Maldives
This is truly the trip of a lifetime! The Maldives is part of Asia. This independent country sits in the Indian Ocean closest to India and Sri Lanka. It is comprised of over 1100 low-lying coral islands, of which about 200 are inhabited and a little over 100 are dedicated to tourism. For the most part, each resort occupies its own private island and some are only accessible by seaplane transfer, the others are accessible by boat. There aren't any direct flights from the United States. Most of the transfers occur from Middle Eastern and Asian cities such as Dubai and Singapore.
The seaplane transfers aren't inexpensive. You will likely spend all of your time on the island your resort resides on. Our resort didn't have access to one of the famous underwater restaurants but when we looked into booking a trip to experience this dinner would have cost us about 2,000 dollars. Most resorts offer all types of boating excursions from the island you are staying on. If there is a specific experience that's important to you, like dining in one of the underwater restaurants, you may want to book your resort accommodations accordingly.
We spent five nights at our resort, and I wouldn't recommend booking any less time than that. I wish we had one or two more nights to enjoy.
Must Do Moments
Getting There
This is an important section to read BEFORE booking your vacation as we met many people throughout our trip who said, "if they only knew..."
The Maldives International Airport (MLE), also known as Valena International Airport, is located on its own island, connected by a long bridge to the capital island of Male. This is a small airport with three terminals - domestic, international and seaplane.
The key piece of information: You want to make sure you land at MLE as early in the morning as possible. Some of the resort islands have a boat transfer but Many of the islands are only accessible by seaplane transfer. These planes only fly in good weather and daylight hours. If you land late in the day and there is bad weather, or it's nighttime, you will have to overnight in the densely populated city of Male. Male is not considered a resort area so local customs, such as modest dress, must be observed. This is also where most crime occurs in the Maldives, and it's suggested not to walk around after dark. After we boarded our seaplane, it started to rain so we had to deboard and wait until the storm passed. We were in the terminal for a total of 4.5 hours waiting for clearance. That being said, the beautiful views from the seaplane made it all worth it. You are at the mercy of the resort for your return flight as well. They look at all of the passengers leaving the resort on your day of departure and often book the seaplane to accommodate multiple schedules unless you are fortunate enough to book a private charter. They usually will offer one departure for morning flights and one for afternoon departures. Keep in mind the seaplanes will make multiple stops to pick up and drop off passengers from other resorts. You can expect 2 to 3 landings on your way to your resort depending on how far out from Male your island is positioned. We enjoyed this as it allowed us to see some of the other resorts.
Certain resorts have an arrangement with the only lounge at the airport which is in the main terminal. This made a big difference as there was a nice waiting room with coffee, drinks and light snacks. Once you are transferred by car to the seaplane terminal it's very crowded and the waiting areas are more like classrooms with uncomfortable chairs
According to the U.S. Department of State: "Maldives, travelers should ensure their luggage does not contain prohibited or restricted items, which include weapons, ammunition, alcohol, pornography, and religious material offensive to Islam, among other items. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings.
Must Know Before You Go
This is an independent country. About 1.5 million tourists visit every year.
Official Language: Maldivian
Local Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR) (there is an option to exchange currency at the airport)
Outlets:Â 230v 50Hz, D & G plugs like used in South Africa, India and the UK (you will need an adaptor for any other plugs)
Passport & Visa requirements: A passport is required, and a free 30-day visa is issued upon arrival. You need to fill out a digital health form within 96 hours prior to arrival. If you are arriving from Sri Lanka you will need a Yellow Fever Vaccine. Additional information can be found here Republic of Maldives, Department of Immigration and Emigration
Time Zone: UTC+5 Male is 12 hours ahead of Los Angeles. Keep in mind, many of the individual islands operate in their own time zone to maximize sunlight. This will be important when you are flying between these individual islands for a return flight out of Male.
Monsoon Season: This piece of paradise is warm and sunny year-round with near-perfect weather. The dry season is the best time to visit which runs from November to April. The northern atolls can experience monsoons during some of this time, but it is a rare occurrence. Rainy season runs from May to October/early November (southwest monsoon)
Safety & Crime: Level 2 safety warning according to U.S. State Department (at time of writing). More info can be found here: Maldives International Travel Information
Drinking Water: The U.S. government advises only consuming boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, or beverages.
According to the U.S. Department of State: "Public observance of any religion other than Islam is prohibited. The law prohibits same-sex sexual conduct. Under the penal code, the punishment for conviction includes up to eight years’ imprisonment and 100 lashes."
Important to Note: Holding hands and public displays of affection are frowned upon. If outside of the resort areas modest dress must be observed.
Yachting or sailing poses some risk of piracy in Indian Ocean
Resort Island Notes: Buy everything before you get to your island as there is very little available on the private islands. Most have a tiny gift shop with minimal items for purchase. This is not one of those trips where if you forget it you can just buy it there. You can't.
There is usually an island doctor at each resort available to see you in case of an emergency. I had an allergic reaction and they did have medicine to give me though none of it was a brand I was familiar with.