Flights from Colombo to Male, Maldives

Male, the island capital of the Republic of Maldives, is a small city with a small population. In fact, Male is among the world’s smallest capitals and visitors can walk around the city in a matter of hours without getting lost. While it is small, the city offers an interesting vibe. Its narrow streets are home to a number of shops, office buildings, and apartment blocks. Visitors should also visit its main market with everything from fabrics to vegetables and fish. The city also has cosmopolitan dining options that serve mouthwatering Indian fare and international food.

Flying to Male

1. Which airports serve Colombo to Male?

Flights to Male from Colombo depart at the Bandaranaike International Airport. This is the main international airport in Sri Lanka and is located 20 miles north of Colombo. It serves as the home of Sri Lanka’s flag carrier SriLankan Airlines.

2. Which airlines operate flights from Colombo to Male?

SriLankan Airlines has direct flights to Male from Colombo. There are three flights a day that service this route, and the Sri Lankan flag carrier provides over 50% of the direct flights to these two cities. China Southern flies from Colombo to Male three times a week while Emirates offers one flight each day.

3. How long is the flight?

The flight from Colombo to Male is just under one and a half hours as the distance between the two cities is only 483 miles. Male is 30 minutes behind Colombo so be sure to adjust your watch before leaving Male.

4. Climate changes between Colombo and Male

Male’s climate consists of a wet and dry season, with its wet season dominating most of the year. In fact, these two seasons are called the summer monsoon and the winter monsoon. The winter monsoon offers sunny weather, calm seas, and stunning cloud formations. The summer monsoon brings rain, wind and spectacular sunsets. Like Male, Colombo also has monsoons, but, unlike Maldives’ capital, the rains are heavy.

5. Culture differences and need-to-know

For centuries, Indian, Sri Lankan, Arabian, Persian, Indonesian, African and Malaysian cultures were absorbed by the Male, and their unique contributions are still evident today. Like Male, Colombo has a diverse cultural landscape. It inherited some traditions from its former rulers while retaining its indigenous values. No pre-arrival visa is needed when going to Male and this applies to all nationalities so long as visitors have passports that are valid for at least six months.

Male Information

Known as the King’s island due to its location, Male is often associated with beautiful sunsets, clear skies, and blue waters but, like Colombo, Male has its fair share of mosques and colorful buildings. In fact, one of the most important structures in Male is the Male Friday Mosque, an ornate building made out of coral stones. The mosque was built in 1658. Another point of interest is the Islamic Centre, a beautiful architectural landmark that opened its doors to the public in 1984. If it’s your first time to visit Male, it is a good idea to visit the National Museum to get an insight about Buddhism in the Maldives. Like Male, the Sri Lankan capital shares this experience too. This can be seen through the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple located on Sri Jinarathana Road. Due to the shared history through their sea trades, Colombo and Male have a lot in common. This includes Hindu influences that can still be seen in some of Colombo’s structures and in Male’s taste for Hindi songs.