Video summary
Ahmed Don and Walking Lady begin their culinary exploration on Mafushi, a local island in the Maldives where they are staying at the Triton Hotel. Their primary goal for this video is to navigate the island's streets to find affordable and authentic dining options for lunch. Upon arriving, they observe that Mafushi is bustling with numerous hotels, restaurants, and ongoing construction projects, giving it a lively atmosphere distinct from other locations. They note specific local customs regarding attire, pointing out that while bikinis are permitted on designated beaches like the one at the north tip, visitors must wear proper clothing such as shorts and t-shirts when walking through public areas or residential zones to respect local norms.
As they walk around the island, the hosts highlight Mafushi's reputation for offering the cheapest excursion and tour prices in the Maldives, making it an ideal hub for travelers looking to book activities without breaking the bank. However, their search for a meal reveals a stark contrast between beachside establishments and other areas; restaurants located directly on the sand tend to be quite expensive, with items like garlic crab priced around 300 Rufiyaa. They also encounter various local sights, including tour offices, a supermarket, a mosque, and even a unique "boat car" used for transportation, which they find suitable for photos but not for eating. The hosts emphasize that while the island has a mix of city and beach vibes, finding good food requires moving away from the immediate hotel area or beachfront spots where prices are inflated.
After exploring several options and realizing that many places are too pricey or fancy for their needs, they decide to try a smaller, more local restaurant called Tanga. Here, they find a menu featuring traditional Maldivian dishes such as beef curry, chicken milk curry, and mutton curry, alongside some Western options like pizza and sandwiches. They specifically order the non-spicy beef curry for 70 Rufiyaa and a mango smoothie, noting that this location offers a much more reasonable price point compared to the beachside venues they previously inspected. The video concludes with them enjoying their lunch at Tanga, presenting it as the perfect example of how travelers can eat cheaply and experience authentic local flavors on Mafushi while avoiding the tourist traps that charge significantly higher prices.
Read the full video transcript
Hello everyone. This is Ahmed Don and
walking lady.
>> Hi everyone.
>> So we just arrived on a local island
Mafushi in the Maldives and we're
staying right there which is the Triton
Hotel. Uh that's our hotel and we just
got out of the hotel to have our first
uh lunch on Mafushi. So in this video
we're just going to like you know browse
through the street uh take a look and
try to find a nice restaurant and see
what we can eat.
So I feel a little bit windy. Oh, look
look
>> another bar.
>> We saw one on Hanukkah. It looks like
kind similar.
>> Yeah, looks the same.
>> Yeah.
>> And this is uh a very public place, huh?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
There's so many hotels here. I saw that.
>> There's so many hotels, restaurants, and
also a lot of construction.
>> Yeah. And this is uh like like uh
Hulumal very modern.
>> Yeah, very modern.
>> No, not really because I can see that
their uh road street is uh sand
>> but in Hulum is uh more like uh cement,
you know.
>> Okay, just one quickly uh we just wanted
to show you the bikini beach guys. Right
here the right area.
>> Yeah. So the island has only one bikini
beach which is on the north tip and it's
in this area and they're like you know
restaurants and you can already see like
you know people are enjoying
>> on the bikini
>> on the bikinis
>> and I think they're like you know cafes
and restaurants here
>> and you know do you want to just walk up
to that point and see what's there?
>> Yeah.
>> So just this area and then uh the rest
is all like no bikini.
>> Yeah. You have to wear like uh proper
attire, shorts, t-shirt. It's okay.
>> Yeah.
>> Have two two uh bikinis.
>> Okay. So, this is kind of the end. Looks
like
>> Yeah.
>> We just like walk around.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> I think if we walk here,
>> we will see a little bit
>> our hotel.
>> Our hotel, you know.
>> No, we just we'll just like exit the
same we came from.
>> Just pass them and find a
>> restaurant where we can eat lunch.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Because what time is it now?
>> It's uh close to 1:00.
>> Close to 1:00.
>> Yeah.
>> And today is our first day. And actually
we're going to stay only like
>> two days.
>> And um that's it, right? And then after
that we're going to Sheraton Moon.
>> Mhm.
>> This is an Indian.
>> Indian cuisine. If you are Indian, we
can eat here. If you don't Indian, then
we have to keep looking. Who came? I
think this way. Yeah, this way. I think
the guy told me this is called Harbor
Streets.
>> Harbor Streets. Yeah, I read that.
>> Yeah.
>> So guys, if you're coming to Maldives
and going to many islands, Mafushi has
the cheapest excursion and tours uh
prices. So, it's a good idea to take all
your tours here because you're going to
be paying a lot more from other islands.
And what is this? Oh, this is the hotel.
>> Canny hotel. But when we asked about the
submarine because we are we were
>> because we are uh you know interested
about the submarine
>> submarine
>> submarine tour.
>> Yeah.
>> But the guy said you know you have to we
have to go back to the Malay right.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> What is this?
>> Oh.
>> But did he
did he tell you how much is the tour?
>> No.
That would be a good one.
>> Yeah, that's true.
>> There's another restaurant here. Uh, you
can take a look.
>> Or you can just keep walking.
>> Hello.
>> This is kind of expensive.
>> It is.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Maybe I think it's a little bit
fancy. I can go somewhere else. Yeah.
>> Yeah.
>> Maybe this is kind of fancy fancy
restaurant. Look at the price.
>> Yeah.
>> Garlic butter 190.
>> See, it's 300 for garlic crab.
>> 300?
>> Mhm.
>> 300? That's too much.
>> 300 m uh MBR.
>> 300 MVR. Oh, that's like $30. Yeah.
Okay.
>> Yeah. We can find something better.
>> Something. Yeah.
>> Yeah. That's a little bit on the
>> Yeah, like it's too much
>> expensive side. Okay.
>> Okay. So we have beach on the other side
and very nice street and I think uh you
know later on we have to walk on the
main street. So the tour guide uh our
guide told us it's one block over
>> there's like a street where it's like
you know all the uh stores and lots of
like you know offices kind of look at
this boat. I thought it was a car. No
boat.
>> This is a boat.
>> Yeah.
See it's there. Jet car.
>> Jet car.
>> Oh, this is good for Instagram. But not
>> See, it's a car, but you know, it's a
it's a boat car.
>> Boat and car.
>> Yeah.
>> So, we've been to uh Okulas.
>> Mhm.
>> Okay. And uh I think this is much better
than the Okunas.
>> I think Okulas is more nature.
>> This is lit more. Hello. this a little
bit more kind of it has like although
it's an island you're not going to find
nature that much but it's still like you
have the beach and stuff but uh it's
kind of two different things
here it's like kind of it has city city
vibes and beach vibes all together
>> yeah more and more hotels
>> what is this here oh that's just a tours
okay
so you see a lot of tour companies here
and I think People know that this is
where you come for tour. [music]
>> Hello.
>> This is like more more lively.
>> More lively.
>> So this is the map the
>> Oh, this is a map. Mafushi. Okay.
>> Okay.
>> So we arrived here [music]
and our hotel
>> hotel is here.
>> Bikini beach. Yeah. Hotel is there. We
are kind of right here
>> and
we are just going to the south now.
>> [music]
>> So,
>> do you remember where we arrived or we
passed it?
>> Not yet. It's still there.
>> Oh, it's still there. Okay. [music]
>> Another uh hotel.
>> Hotels. Yeah, they're making lots of
hotels and resort. This is all over
Maldives. They're like, you know,
building lots of new
>> because lots of tourists here.
>> Lots of tourists are coming.
>> Wo. You know, I can feel the heat. So
hot.
>> I think this is our uh jetty
>> where we came.
>> Yeah, I can feel the heat.
>> You know, I have a feeling we have to go
on the other side for restaurant. I
don't see any.
>> That's the end of the That's another uh
>> part of the island.
>> Side of the island.
>> Island. Yeah, I can see the water.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, east west.
>> So, this is the which is north.
>> Uh there back.
>> So, that is north. Okay. So this is uh
east side there.
>> Yeah. So we we're walking north to south
now.
>> Yeah.
>> Hello. We're looking for food.
>> Oh, what is this? Looks like a
restaurant. Let's see what they have
here.
>> You might just sit here.
>> And I think more coming uh from the
>> Wait, I just want to show. So here is
like you'll find this type of notific
notices everywhere in the Maldives. So
basically you cannot wear this in public
places.
>> This is the right uh
>> yeah that's the right attire. So you can
when like you know if it's a designated
bikini beach then you can wear bikini
beaches. I mean bikinis but except that
you have to cover up.
>> See can you imagine? Oh look at this.
>> Yeah.
>> But I'm okay. Right. I'm wearing shorts
uh under and then Yeah. Like this.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> All right.
>> It's much It looks like uh here is much
stricter.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Because in Okula, okay. It's kind of
okay. You can wear bikini everywhere,
but when you walk on the
>> street or residential area.
>> Yeah.
>> Then you have to, you know, go for
>> So, let's take a quick look at the menu.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. Okay. So, we got beef here and
165.
>> Sorry. What is de beef? What is this?
Beef.
>> Oh, like this?
>> No, this is beef and broccoli.
>> Oh, beef and broccoli. Okay.
>> Okay. And uh what what do you want to
eat?
>> Yeah. We're just looking at the menu
first. Uh sand. They have sandwich,
pizza. How are the prices?
Biryani.
>> Biryani is 180.
>> Yeah, but biryani in Maldives, you know,
I don't The spices are kind of
different. I don't like it that so far.
The juices, mango juice, 90.
>> Do you want to try something else or
just walk [clears throat] around?
>> Okay, we'll we'll be we'll check more.
Thank you.
>> It looks like uh it's much expensive.
>> Yeah, looks like a little bit more. No,
no. I think I think they're by the
beach. I have a feeling that's why.
>> Yeah. So, this is the dock where we get
off.
>> Yeah. And that's our boat. I come tours.
So, we like, you know, bought tickets
from them for the boat transfer.
>> Maybe let's go to the other side.
>> I think you have to cut through. Yeah. I
think this side has no restaurant and
whatever there is, they're asking for
too much.
>> Yeah. It's like too much. Can you
imagine? We when we were uh in house.
>> Yeah.
>> The
>> It's cheaper than this, right?
>> Yeah. Yeah,
>> like you can have the for example uh
Thai Thai rice beef $7. But how much is
the $7?
>> $7 like 200 200 multi rupia
>> 2007
7 No, wait 700. You said what? $7,
right?
>> $7.
>> Yeah, it's like uh $7. It's 200.
>> Okay, so it's the same
>> I think. kind of same but still I felt
like a little bit more expensive.
>> Okay.
>> No, no. I think I told you wrong thing.
$70.
$770.
>> Yeah. So, it looks like
>> Yes. More expensive. Yeah. Yeah. More
expensive.
>> Okay. Let's just uh
>> let's just find something else.
>> Find something else cheaper than that.
>> Yeah. But also the street are all sand.
>> There's no paved street.
>> So the first time I saw
um an island aside from the airport.
Okay. The Bulum Mallay has the nice
street and road.
>> Yeah, that's true.
>> Oh, I see a supermarket here.
>> And the Dior and Okas and this Makushi
have this kind of road. Yeah. Yeah.
>> So that is like a what's that court
there?
>> Yeah.
>> So football court.
>> Yeah.
>> Mid Islamic bank. So they have a bank
here.
>> They have bank here. And then here's a
mosque.
>> Something.
>> Oh, this is a big one.
>> This is a big Yeah, big mosque.
>> Okay. Supermarket. Supermarket.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay. You know, I don't see any
restaurant.
>> Yes. Yes.
>> I don't understand.
>> Okay.
I think we are at the wrong place.
That's why because I know that there are
lots of restaurant and if you look
behind there's nothing right.
>> Maybe we move over another street.
>> Mhm.
>> Yeah.
So I think this is another restaurant
supermarket store.
>> Yeah. Uh like we see lots of uh items
here from here.
>> Yeah.
>> Another grocery store or supermarket.
>> This is a restaurant but it's very
small.
>> Yeah. I think
>> I think it's cheaper there. We can try
there.
>> It can cheaper. It's cheaper there.
>> Yeah.
>> But we can we can try.
>> Oh,
do you have a menu?
>> Yes.
>> Oh, samosa.
>> Samosa. Yeah, they have samosa. Okay.
This is of all of the Molivian loc.
>> Oh, okay. Beef curry. Chick. Which one
is not spicy?
>> This not spicy. Have chicken milk curry.
>> Okay.
>> Coconut milk curry.
>> I said I will try duck.
>> Duck curry.
>> Yes.
>> Is it [clears throat] no spicy?
>> Have no duck curry. Beef curry. Have
mutton curry. Have chicken curry.
>> Then beef curry.
>> Beef curry. No spicy or spicy?
>> Yes. No spicy.
>> Okay. So you want What do you want? Sit
down please. Okay.
Sit please. Okay.
All right, we're going to sit here.
>> Okay, guys. So, we we're having the
lunch now. And we ordered the beef curry
for 70 rupee. And uh actually, we
ordered both, right?
>> Yeah.
>> Both beef and the fish curry for
>> which is uh Maldiv. It says it says here
Maldivian.
>> Mhm. So 70 also and then the mango
>> mango smoothie.
>> How how much is it?
>> I don't know but uh doesn't have price
but I think it's not going to be a box.
>> Okay. Okay. So if you guys are looking
for more authentic or more local
restaurant and cheaper then I think here
the name is Tanga
restaurant and yeah it is a
>> it looks like milk. They have milk in
the curry. So, let's check the the
beast. So, the this is like
this is coconut,
>> I think. I'm not sure coconut or milk,
but
let let me taste.
[music]
>> [music]