Male Island was once known as the King’s Island as it was the administrative base of Maldvian royalty. After the abolition of the monarchy in the 1960s, the 16th century palace complex was razed and Sultan Park was established on the southern side of the former royal complex. It is one of the few green spaces in the city of Male where a population of over a hundred thousand is crammed into a space 1.7 km long and 1 km wide. As one of the first luxury hotels Maldives, Kurumba Maldives has continued to maintain high standards of hospitality and offer great excursions for insights into an ancient culture.
Being in a central location Sultan Park is the ideal place in which to seek a brief respite after a walking tour or shopping trip in the city. A gnarled old frangipani tree, a profusion of palms, Banyan trees and trees with intertwining branches provide patches of shade that are among the coolest places to seek shelter during the day. Tree lined paved pathways are just the thing for quiet walks and to explore the nooks and crannies of this rare green oasis in the middle of a densely populated city. Green lawns and a fountain that is turned on during the hottest times of the day are some of the nicest sights that meet the eye here. Although the park is open to the public on all days of the week it is frequented most on Fridays which is a holiday in the Maldives. Families with children and young couples come here to enjoy the surroundings as much as each other’s company. Muleeage the former presidential residence is just a step away from the park and the National Museum is within the park as is the small Kalhu Vakaru Miski mosque in its southeast corner that has been put together without mortar to hold the coral blocks in place or nails to hold wood work in place.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.