Will I Need My Own Vehicle in Malé?

A key question while we were moving: Would we need to buy our own vehicle to get around in Malé? As it turns out, I haven't needed a vehicle at all since I got here! My husband and I walk everywhere - it take about 20-25 minutes to get from one end of the island to the other. Perhaps if your home and workplace are a long walk apart, you could consider getting a bike. (The Vespa is Malé's favourite mode of transport.)

For me, grocery and medical stores are a stone's throw away, my husband's office is a mere 5-minute walk away, and it takes about 10 minutes to get to the airport jetty. I've hailed a cab only twice in a month and a half. First, when I had two suitcases and a flight to catch, and it suddenly began to rain cats and dogs. And second, when I was running late for a salon appointment.

Taxis/Cabs in Malé city charge a flat rate of MRF 20 (USD 1.3) for any journey. If you have suitcases, an extra MRF 5 is levied. Night charge is another MRF 5. All in all, it's pretty reasonable as a mode of transport. The only trouble is, it can be REALLY hard to just hail a cab in the city, especially on holidays. I've heard of one radio taxi service (Dial Cab Service: [960]332-3132), but haven't tried it yet.

March 1 update: Finally tried a cab service at [960]3321414 for a cab to pick me up at 6:30 AM for a flight. Total disaster - they never showed up! Will update as and when I find a reliable service.

Quick note to young women: Do NOT give your number out to just anyone in Malé. Many men will try and get your phone details, including cab drivers. Once they get your number, you will be treated to endless prank/blank calls.

Salon in Malé: Glam Salon

"Is there a decent salon in Malé?" It's a question I tried hard to find the answer to online but for whatever reason (probably because I used the phrase "beauty parlour" in my Google search), I failed. Luckily, I met a helpful Sri Lankan girl when I got here and she recommended Glam Salon. I have now been there a coupe of times and here are my thoughts.

Glam is a pretty nice salon -- neat and clean, with efficient service. They have all the regular services like facials, waxing, threading, haircuts, etc. and some fancy stuff like Brazilian blowouts, hair masks, chocolate waxing, blueberry waxing, etc. So far, I have had a decent experience with their services. That said, they're most definitely overpriced in comparison to salons in other South Asian countries.

Examples of prices at Glam Salon:

• Chocolate waxing of full legs + arms + underarms = MRF 700 (approx. USD 46)
• Basic haircut = MRF 200 (approx. USD 14)
• Classic clean-up facial (Sothys) = MRF 350 (approx. USD 23)

Pro Tip: Always check the prices of a service before you get it done. All the rates are not written down, and they seem to change from one day to the next! Also, never get half-legs waxing instead of full-legs waxing at Glam -- with a difference of merely MRF 50 (USD 3.5), it's not worth it!

Glam caters to women only. It is closed on Sundays and opens after 3:00 pm on Fridays. The salon has a fairly active Facebook page, although the website link seems defunct. Details below:

• Address: H.Azum, Ameenee Magu ( in front of Dharubaaruge), 20054 Malé
• Phone number: 331-4393

A Guide to Living in Malé, Maldives

Photograph Credit: Anahat Arora

Moving to the Maldives has been a real adventure so far. I got to Malé last month and had absolutely no idea what to expect. I had tried to do some online research before I actually got here -- but to very little avail. There are a couple of sporadic, not-very-well-documented resources. Most of the advice was fairly vague ("Yeah, there are supermarkets in Malé." "Sure, there are salons.") or outdated (one website quoted prices that are at least 5 years old). 

Even after getting to Malé, it was hard to find my bearings. I don't know any Maldivians here yet, so once again I had to rely on the Internet. It's been extremely hard to find accurate resources that account for the on-the-ground realities of expats living here. In a way, it's nice to discover things on your own -- explore the city, try new places, etc. But on the other hand, it's such a pain not to be able to find out simple things like what food items are available, store timings, how to get around, laundry services, and so on.

This blog is meant to be a resource that deals with the details of everyday living in this Maldivian city. As I find out important stuff and learn things about expat living in Malé, I'm going to put them down here. I'm still very new myself so there's tons I don't know -- hopefully though, that means I'm going to learn and write about tons of new things! :) I hope this blog proves helpful for at least a few people who are planning to move/have moved to Malé city recently. 

Happy exploring!