Tips and other useful information
 Visa Requirements
No prior visa arrangements are required. A tourist
visa of 30 days will be given to visitors with valid
travel documents, on arrival. Visitors should be in
possession of at least US$25 per day to stay in the
Maldives. For those coming from yellow fever
infected regions, an international certificate of
inoculation is required.
Customs Strict laws prohibit the
importation of pornographic material, firearms,
alcohol and illegal drugs into
the country. Exports of coral, shells and other
object removed from the marine environment is also
prohibited.
 Tipping is
discouraged in the Maldives. Unofficially, if the
service is good - and it usually is - it's quite
customary to tip room staff and waiters in your
resort. US$10 per week is a suitable amount. A few
resorts add a 10% service charge, in which case
there's no need to tip. Bargaining is limited to
tourist shops in and around Singapore Bazaar in
Male้ and at island village souvenir shops where
prices are not fixed.
Climate It’s
generally warm and humid. The sun shines all year
round generally and the average temperature is
around 29 - 32 degrees Celsius.
 What to wear
Nudism is an offence in the Maldives and this
includes bare breasts. Dress is generally casual.
T-shirts and cotton clothing are most suitable. In
Male', the capital island, it is recommended that
women wear modest clothing without baring too much
and when visiting inhabited islands, thighs and
shoulders must be covered by both men and women.
 Language Dhivehi
is the language spoken in all parts of the Maldives.
English is widely spoken by the Maldivians and every
visitor can make himself understood when getting
around the capital island. In the resorts, a variety
of languages are spoken by the staff including
English, German, Italian, French and Japanese.
 Currency The
Maldivian currency is Rufiyas and Laaris. A Rufiya
is equal to 100 laarees (coins). The Rufiyaa comes
in the following denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50,
100 and 500. The American Dollar is the most common
foreign currency. Payments in the resorts can be
made in most hard currencies in cash, traveller's
cheques or credit cards. The most commonly used
credit cards are American Express, Visa, Master
Card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card.
 Health Care
facilities are improving on a daily basis. The
Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male' is the
biggest hospital in the country providing
sophisticated medical care. ADK Hospital is the
biggest private health care facility, and follows
high medical standards. Experienced European doctors
work at the AMDC Clinic, and some resorts have an
in-house doctor. Decompression chambers are within
reach of most resorts in case of a diving emergency.
The Maldives is tropical and generally a healthy
environment abounds. Most will be safe here but
please get advice from your doctor regarding
vaccinations you may require before arrival.
Local time GMT
+5 hours
Business hours
From Sunday to Thursday 7:30 - 14:30 in the
government sector, and generally from 9:00 to 17:00
in the private sector. Weekend falls on Friday and
Saturday
 Communication:
Up to date technology and international satellite
links allow Maldives to have a sophisticated
communications system. IDD facilities are available
on all resorts, and card phone facilities are
available on all islands. Dhiraagu, the Maldives
telecommunications company, an affiliate of the
British Cable and Wireless Company, provides mobile
telephones for rental on a daily basis. Dhiraagu is
also the Internet service provider.
 Food and Beverages
Restaurants, coffee shops and well stocked bars in
all resorts provide varied and delicious meals with
wide choice of fresh fruit juices, punches,
cocktail, wines and spirits. All resorts serve food
and beverages to suite demanding palates, be it
favourite international dishes and or the fresh and
exotic delights of seafood. Many offer a-la-carte
services that cover eastern and western flavours.
Maldivian short eats served with tea or coffee are
popular with most visitors as a snack in between
meals while grills and barbecues are much in demand
in most resorts. A few resorts have specialised
restaurants each for favoured cuisines as European,
Indian and Chinese.
Electricity
220-40V, 50 Hz
 When to Go If
you're looking for a few extra hours of sunshine
then you should visit the Maldives between December
and April, which is the dry season. This is the high
season, however, and resorts can be fully booked and
prices are higher than the rest of the year. The
Christmas-New Year period is the busiest and most
expensive part of the high season. Between May and
November it's still warm, but the skies can be
cloudy, humidity is higher and rain is more likely.
This is the low season, and there are fewer tourists
and prices are lower. The transition months of
November and April are said to be associated with
increased water clarity and better visibility for
divers.
 Events and Public Holidays
Most holidays are based on the Islamic lunar
calendar and the dates vary from year to year. The
most important religious event is Ramadan (known
locally as rorda mas), the Islamic month of fasting.
Other noteworthy events are Kuda Id, the sighting of
the new moon (celebrated at the end of Ramadan), and
the Prophet's Birthday, which commemorates the
birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. Fixed holiday
dates include: National Day (the day Mohammed
Thakurufaan and his men overthrew the Portuguese on
Malé in 1573, the first day of the third month of
the lunar calendar); Victory Day (victory over Sri
Lankan mercenaries who tried to overthrow the
Maldivian government on 3 November 1988); and
Republic Day (which commemorates the current
republic, founded on 11 November 1968).
Alcohol and Drugs Maldivians,
being Muslims, are prohibited by law from
consuming alcohol, hence there is a strict
restriction on the alcohol available in inhabited
islands. Foreigners who reside in Maldives can have
a private supply arranged by an authorised licensing
procedure. All tourist resorts and hotels, as well
cruise ships and yachts have alcohol for consumption
for guests. The Maldives is amongst one of the
toughest countries in dealing with drugs. Lengthy
jail sentences are normal if found in possession or
whilst using them, even with a marijuana joint.
Please do not try to import any form of drug into
Maldives. Also, please do not use drugs even if
offered whilst here, it is not worth the risk.
 Culture A proud
history and rich culture evolved from the first
settlers who were from various parts of the world
travelling the seas in ancient times. The Maldives
has been a melting pot of different cultures as
people from different parts of the world came here
and settled down. Some of the local music and dance
for instance resemble African influences, with hand
beating of drums and songs in a language that is not
known to any but certainly represents that of East
African countries. As one would expect there is a
great South Asian influence in some of the music and
dancing and especially in the traditional food of
the Maldivians. However many of the South Asian
customs especially with regard to women - for
instance the Sub Continent’s tradition of secluding
women from public view - are not tenets of life
here. In fact women play a major role in society -
not surprising considering the fact men spend the
whole day out at sea fishing. Many of the traditions
are strongly related to the seas and the fact that
life is dependent on the seas around us. |
