100. Male, Maldives 04.03.2026

We anchor off Male, the densely populated capital of the Maldives.
The Maldives consists of 26 atolls, 1,292 coral islands that rise a maximum of 3m above sea level, about 200 of which are inhabited.
Independence was gained in 1965, and it became a republic in 1968, with a population of around 550,000, of which Male has one of the highest population densities in the world.
We reach the island by tender boat and limit our exploration of the city to walking.
We visit the fruit and vegetable market as well as the fish market. We admire the architecture of the Masjid Al-Sultan Muhammed Mosque, the futuristic King Salman Mosque, and the artificial beach.
In the early evening, we leave the Maldives heading towards Mauritius.