Maldives travel Advice

Maldives travel Advice

Maldives travel Advice : Knowing the culture and customs of the Maldives and other information about traveling to this beautiful destination is a crucial if you are planning to visit for a holiday.

BEFORE TRAVELING TO MALDIVES

Most of the holidays in the Maldives begin by flying into Male – the archipelago’s bustling capital. From the airport, you will transfer to your hotel or resort in Male by a private vehicle or to your resort on one of the islands in the Maldives by speedboat or seaplane.

Visa Requirements in the Maldives

All nationalities are able to enter the Maldives Islands without a pre-issued visa and on arrival, you will receive a free 30-day visa.’

Passport

Your passport must be valid for six months and beyond the end of your intended stay in the Maldives and at least have two blank pages.

Return Ticket

You must have a return ticket showing your departure of the country, without proof of onward travel. You may be denied boarding at the airport or on arrival in the Maldives.

  Note: You must have a confirmation of reservation at a resort or hotel, or have enough funds to cover your expenses for your duration of your stay.

For more information about visa requirement in the Maldives, visit the Maldives Immigration.

Vaccinations & Medication

Before traveling to Maldives, visit your doctor at least four to six weeks before your departure. Ensure that you have all necessary vaccinations before your trip.

There are no legally required vaccinations for the Maldives, however it is recommended to get basic traveler vaccinations such as Tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis and cholera.

You will only need a yellow fever vaccination certificate that is if you are coming from an area where yellow fever is a risk, it is not necessary to take Malaria Prophylaxis.

The current risk in the Maldives is The Zika Virus, pregnant women should avoid traveling to Zika affected areas and discuss your travel plains with their doctor.

Travel Insurance

When traveling to the Maldives, ensure that you have sufficient travel insurance and that it covers any activities you may like to do on your holiday such as snorkeling, diving, surfing, sailing, wakeboarding, kitesurfing and any other watersports at your Maldives Resort.

  DURING YOUR TRIP IN THE MALIDVES

Here are some of the things to know while you are traveling and exploring the Maldives

Money

The Maldives uses the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), however The US Dollar is accepted as legal tender throughout the Maldives. If you make any form of purchase in US dollars, your change will be given in local Maldivian rufiyaa currency.

ATMs

There are a number of ATMs in Male represented by banks such as the Bank of Maldives, State Bank of India, Bank of Ceylon and HSBC. Only local Maldivian currency will be dispensed from ATMs.

Note: There are no banks on resort island or on the islands.

Credit cards

All major credit cards will be accepted at the resorts and hotels in the Maldives, in shops and restaurants in Male and local islands. Most of the business will add a surcharge of up to 5% to credit card purchases.

Money Exchange

The Maldivian rufiyaa is a non-convertible currency and cannot be purchased beforehand, however you can exchange USD and other major foreign currency at the Bank of Maldives Foreign Exchange Counter at the arrival hall.

It is not advised to exchange currency in Male due to long queues and waiting times, so be sure to exchange your currency in the airport at the arrival hall.

Make sure you keep your exchange receipt as you will need it at departure, that is when you are changing the local currency back to foreign currency.

Note: only major foreign currency will be exchanged for Maldivian rufiyaa , the banks will refuse only style US dollars and damaged creased and worn notes.

Tipping

To all tourism services in the Maldives related to tourism, a 10% service charge and a 12.5% T-GST (Tourism Goods and Service Tax) is added. Also, an Environmental “Green’ tax of US$ 6 per person per night. Therefore, it is not necessary to tip and you may do so at your discretion.

Tipping at restaurants on local islands or independent restaurants is not generally required.

However, it is best practice to tip your room staff at your resort and the tip should be given to the staff personally. It is acceptable to tip in the local currency or with major foreign currency or with major foreign currencies such as US dollars or Euros.

Business Hours

In the Maldives, the business week operates from Sunday to Thursday. Most of the places on the islands are closed on Friday until after the Midday Friday prayer, public ferries also stop operating between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm for the Friday Prayer.

The Maldives is a Muslim Country, so shops are generally open between 09:00 am and 10:00 pm but close for intervals of 15 minutes for prayer times.

Health

In the Maldives, it is not advisable to drink the tap water as it is all treated rainwater. All the resorts in the Maldives supply their guests with purified drinking water, some resorts such as Six Senses Laamu, desalinate water and use glass water bottles to preserve resources and avoid plastic.

 The emergency number in the Maldives is 119 and the country has excellent health services, almost all resorts have an in-houses doctor however, for serious illness or injury, you should head to the hospitals in Male.

The Maldives has high quality health care, however it highly priced. To claim any treatment from you travel insurance, keep your receipts.

Although the risk of Malaria is high in the Maldives, it is important to protect yourself from mosquitoes and other insects. Use a strong mosquito repellent and wear long, loose, light colored clothing at dusk.

Safety

Generally, Maldives is a very safe destination with political stability and low crime rates. The most of the potential dangers you may encounter comes from the environmental hazards such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, always cover up with hats and sunscreen to avoid sunburn.

Hazardous wildlife in the Maldives include coral which can cut and sting and some are poisonous, anemones, sea urchins, stingrays and stonefish. In case you come into contact with any of these creatures, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Most resorts have an onsite doctor or a nurse with medical supplies.

When diving, it is imperative to follow the divemaster’s instructions. There are many risks with diving including decompression sickness, a serious condition caused from diving too deep, staying in deep water for too long and rising too quickly. While scuba diving, the follows laws apply to in the Maldives and should be followed and enforced at all times.

• Maximum dive depth is 30 metres.
• Maximum dive time is 60 minutes.
• Take a three-minute safety stop at 5 metres.
• No decompression dives.
• Every diver must carry a dive computer.
• You must take your last dive no later than 24 hours before any flight, including seaplanes.

LGBTQ travel

In the Maldives, homosexually is illegal and same-sex conduct and relationships are criminalized and they are punishable with fines, prison sentences and lashings.

The Maldives government has continually rejected LGBTQ reformation, the country signed a document in the 2008 UN declaration on sexual orientation and gender identity to oppose LGBTQ rights and rejecting a proposal for an LGBTQ rights resolution in the UN Human Rights Council in 2011.

Although homosexuality is rarely prosecuted in the Maldives, it is a social taboo and the locals in the LGBTQ Community are subjected to discrimination.

However, travelers will find these and other local laws are essentially overlooked on the private island resorts.

As the country relies heavily on the tourism industry  and with the most part of the industry being large private resorts and international brands, the Maldives tend to have lax altitude towards these resorts. The local laws generally do not extend to the private island resorts and they function of their own bubble of rules, in these resorts you can drink alcohol which is illegal on the mainland, swim in a bikini yet it is illegal to swim or sunbathe in the nude and also, it is possible to nook a room as a gay couple without any trouble.

Also, most of the resort staff come from all over the world and have undergone training which includes welcoming LGBTQ Couples. Even gay honeymoons are become more popular in Maldives as more resorts now take an open-minded approach to the same-sex couples.

 For the visitors staying in the mainland capital of Male should definitely e discreet at all times, however if you are staying on an island resort, you will be warmly welcome.

Those staying in the mainland capital of Male should definitely be discreet at all times, however if you are staying on an island resort, you’ll be warmly welcomed.

Gay couples can travel to the Maldives and have a wonderful holiday without encountering an problems although it is best to stay on an island resort and avoid public display of affection.

Family Travel

Maldives is typically renowned as a honeymoon destination, however if you pick the right resorts, these immaculate islands can also be a wonderful family holiday destination. There are many luxurious family friendly resorts complete with kids club and child friendly activities and menus.

 Toddlers and young children will have fun playing in the powdery white sand and splashing in the crystal waters while teenagers will revel in the watersports on offer.

 Children from the age of 10 can try scuba diving or supervised snorkeling whole older kids will love exploring the underwater world, also, they can tru kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, waterboarding and other watersports.

Most resorts on the islands have kids club for children under 12 and also clubs for teenagers with libraries, computers and several activities.

 Note: some resorts do not accommodate children and have a minimum age requirement which is why it is best to check with the resort about