What to Know before you go to the maldives for a holiday

What to Know before you go to the maldives for a holiday

Maldives is a dream paradise

Before heading to the beautiful islands of the Maldives for a holiday

To have a hassle-free Maldives holiday, it is important to know for some of the fundamental facts about this island nation, its people, rules and regulations.

Luckly, the Maldives has a very few restrictions thus making it possible to plan your vacation in the shortest period of time.

What to Pack?

When planning your holiday in the Maldives, pack light. This is because the most days of your Maldives holiday will be for relaxation, also some transportation like the seaplanes have weight restrictions which are lower than the international airlines.

  Clothes – there is no need for warm clothes for your Maldives holiday, your packing list can include shorts, kaftans and fashionable swimwear.

If you are planning to visit any of the inhabited islands, remember to carry a couple of long pants and dresses that cover a couple of long pants and dresses that cover most of your body. A scarf and very long light overalls will be useful for speedboat rides which can be a bit windy.

Remember to pack at least one evening dress for romantic beachside dinner.

Shoes – comfort is very crucial while on a holiday in the Maldives most especially at your resort, sandals, flip flops and a pair of walking shoes are the perfect shoes for this kind of holiday.

 Sun Gear – on the Maldives Holiday, you will be out and about in the sun which is why you need to protect yourself from the sun, you need to carry sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. If you will be in water for long, consider wearing a rash vest to avoid getting sunburnt.

Beach Bag – since you will be spending lots of time on the beach on any island holiday, carry a dry beach bag to keep your items organized.

Snorkeling Gear – if you are planning to go snorkeling on your Maldives holiday, bring your own gear including aqua shoes to save on rental costs.

 Camera – There is beauty on land and underwater on every island of the Maldives archipelago, if you are a photography enthusiast you must carry a camera for both occasions. You need to bring your own gear including qua shoes to save on rental costs.

Drones – with prior approval, tourists can fly drones over the islands. You need to take permission from both the resort and the Maldives National Defense Force, followed by a CAA endorsement. All of this is possible via filling forms online.

Mosquito Repellent – The Maldives has a tropical climate meaning mosquitoes are expected on the islands. Even though resorts regularly fumigate, visitors should bring a couple of mosquito repellant creams from home.

Visa

Luckly, there is no prior visa required to enter the Maldives, tourists receive a 30 -day stamp on their passport upon landing. However, your passport must have six months of validity remaining on it.

While filling the immigration form, travelers need to disclose their hotel or guesthouse’s name and address, also it is advisable to keep details about the return air ticket and proof of funds in case asked for by the immigration officer.

Money

The local currency of the archipelago is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (Rf) with banknotes and coin denominations. However, US$ is commonly acceptable almost everywhere.

Also, it is possible to spend an entire vacation in the Maldives using your credit card especially on resorts where all expenses get charged to your room. Travelers staying in guesthouses might require some cash if visiting local restaurants or shops.

Note: changing back your money from Rufiyaa to any other currency is not easy and it is only possible to do at the airport. If using US Dollars or any other major currency in cash to pay for your expenses, make sure the notes are new as locals will not accept any old looking bills.

There are ATMs machines on most inhabited islands especially in Malé. However, some of the smaller islands might only have one ATM.

Taxes

When budget for your Maldivian vacation, factor in an extra 22 – 24% of taxes in your expenses. There is a 12% GST tax which is non-refundable, resorts and restaurants further add a 12% as service charge.

Lastly, there is Green Tax which amounts to US$6 per person per night in resorts and US$ 3 for travelers staying in guesthouses.

There is no separate departure tax in the Maldives as it is part of the airfare.

Phone and Internet

With the Maldivian Islands being situated in the middle of nowhere, one would expect that telecommunication and internet services are a bit of an issue. On the contrary, all the inhabited islands are well – covered by two local service providers Dhiraagu and Ooredoo.

Tourists on a holiday in the Maldives islands can pick up a SIM Card from the airport which comes with fixed internet usage depending on the mobile plans that start at around $ 15. Telephone services are available in resorts, although chargers are on the expensive side making it worth buying a local SIM on your arrival.

Typically, WIFI is available on most resorts and its use is part of the total package. The coverage in the secluded parts of an island and near the beach might be a little sporadic.

Medical Requirements and Assistance

There are no vaccines required before planning a trip to the island nation, getting specific medications can be an issue when in the Maldives. Tourists are thus recommended to carry any prescribed medication from home along with a doctor’s note.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and the ADK Hospital are two world-class facilities in Malé, most of inhabited islands have medical centers with excellent doctors and staff that can take care of general medical problems.

Resorts in the Maldives have doctors and nurses on call, trained to take care of minor problems. Travelers are better off bringing general medicines for cold, cough, diarrhea and band-aids to avoid unnecessary medical costs.

Insurance

The Maldives is an extremely safe country but like any other nation, mishaps can and do occasionally happen. Thus having a travel insurance is really crucial, besides the usual accidents and airline delays that are a standard part of policies, make sure that your insurance also includes seaplane or boat transfer just incase of any emergency, as they can be quite costly.

Diving insurance is compulsory in the Maldives, so most tour operators include it in the excursion cost. Therefore, you do not need to add it to your policy separately.

Prohibited Items and Practices

Maldives is a Muslim Country, because of this alcohol, drugs, phonography, pork and religious idols are entirely banned in the Maldives. Any alcohol bought from a foreign airport duty-free shop will be kept at the Maldivian airport to collect on your return.

Resorts do have special permits to see spirits but be ready to buy it at a marked-up price.

According to the Maldivian standards, if you are bringing a computer or laptop. Customs might ask you to switch it on a check for porn, it is best not to have any questionable movies or visual media on your device.

All travelers need to be conservatively dressed when exploring the inhabited islands of the Maldives, this means all travelers must wear clothes covering up the chest, knees and elbows. Also, one must not wear revealing bathing suites on public beaches.

Note: any display of affection is frowned upon and can get you into serious trouble.

  Some islands in the Maldives now have discrete “bikini beaches” meant only for tourists although nudity is not allowed, rules on the resorts are more lenient, however going nude is not permitted.

No drugs are allowed in the Maldives.

If you are planning on bringing a pet, several prior permissions are required which can be quite tedious

While on the inhabited islands, do not photography locals without permission, this also applies for some of the government buildings.

What Not to Bring Back?

The Maldives is an island nation struggling with the effects of climate change, the country is very particular about conserving its wildlife and environment. Therefore, it is illegal to collect, purchase or sell corals, seashells, shark teeth, sand, turtle shells and its products anywhere.

The local government takes this offense very serious with harsh penalties when caught.