Maldives country guide

Things To Do In The Maldives

Twelve hundred coral islands in the Indian Ocean, and since local islands opened to guesthouses you no longer need a resort budget. Snorkel with turtles off the beach, swim with whale sharks and mantas, and sleep in a family-run guesthouse for a fraction of resort prices.

Pick an island What it costs

1,192

Coral islands

Atolls

2.4 m

The highest natural point

US$6

Green tax a night on local islands

Paradise without the resort bill

The Maldives is a chain of 26 coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, about 1,200 islands in all, none rising more than a couple of metres above the sea. For decades, tourists could only stay on private resort islands, which made it one of the most expensive destinations on earth.

In 2009 the law changed, and guesthouses opened on the inhabited local islands. Now travellers can stay among Maldivians, eat in local cafés, take the public ferry and reach the same reefs, sandbanks and marine life as the resorts, for a fraction of the price.

It is a Muslim country with its own rules: no alcohol on local islands, modest dress away from the designated bikini beaches, and quiet Fridays. Most people pick one or two islands and stay a week.

Where to go

Most travellers fly into Malé and take a ferry or speedboat to one or two local islands. Pick islands close to the reefs and marine life you want to see, and do not try to hop too often: boats are the slow, expensive part.

Maafushi

1 hostel

The biggest local-island scene, with a bikini beach, floating bars and boat trips every day.

The Maafushi guide

Thoddoo

A quiet farming island with a long bikini beach and some of the best house-reef snorkelling.

The Thoddoo guide

Ukulhas

A small eco-minded island in Alif Alifu, with a clean beach and easy reef trips.

The Ukulhas guide

What kind of trip is this?

The Maldives is a beach and ocean country above all. The question is which island, and how much of the underwater world you want to see.

Beach in The Maldives

White sand and turquoise water, on a guesthouse budget.

What to do

Snorkel off a bikini beach
Picnic on a sandbank
Watch the sunset from the jetty

Spots to visit

Maafushi
Thoddoo
Ukulhas

Best cities for it

Things to do

Things to do in the Maldives

The reefs are the reason to come. On many local islands you can snorkel straight off the beach over coral with turtles, reef sharks and rays. Guesthouses run boat trips to sandbanks, reefs and resort islands for day visits.

South Ari Atoll, around Dhigurah, is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks are seen all year. In Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Hanifaru Bay gathers manta rays in huge numbers from roughly May to November.

Diving is world-class and cheaper from local islands than resorts. Surfers come from March to October for the breaks around Malé and Thulusdhoo.

In Malé, see the Old Friday Mosque, built of carved coral stone in 1658, the fish market and the National Museum, and walk the waterfront.

Food and drink

Eating in the Maldives

Maldivian food is built on tuna, coconut, rice and chilli. Mas huni, shredded tuna with coconut, onion and chilli, eaten with roshi flatbread, is the breakfast. Garudhiya, a clear fish broth, is the traditional meal, and hedhikaa, fried and baked short eats, are sold in every café in the afternoon.

On local islands, most travellers eat at their guesthouse or in a handful of cafés. Meals cost €5 to €15 in local places, far more on resorts.

There is no alcohol on local islands. Floating bars on boats offshore and resort day trips are the exceptions.

Nightlife

Evenings in the Maldives

There is no nightlife in the usual sense on local islands: alcohol is not allowed, and evenings are for sunset on the beach, night snorkels, stargazing and dinner.

Some local islands, including Maafushi, have floating bars moored offshore where guests can drink legally. Resort day and evening passes include drinks, at resort prices.

If nightlife matters to your trip, the Maldives is the wrong choice. If a quiet night under the stars appeals, it is the right one.

Getting around

Getting around the Maldives

Velana International Airport is on its own island next to Malé, linked to the capital by a bridge and a short bus or taxi ride.

Between islands, you have three options. Public ferries are very cheap, a few dollars, but slow and infrequent, running only some days of the week and rarely on Fridays. Shared speedboats run on fixed schedules to the popular local islands, usually €25 to €70 one way. Seaplanes and domestic flights reach the outer atolls and resorts, at a much higher price.

Plan boat connections before you book your flights: arriving after the last speedboat means a night in Malé or Hulhumalé.

Costs

What the Maldives costs

On local islands, the Maldives is affordable. Guesthouse beds start around €30, meals are €5 to €15, and a careful day comes to €60 to €90 including a boat trip. Resorts start at several hundred euros a night.

Taxes add up: guesthouses on local islands charge a green tax of US$6 per person per night, and a 17% tourism tax applies to accommodation and tourist services. Check whether your quoted price includes them.

The costs that add up are excursions, speedboat transfers and diving. The currency is the rufiyaa, but US dollars are accepted almost everywhere; bring small notes, as cards are not taken everywhere on local islands.

Safety

Staying safe in the Maldives

The Maldives is safe, with low crime on the islands. The risks are the sea and the sun: currents in the channels between islands are strong, so snorkel with a guide or near the house reef, and never alone. The equatorial sun burns quickly.

Respect local laws and customs. On local islands, cover your shoulders and knees away from the designated bikini beaches, and do not bring alcohol, pork or drugs, which are illegal and severely punished. During Ramadan, avoid eating and drinking in public during the day.

Political demonstrations occasionally take place in Malé; avoid them. Emergency numbers are 119 for police and 102 for ambulance.

Entry and documents

Every nationality gets a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival. You need a passport valid for at least a month beyond your stay, a return or onward ticket, and a confirmed booking for your accommodation.

All travellers must complete the IMUGA traveller declaration online within 96 hours before arriving, and again before departing.

Customs rules are strict: alcohol, pork products, drugs, pornography and religious idols for worship cannot be brought into the country.

When to go

December to April is the dry season, with calm seas and the best visibility. May to November brings the wet monsoon, lower prices, and the manta season in Baa Atoll.

30°

Jan

Dry and calm. Peak season

30°

Feb

Dry. Peak season

31°

Mar

Dry and hot

32°

Apr

Hottest month

31°

May

Monsoon begins

30°

Jun

Wet. Mantas in Baa

30°

Jul

Wet, cheaper

30°

Aug

Mantas at their peak

30°

Sep

Wet, cheapest

30°

Oct

Surf season

30°

Nov

Drying out

30°

Dec

Dry season returns

Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets: quiet busy peak

Average highs for Malé. It is hot all year; the difference between seasons is rain and sea conditions.

What your trip will cost

Pick how you travel and how long for. Per night, for one person, on a local island.

Prices are euro equivalents. Excludes resort stays, the US$6 green tax and the 17% tourism tax where not included.

Nights 7

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Beds—
Food and drink—
Getting around—
Doing things—

What's on

What is on while you are there

A short calendar. The seasons in the ocean matter more than the festivals on land.

Staff pick

8 November

Fulhadhoo Marathon

Fulhadhoo

The Fulhadhoo Marathon is a must-attend event for running enthusiasts seeking a scenic and challenging race experience. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the…

All events in the Maldives

Hostels

Where to stay in the Maldives

The highest-rated places to stay in the Maldives, live from Hostelworld.

9.9 8,545

Maldives travel questions

The ones we get asked most.

Can you visit the Maldives on a budget?

Yes. Since 2009, guesthouses on local islands have made it possible to stay for around €60 to €90 a day, with the same reefs and marine life as the resorts.

Can you drink alcohol in the Maldives?

Only on resorts and licensed boats. Alcohol is not allowed on local islands, though some, including Maafushi, have floating bars offshore.

Do I need a visa for the Maldives?

No. Every nationality gets a free 30-day visa on arrival, but you must complete the IMUGA declaration online within 96 hours before arriving.

Can I wear a bikini on local islands?

Yes, on the designated bikini beaches. Elsewhere on the island, cover your shoulders and knees.

How do I get between islands?

By public ferry, which is very cheap but slow and infrequent, by shared speedboat, usually €25 to €70, or by seaplane to resorts.

When is the best time to visit?

December to April for calm seas and dry weather. May to November is wetter and cheaper, and it is manta season in Baa Atoll.

What taxes will I pay?

A green tax of US$6 per person per night at guesthouses, US$12 at resorts, and a 17% tourism tax on accommodation and tourist services.

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