Maldives My Islands - Enlightening and inspiring tales...

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The one and only Maldivian sunset

The one and only Maldivian sunset

Master sensei of tiger sharks

Master sensei of tiger sharks

Hard Corals: The Pillars of the Sea and the Fragile Foundation of the Maldives

Hard Corals: The Pillars of the Sea and the Fragile Foundation of the Maldives

The vibrant basslet fish

The vibrant basslet fish

Longline Fishing for Reef Species

Longline Fishing for Reef Species

This artwork by fathimathmahy shows how the experts of Fuvahmulah caught frigate birds.

Masters of the Monsoon: Frigate Birds of Fuvahmulah and the Island’s Hunting Tradition

Monsoon Skies Over Fuvahmulah Each monsoon season, the

A Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), a common migratory shorebird with a long down-curved bill, foraging on a Maldivian reef flat.

The Whimbrel: A Master of Long-Distance Migration

Shorebirds are among the planet’s most migratory

Adult Female-Lesser Frigatebird

Frigatebirds: Masters of the Skies

As kids, in the middle of the 1980s, during the southwest monsoon season, we would look up at the sky and see magnificent frigatebirds, which we call huraa. The sky would be covered with these amazing birds. After seeing the

The Whispering Keyvai and the Spirit Landscapes of the Maldives

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

The Whispering Keyvai and the Spirit Landscapes of the Maldives

Scales of the shallows

Scales of the shallows

Goatfish of the Maldives and the Legend of the Whispered Sands

Goatfish of the Maldives and the Legend of the Whispered Sands

The Maldives’ Deadly Glow

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE BIODIVERSITY

The Maldives’ Deadly Glow

Unmasking the Science Behind the Maldives’ Most Feared Maritime Myth

LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE

Unmasking the Science Behind the Maldives’ Most Feared Maritime Myth

The Rare Birds of the Southern Maldives and the Equatorial Frontier

The Rare Birds of the Southern Maldives and the Equatorial Frontier

BIODIVERSITY

The Maldives’ Deadly Glow

Yasir Salih

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

A collage of rare land birds and residents of the southern Maldives, featuring a White Tern (Gygis alba) perched on a branch and a Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) in the freshwater wetlands.

The Rare Birds of the Southern Maldives and the Equatorial Frontier

Yasir Salih

A biological lighthouse in the deep Indian Ocean, the southern atolls serve

Aerial view of powerful white waves crashing against the sharp coral reef edge of Fuvahmulah, transitioning into the deep blue ocean.

Faru: The Living Threshold of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

We were born on small islands where the vast ocean seems to

A diver approaching a large Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) at the famous Tiger Zoo dive site in Fuvahmulah, Maldives.

Fuvahmulah Reaffirms Global Dominance with Double Victory at Asia’s Largest Diving Expo

Yasir Salih

Fuvahmulah City has once again cemented its status as a premier global

Wave-Eroded Surge Channels on the Northwest Coast of Fuvahmulah

Fuvahmulah’s Horongo and the Power of the Open Sea

Yasir Salih

Far south of the familiar rings of the Maldivian atolls, a solitary

A Green sea turtle floating in a turquoise lagoon pool at Maafushivaru Resort, Maldives, showing its beautifully patterned shell and flippers through clear water.

Where to See Sea Turtles in the Maldives: A Guide to Sanctuaries

Yasir Salih

Across the vast, crystalline expanse of the Maldivian atolls, a timeless ritual

A Greasy Grouper (Londhi faana) swimming over a dark coral reef. The fish has a robust, mottled body with a distinct white and brown patterned head and a white tail, set against a deep blue ocean background.

The Greasy Grouper Is a Resilient Titan of Maldivian Reefs

Yasir Salih

Deep within the intricate coral architecture of the Indo-Pacific resides a predator

Whale shark Rhincodon typus feeding at the ocean surface, photographed by Simon Pierce.

Titans of the blue Ancient Giants of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

In the vast, sun-drenched expanse of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives serves

Short-finned pilot whale swimming just below the ocean surface in deep blue water

The Secret Migration of Maldivian Pilot Whales

Yasir Salih

In the sapphire depths beyond the sun-drenched atolls of the Maldives, a

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FISHING

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

Eel bait

The Blue Frontier: Decoding the Ancestral Rhythms of the Maldives

Yasir Salih

The air in the southern atoll of Fuvahmulah is thick with the

Photo collage showing five different Maldives reef fish species.

The Reef’s Bounty: Five Maldivian Fish Loved by Locals

Yasir Salih

The Reef’s Bounty: Five Maldivian Fish Loved by Locals The Maldives—a nation

Kawakawa and trevally catch

Does Luck Matter? Traditional Angling Wisdom from the Maldives Islands

Yasir Salih

It was three years ago. As usual, I woke up early in

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HISTORY AND CULTURE

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

An ancient Maldivian Banyan tree (Nika) with sprawling aerial roots, traditionally considered a sacred dwelling for spirits in island mythology.

Mystical Flora of the Atolls

Yasir Salih

The Sentinels of the Spirit World In Maldivian folklore, the forest is

A vast starlit night sky over the Maldivian ocean horizon, illustrating the traditional Nakaiy celestial navigation system.

The Nakaiy System and Maldivian Luck in the Year of the Fire Horse

Yasir Salih

In the velvet-black nights of the Maldivian atolls, long before the arrival

Aerial view of a pristine white sand beach and turquoise lagoon in the Maldives, showcasing the clear underwater world.

Why 2026 Could Be the Luckiest Year to Discover the Maldives

Yasir Salih

In the heart of the Indian Ocean, where the turquoise waters of

Group photograph from the official launch of the Maldives My Islands website at Gnaviyani Atoll School, showing students, educators, contributors, and community members gathered for the event.

Preserving Maldivian History: A Digital Archive of Island Traditions

Yasir Salih

In 1984, beneath the salt spray and sun of Fuvahmulah, a journey

Close-up detail of a Tiger Shark (Femunu miyaru) showing its unique patterns at the Tiger Zoo in Fuvahmulah.

Fuvahmulah’s Tiger Zoo Where the Ocean Revealed Its Guardians

Yasir Salih

The stories of the Maldives are rich in every sense. Though its

A historical black and white illustration of a traditional Maldivian island village with thatched-roof houses and coconut palms.

How the Maldivian Island House Became a Blueprint for Survival

Yasir Salih

By the time the afternoon light softens across a Maldivian island, shadows

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