find them in Malé, but still give it a try – you might succeed. Nevertheless, coconut souvenirs are one of the best gifts for relatives and friends. For instance, you can buy spoons, bowls, figures of animals and fish. What is more, kitchen stuff to crack coconuts – like knives and peelers – would be very original gifts.

And t-shirts with prints on it, of course. The t-shirts themselves are of a high quality (produced in India) and still pretty simple, but prints with palms, waves and islands – that’s what makes them so special. Diverse techniques are used to make these t-shirts. There are workshops right in the stores, so you can choose a design yourself.