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← Food guide ☏
Food guide

Maldives food guide for Indian families: vegetarian, Jain and what to eat

Written by The Trip Keeper team Content updated 30 Oct 2026 Facts last checked 30 Oct 2026
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The short answer

The Maldives is one of the easier beach destinations for vegetarian families. Coconut, rice and vegetable curries are everyday food, the national breakfast has a vegan pumpkin version, and resorts cater well to Indian tastes. Jain families should plan around onion and garlic in curries and tuna in most snacks. Fish is the backbone of local cooking, so learn one Dhivehi sentence and pick cafes that know Indian food.

Vegetarian-friendlinessEasyOur editorial view
Jain food possibleWith effortOur editorial view
The one phrase to learnއަހަރެން މަހެއް ނުކަންaharen maheh nukan · I am a vegetarian (literally: I do not eat meat). English is widely understood in resorts and Male cafes, but this sentence helps in local island tea shops.
Indian restaurants in main tourist areasYes

Local dishes

Mas huni Mas huni

Can be made vegetarian Jain with changes

The national breakfast: finely shredded smoked tuna mixed with grated coconut, lime and chilli, scooped up with roshi flatbread. Found everywhere from Male cafes to guesthouse islands.

Watch out for: The default version is tuna-based. Vegetarians should ask for baraboa mashuni, the pumpkin version.

Baraboa mashuni Baraboa mashuni

Vegan Jain with changes

The vegan version of mas huni: mashed pumpkin seasoned with lime, chillies and black pepper. Visit Maldives recommends it even to non-vegans.

Watch out for: Usually seasoned with onion and garlic; Jain families should ask for it without.

Garudhiya Garudhiya

Not vegetarian Not Jain

A clear, restorative broth of fresh tuna boiled with a little salt, served with rice or roshi plus lime, chilli and onion on the side. A national staple.

Watch out for: Contains fish; vegetarians should look for tharukaaree riha (vegetable curry) instead.

Tharukaaree riha Tharukaaree riha

Vegan Jain with changes

A mild vegetable curry - carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, long beans or okra in a smooth gravy - served with roshi or rice.

Watch out for: Ask whether the curry base uses fish paste; most vegetable curries do not.

Roshi Roshi

Vegan Jain-friendly

The Maldivian flatbread, soft inside and lightly crisp outside, similar to chapati. Eaten at every meal.

Watch out for: None - a safe default at any table.

Hedhikaa (short eats) Hedhikaa

Can be made vegetarian Not Jain

Tea-time snacks sold in island cafes: gulha (tuna and coconut balls), bajiya (samosa-like pastries) and sweet boakibaa cakes, with black tea (kalhu sai).

Watch out for: Most pieces contain tuna; vegetarian families should ask for potato bajiya or sweet boakibaa.

Kukulhu riha Kukulhu riha

Not vegetarian Not Jain

Chicken gently braised in a coconut sauce with curry leaves, cardamom and scotch bonnets, eaten with rice or roshi.

Watch out for: Spicy; ask for a milder version for children.

Kulhi boakibaa Kulhi boakibaa

Not vegetarian Not Jain

A baked savoury fishcake of ground rice, tuna, grated coconut, turmeric and curry leaves, cut into slices. A Male tea-shop favourite.

Watch out for: Contains fish.

Rihaakuru Rihaakuru

Not vegetarian Not Jain

A thick, dark tuna paste, the most distinctive flavour of the Maldives, eaten with rice or as a dip for raw green mango.

Watch out for: Very fishy and salty; try a small amount first.

Handulu bondibai Handulu bondibai

Vegetarian Jain-friendly

Sweet rice pudding cooked in coconut milk with cardamom, pandan and a little rosewater, served at Eid and family ceremonies.

Watch out for: Confirm no egg is used if that matters to your family.

How to order vegetarian

Show these lines to the staff. Say them aloud if you like.

Vegetarian
އަހަރެން މަހެއް ނުކަން
Say it: aharen maheh nukan

I am a vegetarian (literally: I do not eat meat). Use this in local island cafes and tea shops.

Other
ޝުކުރިއްޔާ
Say it: shukuriyaa

Thank you. Borrowed from Hindi shukriya, so most Indian travellers already know it.

Other
އަހަރެން މަސެއް ނުކަން
Say it: aharen maseh nukan

I do not eat fish. Say this with the vegetarian sentence when ordering curries and tea-shop snacks.

About Jain food

Curries and hedhikaa (short eats) often use onion and garlic, and most snacks contain tuna. Resorts and island cafes adapt readily if asked a little ahead. Safe defaults: plain rice, roshi, fresh fruit and handulu bondibai (coconut-milk rice pudding).

Backup plans

  • Tell the resort or guesthouse about dietary needs when booking; Maldivian hosts take requests seriously
  • Indian restaurants in Male and Hulhumale for a familiar meal
  • Snacks from home for boat days: theplas, khakhra, roasted chana
  • Fresh fruit, kurumba (young coconut) and roshi are available everywhere

For parents and seniors

For parents: rice, roshi and mild coconut curries feel close to home food, resort buffets almost always include Indian dishes, and Male and Hulhumale have Indian restaurants when the family wants a fully familiar meal.

Trips to Maldives

We have no open trip to Maldives right now. Tell us your dates and we will help you find one.

Quick questions

Is the Maldives easy for vegetarians?

Yes. The official Visit Maldives site says vegetarians, vegans and pescatarians are well catered for: cooking is coconut-based, vegetable curries like tharukaaree riha are common, and the national breakfast has a vegan pumpkin version (baraboa mashuni). Resorts almost always include Indian and vegetarian dishes at buffets.

Can a Jain family manage in the Maldives?

With planning, yes. Onion, garlic and tuna turn up in many curries and most tea-shop snacks. Resorts and island cafes adapt dishes if you ask ahead, and plain rice, roshi, fresh fruit and handulu bondibai (coconut-milk rice pudding) are reliable defaults.

Is food in the Maldives halal?

Yes. The Maldives is a Muslim country and local food is halal. Alcohol and pork are served only on private resort islands and liveaboard boats, never on local inhabited islands.

Are there Indian restaurants in the Maldives?

Yes. Male and Hulhumale have several Indian restaurants, including vegetarian-friendly ones, and most resorts employ Indian chefs or run Indian sections at their buffets.

What should we try first?

Start with mas huni and roshi at breakfast (or the pumpkin version, baraboa mashuni), then garudhiya fish broth with rice, and an afternoon plate of hedhikaa short eats with black tea at a local tea shop.

Sources

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