Why go
- Capital of the Maldives.
- Served by Velana International Airport (MLE).
History
Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 211,908 in 2022 within its administrative area and coterminous geographical area of 1.9 square kilometres (0.73 sq mi), Malé is the most densely populated city in the world. The city is geographically located in the southern edge of North Malé Atoll. Administratively, the city consists of a central island, an airport island, and five other islands presided over by the Malé City Council.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 28 airlines, 29 direct destinations
- Maldivian Q2 (Dash 8-200, A320, Dash 8-300, DH8) · 9 routes: Colombo, DHARAVANDHOO, FVM, Gan Island, Kaadedhdhoo, Kooddoo, Laamu Atoll, Madras, Trivandrum
- Albanian Airlines LV (767-300) · 2 routes: Beijing, Shanghai
- British Airways BA (777) · 2 routes: Colombo, London
- Emirates EK (777-300, 777-300ER) · 2 routes: Colombo, Dubai
- Etihad Airways EY (A320, 32S) · 2 routes: Abu Dhabi, Mattala*
- Malaysia Airlines MH (A320, A340-300, 737-800) · 2 routes: Colombo*, Kuala Lumpur
- Oman Air WY (A330-200, A340-300, 737-800, 32C) · 2 routes: Colombo*, Muscat
- SriLankan Airlines UL (A320, A330-200, A340-300) · 2 routes: Colombo, Mattala
- Turkish Airlines TK (330) · 2 routes: Colombo, Istanbul
- Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A330-300) · 1 route: Moscow
- Air India Limited AI (A320) · 1 route: Trivandrum
- Alitalia AZ (A320) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi*
- Bangkok Airways PG (A319) · 1 route: Bangkok
- Cathay Pacific CX (A330-300) · 1 route: Hong Kong
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737) · 1 route: Colombo
- China Southern Airlines CZ (777-200) · 1 route: Guangzhou
- Condor Flugdienst DE (767) · 1 route: Frankfurt
- Dragonair KA (A330-300) · 1 route: Hong Kong
- Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 1 route: Dubai
- Hainan Airlines HU (767) · 1 route: Beijing
- Korean Air KE (A330-300) · 1 route: Colombo
- L MJ (A320, A330-200, A340-300) · 1 route: Colombo*
- Meridiana IG (767) · 1 route: Milano
- Qatar Airways QR (A320) · 1 route: Doha
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A330-300) · 1 route: Singapore
- Spicejet SG (DH8) · 1 route: Kochi
- Tiger Airways TR (A320) · 1 route: Singapore
- Transaero Airlines UN (767, 74E) · 1 route: Moscow
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Velana International Airport (MLE). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MLE has direct flights to 29 destinations on 28 airlines (incl. Colombo, Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Hong Kong, Mattala…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: MLE Airport Employees Ferry (Jetty #5), 0.3 km); routes include Airport Shuttle, Airport - Male, Male - Airport.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Malé. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.