The Maldivian Mango

Photo: Green and Yellows by D.R/Flickr.

"Dhivehi Anbu" or Maldivian Mango is a juicy favorite among the locals and tourists alike! Maldivian mango season arrives twice a year, with most of the supplies coming from Fuah Mulak, Laamu Atoll and Addu Atoll. Last March was one of the best mango seasons with record amounts of mangoes distributed within the atolls. If you happen to stay at Shangri-La Villingili Resort & Spa during the Mango season, hop on the ferry to the Addu islands and explore the trail of local organically grown mango trees loaded with green and yellow mangoes! Resorts like Alila Villas Hadahaa celebrates the mango season by treating their guests to the taste of this tropical fruit.

Maldivian Mangoes are distinctly unique compared to its cousins worldwide. It is oblong in shape and smaller in size. The younger mangoes are green in color and are quite bitter; and when the mangoes ripen it turns bright yellow giving off an angelic aroma providing the most sweet and succulent flesh when peeled.

Although Mango is mostly prepared for sweets like mango juice or ice cream; in the Maldives, traditionally it is also cooked in spicy coconut sauce (Anbu Riha) or pickled (Anbu Assaara) to use as a side dish to flavor entrées . During picnics, Maldivian youths like to create “Anbu Majaa” a sour treat made from green mangoes to eat after a quick swim in the ocean. This super-fruit contains Vitamins A and C, and provides a high source of dietary fiber. What else is Mangoes good for? A recent study shows that mango is effective in preventing certain types of cancer! Why not treat yourself to a sweet and healthy treat with a retreat in the Maldives?