The people of the Republic of Maldives are proud of its rich cultural heritage and like to celebrate their festivals lavishly. The festivities offer an opportunity to bring family and friends together and enjoy as they celebrate their traditions. If you plan your holiday during any Maldives festivals, you may be able to witness and experience the excitement and charm of celebrating their heritage and culture.
The Maldives is a Muslim country, and most festivals follow the Islamic lunar calendar. We have listed some of the most celebrated events in the Maldives. Since the festival dates vary every year, plan your travel dates accordingly.
As one of the most important and traditional festivals in the Maldives, its people fast for 30 days during Ramadan to self-reflect, meditate, and show compassion. The month turns into a festival of feasts, welcoming people of other faiths to participate. You can enjoy the delicious dishes served throughout Ramadan as part of Maahefun. This Ramadan tradition is unique to the Maldives, which started as a way to have a last meal before the fasting period. The practice has lately evolved into an annual gathering of friends, families, and loved ones with the help of various food delicacies.
The Kuda Eid festival marks the end of Ramadan with the sighting of the new moon. The religious festival is a 3-day celebration that begins with people offering their prayers in the mosque early in the morning. You will see the Maldivians make offerings, give alms to the poor, known as Zakath and seek divine blessings as part of their rituals. Every Maldivian decorates their household and prepares a huge feast to celebrate the occasion. The 3-day public holiday and festivities bring unity in the air of Maldives for everyone present on the islands. Many people in the rural islands perform their local dances as part of the traditional events in the Maldives.
Mawlid un-Nabi, or the birth of the Prophet Muhammad, is celebrated by offering food and money to the poor as charity. Mosques are decorated, and family and friends are invited to savour delicious dishes prepared for the occasion. Get your holiday booked in the same month for you to be able to witness carnival-style, large street processions as part of Mawlid celebrations through GT Holidays Maldives travel packages. The life of Muhammad gets described through various stories and famous Sufi poems by scholars and poets at every community gathering.
As one of the leading Islamic festivals, Eid-ul-Al’h’aa is of great religious importance as many Maldivian Muslims prefer to embark on their pilgrimage to Mecca. The rest of the locals enjoy the five to seven days break to enjoy festivities at home with their near and dear ones. Though family get-togethers and grand feasts are standard features during this time of the year, you may witness celebrations at public places in the form of street carnivals and other cultural events. One of the most spectacular events is the sports competitions based on Maldives’ traditional game, bai Bala. Book your Maldives tour package from Chennai and observe people from all walks of life come together to celebrate Eid-ul-Al’h’aa with great joy.
Maldives showers recognition and honour to its fishermen community through the Fishermen’s Day festival. Visit this annual celebration on December 10th and witness several events that offer tribute to fishermen’s significant contribution to the Maldives’ economy. You can experience the Fishermen’s Day Festival through GT Holidays Maldives honeymoon packages. Come and learn about traditional fishing methods while savouring various delicacies made with fresh fish from Maldivian waters. You will also get a glimpse of the local culture and the lives of the locals.
Besides the religious festivals, you can also plan your travel during specific national celebrations of the Maldives. These festivals include:
The national holidays are generally colourful and lively celebrations with parades and marches through the street of the capital city of Male.
Every event or festival gets celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm in the Maldives. Visit the island during the Maldives festivals and embrace the sense of unity through their enthusiastic celebrations. Follow our Instagram profile to know about the latest offers and discounts.
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