BIKERS CLUB MARCH 2020 ISSUE | Page 61

ISSUE 02 | FEBRUARY 2020 To the local customs and dress conservatively. Lowers should cover the shoulders and not be very low cut. If you are visiting mosques, women must have their heads covered and neither men or women should wear shorts. Alcohol is not available and should not be consumed in the inhabited islands. Your resorts will be serving alcoholic beverages. Tipping is not compulsory here, but will nevertheless be expected. The 10% service charge levied is usually not paid to the staff. Tips ranging from USD 5 - USD 10 will be appreciated by your waiter, boat crew or room attendant. Nightlife in Maldives Maldivian nightlife tends to be more on the calm side, with most evening entertainment taking place on resort premises. The paradise islands being heralded as primarily a destination for couples, one wouldn't expect much in the way of clubbing however, some hotels have bars and nightclubs attached to their premises. Standouts include the chic Fifteen Below at W Retreat and Spa, the unique underwater Subsix BIKERS CLUB ® MAGAZINE | PAGE 68 B I K E R S C L U B ® | www.bikersclub.in nightclub at Per Aquum Niyama Resort and the Reethi Beach Resort, which is a socialites magnets. Partake in beach parties, with barbecues set up against the relentless sea and limited brands of wine. Restaurants and Local Food in Maldives Traditional Maldivian cuisine comprises three staple ingredients - fish, coconut and starch. The cuisine here is influenced in palates by Sri Lanka and Kerala, with its own distinct flavours. Eating in Male affords the best opportunity to try the local food and you must try the 'hotaus' or cafe which serves the traditional fare. As an island nation, fish is no doubt the source of all protein and nutrition, tuna being the favourite. Sometimes the fish is flaked or pounded to be added as a condiment for flavouring or alternatively stuffed in a dough pastry, "short eats."