Traveller Guide
All you need to know about traveling to the Maldives
The Maldives Islands are the pride and pearls of the Indian Ocean and are spread over approximately 90,000 square km. The islands have become synonymous with white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, a romantic, peaceful atmosphere amidst tropical bliss and a water sport enthusiast’s paradise.
From getting around Male and the islands, to everyday activities, visas and vaccinations, and travel tips, get all the essential details from our experts in this Maldives travel guide.
Made up of 26 atolls spanning 1,190 different islands (of these, less than a third are inhabited), the Maldives are like one giant jigsaw puzzle of sandbars and lagoons. An impressive number of marine species have made their homes in the surrounding reefs and, as a result, a Maldives vacation is particularly popular among scuba divers.
Scuba diving in the Maldives is second to none — the nutrient-rich waters, fed by currents from the Indian Ocean, are like a Whole Foods for marine life. Brightly colored tropical fish, manta rays, reef sharks, whale sharks, eels, sea turtles, and more are attracted to the waters of the Maldives.
Island activities
Surfing is a popular activity for the resorts of your Maldives tours. The consistent swells from the southern Indian Ocean make Maldives one of the planet’s most consistent and safest surf zones. There are principally two major surfing areas, the North Male Atoll, and the outer atolls which are 450 km to the south.
Maldives resorts offer a plethora of activities in the form of water sports, private pools, spas and lounge areas. Island activities in Maldives comprise of snorkeling, scuba diving, catamaran sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, night diving, night fishing and kite boarding, which includes surfing through spacious beautiful lagoons in waist deep water. Hotels in Maldives offer excursions island hopping to enjoy the beauty of nature to the fullest.
Almost all the Maldives resorts have additional facilities like diving schools, which teach you diving lessons. Apart from this you also have various swimming pools, discotheques and karate lounges, sauna and tennis courts, table tennis and billiard facilities, game fishing facilities, cultural and live music shows, bars and restaurants, barbecues and moonlight parties in Maldives resorts for entertainment.
If you are like most divers, the majority of your time will be taken up diving, visiting islands and enjoying the scenery aboard your cruise.
Mainland Male travel tips
Maldivians and tourists come here to swim, sunbathe or just stroll around but there are also water sports to be enjoyed, as well as entertainment including live music, carnivals and parades which use the artificial beach as their focal point.
Male has plenty of shops, restaurants, bars and local attractions which cater to locals and tourists. Shops and local stalls sell local handicrafts such as traditional mats and wooden curios. You can pick up a nice wooden carved dhoani as a memento of your Maldives liveaboard trip. There are a lot of jewelry shops selling silver, gold and mother-of-pearl.
Shopping in the Maldives
Before you make time for shopping during your Maldives tours, remember that shops are open for business from 8am to 11pm, Saturday-Thursday. Shops close for 15 minutes 5 times every day during the Muslim prayer time.
An official license is required for the import of alcohol. Alcohol is available in all resorts but you will not be able to purchase it in the capital, Male, or any other inhabited island during Maldives vacations.
Export of items made of turtle shell, coral and pearl oyster shell has been prohibited by the government in the interests of the conservation of the coral reefs and marine life. Import of pork products, dogs, alcohol, pornographic material, weapons, narcotics, idols of worship and objects of religious characters are prohibited in Maldives.
Visa and Vaccinations in the Maldives
A 30-day Tourist Visas are issued on arrival at the immigration desk of the Maldives International Airport for nationals from all countries, free of charge. Exceptions to this rule are nationals from India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, who are given a 90-day Visa.
If you wish to stay in Maldives for longer than 30 days, apply for a Visa in advance at your local embassy.
The only vaccine required for your Maldives tour is for yellow fever, and proof will only be required if you have visited a country in the yellow-fever zone in the last six days prior to entering Southeast Asia. There is no risk of malaria, but we recommend that you take anti-mosquito bite measures
Getting Around in Maldives
Travel in the Maldives takes place in three ways – boats, sea planes (air taxis) and private yachts. Boats are the Maldivian equivalent of a car while planes and private yachts are mainly for tourists. In Male and the other larger inhabited islands, you can call a taxi to get around the island.
The best way to get around the resort islands is by foot, but most resorts also have golf buggies which their staff is always happy and drive you around in. A round-the-clock ferry service operates between the capital and the airport.
Some Maldives resorts even have speed boats that can be hired by guests for Maldives tours. These boats range from small runabouts with an outboard motor to massive, multi-deck launches with an aircraft-type cabin.