Sponsors & Partners 2021
Benelux-Maldives Friendship Society
Handmade in Maldives
Lacquer
Lacquer products constitute another form of traditional Maldivian handicrafts. These include various goods such as vases, boxes, plates, baskets and even pens, mostly made of wood. They are painted in colours of red, black and yellow derived from the juice of certain trees, to make them durable. These products look sophisticated and are a must buy in Maldives.
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Where to buy: Chaandhanee Magu
Price: Varies from MVR 300 to 5000 depending on the size and design.
Thundu Kunaa
These are traditional Maldivian mats made from natural fibres, handwoven by the Islander women. They come in various shapes and mostly has geometrical prints. In the olden days, these had multiple functions - for sleeping, praying, sitting, and the more expensive ones with gold or silver laces were presented by the sultans of Maldives to the royals and dignitaries of other countries. Nowadays, these are used by resorts for decorations. You can enjoy shopping in Maldives for one or two of these mats to decorate the walls of your house or use them as floor mats and table mats. Beautiful as well as useful.
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Where to buy: Shops in the northern side of Chaandhanee Magu
Price: Varies from MVR 800 to 15,000 depending on the size and design.
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Dhonis
When in Maldives, you might use the public ferry system for island hopping. These boats are called Dhonis. Originally made of wood with sails, these have been used as fishing boats by the Islanders for a long time. Eventually, these boats became mechanised and are now used for various purposes.
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We are not actually suggesting that you carry an entire boat with yourself!
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But miniature versions of these boats are available in various places and make for interesting souvenirs to add to your shopping in Maldives.
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Where to buy: Chandhanee Magu
Price: MVR 500 to 7000 depending on the size and design.
Coconut Products
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The tropical island nation undoubtedly has plenty of coconut trees, and these are put to good use. Apart from consuming the fruit, a large variety of items are made from different parts of the coconut trees. Think of statues, vases, baskets, lampshades, coir ropes, household utensils, etc. made from coconut palm wood, coconut shells and leaves. Many of these items are popular among tourists for shopping in Maldives.
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Where to buy: Male Local Market and STO Trade Centre
Price: Prices can be anything between MVR 20 to 4000 depending on the product.
Artwork
Maldivian artworks mainly depict the scenic seascapes, the life of the islanders and also the myriad underwater creatures - created to perfection by the local artists. Appreciate them, buy them and decorate your houses with them as a fond memory of the happy days you spent in the tropical paradise. Fridge magnets, bowls and phone covers with such artworks are also available. Photographs might always be there, but a piece of art has its own incomparable value.
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Where to buy: Oevaali Art Shop (inside Toddy Inc, STO Trade Centre) and Huvan Art (online)