A Maldivian Village

Holidays in The Maldives are not the prerogative of exclusive resorts. There are many local villages that offer modest stays with good facilities. Huraa, a small, quiet village gives you an insight into life in a Maldivian village where tourists are most welcome

Text & Photographs: Farzana Contractor

The Maldivian people are called Dhivehin which very aptly means “islanders”. More than half of the population here is considered rural. With the exception of those living in Male, where there is a relatively large settlement in the country, the inhabitants of The Maldives live in villages on small islands scattered in 26  atolls. Atolls are natural ring-like ridges rising from the ocean.

While there are many islands which have beautiful and luxurious resorts built upon them for world tourists, there are many which are inhabited exclusively by the local population.

I was very keen to visit one of them and did get the opportunity to do so. Huraa, it was called and it was next door to where I was staying at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa. Huraa has a population of 600 people and is 35 minutes away from Male, by boat.

Huraa was lovely. Small, quiet, laid- back. It had an easy pace about it. Narrow lanes connecting rows of houses with corralled walls, wooden doors, beautiful flowering plants in courtyards, creepers growing up garden walls, with a charming restaurant, the only one on the tiny island. In a strange way I was reminded of two places I really like; Venice and Granada – more specifically, Albaicin, situated on the hill opposite the Alhambra.

I even visited a school at Huraa, a local food store and a souvenir shop where the owner was actually making all the beautiful artifacts on display. Walking along, I came across a graveyard with beautiful tombstones, a mosque and a games centre with excellent tennis courts. There were young girls and boys playing some sort of a ball game I couldn’t figure out, but they were having a great deal of fun.

You will be happy to know that not all resorts of The Maldives are upscale, expensive or out of reach. It may surprise you to know that The Maldives can be explored on a tighter budget than you would expect. You can enjoy the beauty of this wonderful part of the world in a modest, simpler way by going and spending time on a local island, living in a guesthouse or homestay. There are many places you could spend a few nights at and do most everything that you would do at a fancy resort. Well, you may not be sleeping under down duvets in beds which had been turned down at the appropriate hour, or eating Michelin-starred food but you would be going swimming in the very same blue water, snorkelling, diving with the manta rays and enjoying the same sunset your richie-rich neighbours would be. I mean going local would mean going organic and having a whale of a time at a fraction of a cost. You should just be willing to rough it out a bit. Meaning you may not have your very own television set in your room and may have to watch it on a common one in the common hall, but would that really matter? Are you even going to The Maldives to watch TV?

Being able to stay at a local island is a relatively recent phenomenon and a welcome one. Until the last few years holidaymakers visiting The Maldives only stayed at resort islands. But with the opening of small hotels and guesthouses on these islands, what is on offer is an inexpensive Maldivian holiday. One I would certainly recommend for young people, especially those who want to explore the ocean.

However, there are rules applicable that one ought to be aware of. The local islands are subject to Muslim laws, so you will find no alcohol being served anywhere. Or pork. Also there will be a dress code in place, so you can’t be walking around in swimwear except on the beach. All in all, a holiday on a local island offers you an opportunity to mingle with the locals, understand Maldivian culture, eat local food and have a lot of fun for as little as 50 USD or less, per day.

Huraa is the one I visited, but I believe there are many local islands which are exceptionally beautiful and worth exploring.