Maldives My Islands - Enlightening and inspiring tales...

The Fuvahmulah Fisherman Who Survived a Battle with a Monster GT

The Fuvahmulah Fisherman Who Survived a Battle with a Monster GT

Guardians of the Deep and the Shark Myths of the Maldives

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

Guardians of the Deep and the Shark Myths of the Maldives

Threadfin butterflyfish — Quiet elegance of the Maldivian reef

Threadfin butterflyfish — Quiet elegance of the Maldivian reef

Fishing for Indo-Pacific Tarpon

Fishing for Indo-Pacific Tarpon

The Dhoni: A Boat Shaped by the Ocean

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

The Dhoni: A Boat Shaped by the Ocean

Midjourney illustrations depicting the Beyri, a mysterious sea being from Maldivian folklore, emerging from the ocean and confronting an islander.

Beyri: The Shape-Shifting Being from the Maldivian Sea

Among the many supernatural beings found in Maldivian

Handmade wooden flying fish lure with treble hooks, made in Fuvahmulah for reef and pelagic fishing.

From Flying Fish to Wooden Lures: A Fuvahmulah Fishing Tradition

My island, Fuvahmulah, is well known for its

Midjourney illustrations depicting the Beyri, a mysterious sea being from Maldivian folklore, emerging from the ocean and confronting an islander.

Beyri: The Shape-Shifting Being from the Maldivian Sea

Among the many supernatural beings found in Maldivian folklore, few are as widely known as the Beyri. For generations, stories have described it as a mysterious being from the sea, feared not only for its frightening appearance but also for

Beyri: The Shape-Shifting Being from the Maldivian Sea

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

Beyri: The Shape-Shifting Being from the Maldivian Sea

From Flying Fish to Wooden Lures: A Fuvahmulah Fishing Tradition

From Flying Fish to Wooden Lures: A Fuvahmulah Fishing Tradition

Thoondu and Dhigurah: Two of the Maldives’ Most Remarkable Beaches

Thoondu and Dhigurah: Two of the Maldives’ Most Remarkable Beaches

Where Land Ends and the Ocean Begins

Where Land Ends and the Ocean Begins

Call of Aaley

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

Call of Aaley

Five Legendary Game Fish of the Maldives

Five Legendary Game Fish of the Maldives

BIODIVERSITY

Side-by-side aerial view showing Fuvahmulah Thoondu Beach with its palm trees and white sand on the left, and Dhigura Island's long sandbar stretching through turquoise waters on the right.

Thoondu and Dhigurah: Two of the Maldives’ Most Remarkable Beaches

Yasir Salih

The Maldives is famous for small islands ringed by white sand and

Aerial view of the coral reefs, reef flats and turquoise lagoon of Laamu Atoll, Maldives, revealing the intricate marine ecosystem that forms and protects the islands.

Where Land Ends and the Ocean Begins

Yasir Salih

The Maldives is often described through its beaches, lagoons and overwater villas.

Illustration of a Fuvahmulah fisherman using a bent bamboo pole to battle a powerful giant trevally in rough surf. Below water, the large silver fish resists aggressively, showing its uniquely long, curved pectoral fin.

Hudhuhelakanfai: Fuvahmulah’s Most Formidable Giant Trevally

Yasir Salih

The Fish Fishermen Fear Most Along the storm-beaten reef edges of Fuvahmulah,

Colorful tropical reef fish swimming above coral and sea anemones in clear blue waters.

Fish That Make Maldives Snorkeling Unforgettable

Yasir Salih

The Maldives does not require deep diving certification to reveal its beauty.

A scuba diver explores a large underwater cave illuminated by blue ocean light filtering through the entrance.

Into the world of underwater caves

Yasir Salih

As islanders surrounded by the Indian Ocean, we grow up closely connected

Collage showing the five Italian divers who died during a cave diving incident in Vaavu Atoll, Maldives.

Bodies of 4 Missing Divers Found in Maldives

Yasir Salih

The bodies of the remaining four Italian divers missing after last week’s

Collage of marine life and monsoon scenes from Fuvahmulah during the Hulhangu season, featuring flying fish, frigate birds, giant trevally, sharks, manta rays, and rough ocean conditions along the island’s reef edge.

Hulhangu: Flying Fish, Frigate Birds and the Wild Sea of Fuvahmulah

Yasir Salih

Every year, when the southwest monsoon arrives in the Maldives, the sea

Collage featuring a tiger shark and a titan triggerfish in the reefs of Fuvahmulah, Maldives, illustrating the unexpected encounters between apex predators and territorial reef fish.

Tiny Reef Guardians That Dare Challenge Tiger Sharks

Yasir Salih

In the blue waters off Fuvahmulah in the southern Maldives, tiger sharks

A Stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) camouflaged against a dark, rocky reef background, highlighting its warty texture and sedentary posture.

The Deadliest Rock in the Maldives: Why You Should Never Step on a Gaa Viha Mas

Yasir Salih

In the shimmering, sun-drenched shallows of the Maldivian lagoons, where the water

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FISHING

Handmade wooden flying fish lure with treble hooks, made in Fuvahmulah for reef and pelagic fishing.

From Flying Fish to Wooden Lures: A Fuvahmulah Fishing Tradition

Yasir Salih

My island, Fuvahmulah, is well known for its flying fish, especially during

Collage showing a giant trevally, yellowfin tuna, and red snapper caught by Maldivian fishermen.

Five Legendary Game Fish of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

Across the Indian Ocean, few destinations command the respect of sport anglers

Collage of a fisherman landing a giant trevally on the rocky shoreline of Fuvahmulah, Maldives, with rough surf and dramatic storm clouds in the background

Young Anglers vs. Fuvahmulah’s Giant Trevally

Yasir Salih

Giant trevally — or maamudu, as we call it in our dialect

Aerial view of a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat floating on the turquoise coral reef edge where the shallow water meets the deep blue ocean.

Scales of the shallows

Yasir Salih

Beyond the deep-sea tuna chase, the Maldives’ true culinary treasures hide within

A close-up shot of several fresh Maldivian goatfish on white sand, showing their distinctive yellow stripes and barbels.

Goatfish of the Maldives and the Legend of the Whispered Sands

Yasir Salih

In the vast, turquoise expanse of the Maldivian atolls, a unique group

A two-pane collage featuring young fishermen in Fuvahmulah with their Yellowfin Tuna catch. The left image shows a fisherman on a blue boat at sea, holding a massive tuna upright. The right image shows a fisherman standing on a stone pier at the harbor, holding another large tuna.

From the Author’s Lens: A Morning with the Giants of Fuvahmulah

Yasir Salih

The Unique Frontier of Fuvahmulah Fuvahmulah is an anomaly in the Maldivian

A Kawakawa fish with its silver-patterned skin expertly removed to reveal the deep red muscle beneath, and the gut cavity cleaned with surgical precision. The fish is prepared according to the Maldivian 'Art of the Cut,' emphasizing clean lines and minimal waste.

From the Author’s Lens: The Art of the Maldivian Cut

Yasir Salih

In the Maldives, fishing is only the first half of the art;

Close-up of a black marlin

Deep Sea Giants: Tracking the Black Marlin at the Edge of Maldivian Atolls

Yasir Salih

WHERE THE CRYSTALLINE turquoise of the Maldivian lagoons meets the abrupt, bottomless

A fisherman on a small boat lifts a tuna from the ocean using a pole-and-line, with waves breaking behind the boat.

Fishing One Tuna at a Time: A Thousand-Year Tradition in the Maldives

Yasir Salih

At first light, the sea around the Maldives is calm enough to

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HISTORY AND CULTURE

Midjourney illustrations depicting the Beyri, a mysterious sea being from Maldivian folklore, emerging from the ocean and confronting an islander.

Beyri: The Shape-Shifting Being from the Maldivian Sea

Yasir Salih

Among the many supernatural beings found in Maldivian folklore, few are as

A feature illustration depicting the traditional Maldivian practice of Call of Aaley. A coastal watchman climbs a towering coconut palm to scan the distant Indian Ocean, where a tiny returning veḍi appears on the horizon after months at sea, signalling the long-awaited homecoming of sailors.

Call of Aaley

Yasir Salih

For centuries, the return of a veḍi from Ceylon or the coast

“Collage-style editorial image showing Maldivian island cultural celebrations, featuring traditional dancing, a ceremonial floral procession, and children playing on a tropical beach.”

Beyond the Beaches: Eid Al-Adha in the Maldives

Yasir Salih

For a few days each year, the Maldives shifts from resort paradise

Aerial view of the rugged reef front in Fuvahmulah, where powerful ocean waves crash over sharp coral rock formations and turquoise water surges through narrow reef channels near hidden cave-like openings.

Inside the Reef Cave That Nearly Took My Life

Yasir Salih

Saving the Shark Pups During the 27th day of Ramadan in the

Illustration of a traditional Maldivian vedi sailing through a violent storm beneath towering waves and lightning-filled skies.

Against the Wind: A Vedi Voyage Remembered

Yasir Salih

For centuries, the Indian Ocean shaped life in the Maldives. It provided

Midjourney illustration of Maldivian fishermen in a dhoni battling a large tiger shark in a stormy sea.

Guardians of the Deep and the Shark Myths of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

In the crystalline turquoise of the Maldivian lagoons, the world feels bounded

A close-up shot of a Pandanus tree (screw pine) featuring several segments of fruit. One prominent fruit is a vibrant, ripe orange, while others remain green and unripe. Long, slender green leaves surround the fruit, creating a dense, tropical texture.

The Whispering Keyvai and the Spirit Landscapes of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

Along the salt-sprayed fringes of the Maldivian atolls, where the white sand

The Maldives’ Deadly Glow

Yasir Salih

In the crystalline expanse of the Maldivian atolls, beauty often serves as

Dramatic illustration of a Maldivian Maalimee (navigator) steering a wooden wheel through the Phantom Sea (Kandumathi Elhun) on a dark, moonless night.

Unmasking the Science Behind the Maldives’ Most Feared Maritime Myth

Yasir Salih

On a moonless night in the remote Maldivian islands, the boundary between

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