The Artificial Beach is a man-made cove on the eastern side of Malé, walled off from the open sea by a breakwater to give a safe stretch of swimming and lounging in a city that otherwise has almost no real beach. It is where Malé goes in the evening — couples, families, kids on bicycles, teenagers playing volleyball — and on weekend nights the food carts and cafes that line the road behind do brisk business.
The water quality is acceptable for a city beach but not what you came to the Maldives for; the snorkelling is forgettable. Treat this as a people-watching stop rather than a swim. Modest swimwear is the norm — Maldivian women generally swim fully clothed; visitors in standard western swimwear should stick to the resort islands.