Drinks in the Maldives

Tea: The National Drink

If there is one drink that defines daily life in the Maldives, it is tea — specifically, strong, sweet black tea known as sai. Maldivians drink tea throughout the day: with breakfast alongside mas huni, in the mid-morning, at afternoon teatime with hedhikaa, and after dinner. It is the social lubricant of island life, and every teahouse, home, and office has a pot going.

The standard preparation is simple: black tea leaves (often a strong Ceylon variety) are brewed, strained, and served with generous amounts of sugar. Milk is sometimes added, producing kiru sai (milk tea), though plain black sweet tea is equally common. Some households add a few drops of condensed milk for extra richness.

Variations

• Sai — plain black tea with sugar. The default.
• Kiru sai — black tea with milk and sugar.
• Kashikiru sai — tea made with condensed milk, thick and sweet.
• Lemon sai — black tea with lime juice instead of milk. Refreshing and tart.

Tea drinking in the Maldives is almost always accompanied by food — a few bajiya, a piece of boakibaa, or a handful of gulha. The teahouse (hotaa) is the social hub of every island, and stopping in for sai and hedhikaa is one of the most authentic experiences a visitor can have.

Raa: Palm Toddy

Raa is the traditional Maldivian beverage made from the sap of the coconut palm. A toddy tapper climbs the palm twice a day, typically at dawn and dusk, and collects the sweet sap that flows from a cut made in the flower spathe. The sap is caught in a small container tied to the trunk.

When freshly collected, raa is a mildly sweet, slightly cloudy, non-alcoholic liquid — essentially fresh coconut water from the flower rather than the fruit. It has a delicate, pleasant flavour and is highly perishable, best consumed within hours of tapping. On some islands, particularly in the southern atolls, toddy tapping remains a traditional craft, and raa verin (toddy tappers) are respected members of the community.

If left to stand, raa naturally ferments into an alcoholic drink. In the pre-Islamic history of the Maldives, fermented toddy was consumed, but since the country's conversion to Islam in 1153 CE, alcoholic raa is not part of mainstream culture. Today, fresh (non-fermented) raa is the version you may encounter on local islands.

Fresh Coconut Water

With coconut palms growing on virtually every island, fresh coconut water is readily available and is one of the most refreshing drinks in the tropical heat. Young green coconuts (kurumba) are cracked open, and the clear, sweet water inside is drunk straight. It is naturally hydrating, lightly sweet, and perfectly suited to the climate.

At guesthouses and local restaurants, you can often order a fresh coconut for a small price. On resorts, coconut water is a common welcome drink and poolside refreshment.

Other Local Drinks

• Fruit juices — mango, papaya, watermelon, and passion fruit juices are widely available, especially at resorts and tourist-oriented cafes on local islands.
• Kurumba (coconut milk drink) — a sweetened drink made by diluting fresh coconut milk with water and adding sugar, sometimes flavoured with rose water or cardamom.
• Soft drinks and bottled water — widely available across the country. Bottled water is the standard drinking water for visitors, as tap water on most islands is desalinated and not always reliably potable.

Alcohol in the Maldives

This is one of the most important things to understand about drinking in the Maldives. The Maldives is a Muslim-majority country, and alcohol is strictly regulated:

• Resorts — alcohol is freely available on resort islands. Resorts operate under special licences that allow them to serve beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails. Many resorts offer all-inclusive packages with unlimited drinks.
• Inhabited local islands — alcohol is not available and not permitted. You cannot buy, sell, or consume alcohol on any inhabited local island. This includes guesthouses, restaurants, and public spaces on islands like Maafushi and Malé.
• Liveaboard boats — safari boats (liveaboards) typically do not carry alcohol, though some higher-end vessels may have a licence to serve drinks when anchored away from inhabited islands.
• Importing alcohol — visitors are not allowed to bring alcohol into the Maldives. Any alcohol found in your luggage at customs will be confiscated (and returned when you depart).

These rules are strictly enforced and reflect the country's Islamic values. Visitors should respect them fully. If you are staying on a local island, plan for a completely alcohol-free stay — and embrace the tea, coconut water, and fresh juices instead. For more on navigating local customs, see our local etiquette guide.

Drinking Culture

The Maldivian approach to drinks is deeply social. Offering tea to a guest is a fundamental act of hospitality, and many social interactions — from casual neighbourhood visits to business meetings — revolve around a shared pot of sai. The afternoon tea break, with its accompanying plate of hedhikaa, is a cherished daily ritual that structures the pace of island life.

For visitors, joining in is easy: find a teahouse, sit down, order a sai and whatever looks good from the snack counter, and enjoy the unhurried rhythm of Maldivian socialising. It is one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to connect with local culture.