Fodor's Expert Review National Museum

Best visited as part of an escorted day tour, the Sultan Park and impressive whitewashed villa housing this museum are perhaps more impressive than the collection within, but if you are in Malé it's worth spending a little time perusing the quirkily eclectic contents that tell the story of this miniscule island nation. The display rooms contain model boats, ceremonial thrones, and items dating back to pre-Islamic days, although some Buddha statues from this early period had to be removed when they were attacked and damaged by Muslim extremists in early 2012.