– Introduction to Maldives | Planning your Maldives holidays
Does the Maldives need any introduction? Most people will know about it from all the videos going on various social media platforms showing the white sands, palm trees, and turquoise waters. But let’s continue regardless so you have information if you’re planning your Maldives holidays.
The Maldives is made up of 26 main atolls and lies in the Indian Ocean. In total there are 1,192 islands in the nation. As the lowest country in relation to sea levels in the world, the Maldives has been classed as being potentially non-inhabitable by 2100. Made up of coral reefs and sandbars, erosion from rising sea levels is a threat.
The luxurious resorts are the main reason tourists will flock to the Maldives for holidays. In 1972 the country had a total of 2 resorts, now there are 92. On the resorts there are many activities for the water lovers, and plenty of beach time for the sun lovers.
Visiting other islands is possible but it will need either a seaplane journey or a boat trip, which depending on where you are traveling, can be quite a long trip.
Famous for its great diving spots, and the chance to see whale sharks and manta rays in the waters, the Maldives is a place that if you can afford it, it should definitely be visited once in your life.
– What can you expect from Maldives?
White sands, turquoise waters, palm trees waving in the breeze, villas on stilts in the ocean, a paradise for divers with whale sharks, manta rays, and turtles, essentially paradise on earth.
– How we got to Maldives
We arrived to the Maldives direct from Sri Lanka. The flight is a short one and only takes about an hour. At the airport in Maldives, once you are through immigration, you will need to find your resort’s agent if you are staying in a resort. There are a number of desks in the arrivals hall with numbers on them so it is easy to find them.
From there it will be to your seaplane terminal. The seaplane will travel 600m above the atolls and you will get some beautiful views of the country from above. Be aware of the luggage limitations on the seaplane as it may be far less than the flight you came in on.
For all nationalities a 30 day free visa is provided once you can show that you have a ticket to leave the country before 30 days.
For visa information please click here; https://immigration.gov.mv/holiday/
– Map of Maldives & places we were
Places we visited;
- Ari Atoll – Vilamendhoo Island Resort and Spa
– Where to stay
Most visitors to the Maldives will stay in one of the many resorts dotted around the country. Make sure when booking to check seaplane times as if your flight is late the next available seaplane may be the next morning so you will need to spend a night in Male.
The resorts will offer a variety of foods, accommodation types, and activities. The Maldives is famous for its stilted villas, but we found the beach villas to be much nicer as the beach was only 15m away from the door.
For the resort we stayed in during our trip to the Maldives please see our post in the Accommodation category here.
– Getting Around
Due to the geography of the country, there are two ways to get around. One is by the aforementioned seaplane, and the other is by boat. The seaplane journeys are much shorter, but also much more expensive. Trans Maldivian Airways links Male airport with the resorts.
Most of the boat travelling will be done for excursions from the resorts to other close by islands or to see the sea life. There are ferries running between some of the islands, to see more about this click here; https://www.atolltransfer.com/ferry-routes-c1jxp.
– Activities and sights
The following items are some of the things that are recommended to see and do for your Maldives holidays;
- Take a seaplane journey from Male
- Snorkel the clear waters in one of the many resorts
- Swim with the large sea life such as whale sharks, manta rays, and hammerhead sharks
- Visit one of the local islands to experience how the locals live outside the resorts
- Learn to dive in one of the best diving locations the world has to offer
- Be a castaway for a day on one of the uninhabited islands
– Food and drink
The Maldives being a nation full of islands naturally has a lot of fish in its traditional dishes. However, in the resorts, you will come across international dishes ranging from Italian, Chinese, to Sushi, or Indian. Basically whatever takes your fancy! However, some traditional foods are;
Foods
– Garudhiya is a fish broth served with rice.
– Mas Huni is a shredded smoked fish dish usually had for breakfast.
– Fihunu Mas is a spicy barbeque fish dish.
– Bis Hulavuu is a pastry made from eggs, sugar and ghee and served cold.
– Kavabuu consists of deep fried dough balls with tuna, mashed potatoes, pepper, and lime
Drinks
– As the Maldives is a Muslim nation, there is no alcohol except in the resorts.
– When drinking water it is better to use bottled water.
– Additional information
Plugs and electricity: The resorts will mostly have the British standard plug. If you need an adapter they will more than likely have one at the reception area.
Vaccines: There are no vaccine checks at the border but it is recommended to have your Hep A, Hep B, and Typhoid vaccines still in date before traveling.
COVID: All visitors must present a negative PCR test not taken more than 96 hours before. A health declaration card found here needs to be filled out before arrival and departure.
Currency: Although the currency to the Maldives is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), this is only really used in the capital of Male. If you are going to any resort it will be USD that is used. For current conversion rates check http://www.xe.com/ before you go. For the resorts all expenses will be added to your bill for you to pay at the end of the stay.
Language: In the resorts there will be an assortment of staff speaking various languages to suit the visitors. Most people will speak English, but you will come across speakers of most of the major languages too.
Security: There is no issue with security in the Maldives at the present.