Traders Hotel Male, Maldives

Male, the capital of the Maldives, with over 103.000 people sharing just 2.2 square miles of space, is pretty crowded, in fact it is the most densly populated island in the world. What you'll notice straight away is the never ending stream of motorbikes going round and round and round. My brother has this theory that they have nowhere to go, but they drive because they like the cool breeze.
If you have to stay here for business or to catch your early flight home after coming from a resort island the Traders Hotel Male by Shangri-La is a smart choice.

Their rooms are comfortable and modern with big showers in a bathroom that is made of glass walls!
There are wooden blinds you could shut, but really it's much more fun if you don't.

Random Fact: When this hotel was first built they made sure it's foundation reaches deep down, so in an event of freak tidal waves or suchlike Traders will probably be the last building standing.

On the roof you'll find a popular evening hang out for locals and tourists alike. Smoking shishas, drinking tea and mocktails under the stars while listening to chill out tunes. In the daytime the rooftop converts to a swimming pool with double-bed sized sun loungers and a trendy sushi restaurant. They will bring your food on a cute little tray that sits over your lap, so you needn't move an inch from your sunny or shady spot.


I treated myself to Sashimi this afternoon. The Maldives being a world renowned Line and Pole Sustainable Fishing Community, what better to have then the freshest fish possible.
In fact the Azur Roof Top Restaurant staff will not serve it unless it is super fresh from that days catch.


Typically in the Maldives the variety of food include their own (spicy fish or meat curries, rice and roti breads), Indian, Thai and other Asian cuisines.

So when you come down to the breakfast buffet, you will find anything from Dim Sum to Nasi Goreng. Which of course makes my day!
What I find most intruiguing are the fruit steeped in spices. Every morning the chef comes up with new whacky combinations. Today we had Grapefruit with Cardamon and Pineapple with Cinnamon.
There is of course the usual continental and traditional cooked breakfast, too. Being a muslim county you won't find anything containing pork though, instead there will be chewy beef bacon and squidgey chicken sausages.

Whenever I come here I feel warmly welcomed, comfortable and relaxed. I don't know if it is the beautiful turquoise colour of the water but staying here in the Maldives always make me feel happy.

Click here for a link to their website: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/male/traders