Where is Maldives ?
The Republic of Maldives is a collection of 26 atolls, idyllically floating on the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka and India. Comprising of approximately 1192 coral islands, only 200 islands are inhabited by the Maldivians and around 100 islands belong to tourist resorts. The rest are uninhabited or submerged under water. The Maldives is the world’s lowest lying country and the smallest Asian country in terms of population and land size despite it being one of the most dispersed countries in the world. The capital city, Male is the most populated city and is 5 minutes from Velana International Airport.

How to reach The Maldives ?
The international airport is located on the island of Hulhule. There are more than 2 dozens of International flights flying into Maldives from major cities in Asia, Middle East and Europe. These include Sri Lankan Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Air India, Malaysian Airlines, Lufthansa, Etihad Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air Asia, SilkAir, Indigo, GoAir with some of these airlines flying daily, weekly or twice a week connecting the Maldives to the rest of the world. Seasonal airlines include British Airways, Air France.

Is visa required to enter the Maldives ?
No prior visa is needed to enter Maldives and all tourists are given a free 30 days visa on arrival. Tourist visa can be extended up to 90 days for a fee and subject to approval. Please ensure that you always have the copy of your return flight ticket and hotel confirmation along with evidence of adequate funds to cover your stay to avoid any problems at Maldives Immigration. An arrival and departure card must be filled by each visitor including one for each child. This is usually provided by your flight operator prior to landing.

What vaccinations should I have ?
Normally, no vaccinations are required by the Maldives authorities. However, visitors should check with their carrier when making reservations, as health regulations may change without notice. A Yellow Fever Vaccination certificate is required for travelers arriving from Yellow Fever endemic areas.

What’s the time difference ?
Maldives is five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+5).

What is the currency used ?
In Maldives they have own currency called “Maldivian Ruffiya” (MVR). One United States Dollar is equivalent to 15.42 MVR (Maldives Monetary Authority buying rate, subject to change) and this value doesn’t vary much. Majority of transactions in the resorts are done in US$ (US Dollar). They also accept other major currencies but limited to EUR (Euro), GBP (British Pound), CAD (Canadian Dollar), AUD (Australian Dollar), SGD (Singapore Dollar).

What types of credit cards can I use ?
Visa, MasterCard, China Union Pay and American Express.

When is the best time to visit Maldives ?
If you’re looking for a few extra hours of sunshine then you should visit the Maldives betweenDecember 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.

What are the prohibited and restricted items in the Maldives ?
Prohibited Items:-
Narcotics and psychotropic substances
Pornographic material (including sex toys) such as books, magazines, films, videos, DVDs and software
Religious materials offensive to Islam.
Idols for worship
Restricted Items (goods that require a specific permit in order to import them):-
Liquor and alcoholic products
Chemicals and chemical products
Firearms / explosives / weapons / ammunition
Live plants and animals
Medicine
Communication equipment

Where is the best area to stay ?
All the hotels in Maldives have an excellent transportation system so visitors can easily reach other islands, no matter where they stay. Most hotels are located on their own Private Island or small islands where only a few resorts exist along the waterfront areas, all offer a high standard of service and unless you need to be in a particular spot, it really doesn’t matter where you stay.

What types of water activities are available ?
Most visitors enjoy the lagoons as the natives do, swimming and snorkeling in the warn, turquoise waters, or canoeing, sailing, wind surfing, parasailing, deep sea fishing, jet skiing and water skiing. The Maldives islands are world renowned for their scuba diving and snorkeling. Or you can go on a shark feeding expedition, where you’re in the water with hungry reef sharks that are being hand-fed by a guide. You can charter a yacht, perhaps with a captain and chef, to sail among the islands.

Will I be expected to pay tips ?
Tipping is not very common in Maldives. It is prohibited at the airport and discouraged at hotels and restaurants, as most have already added a 10% service charge to the bill. But you can tip at your own discretion.

Could I be able to take liquor to the Capital City/Island ?
Nobody is allowed to bring in liquor to Maldives, unless he or she has a special import license for liquor, beer and related products. If somebody has bought liquor and beer and related items on his/her way to Maldives from a duty free center, then products should be bonded in custom on their arrival to Maldives. And the goods will be released on their departure. Thus the Capital City Hotel’s will not offer liquor, beer and related products.

Is English widely spoken ?
Yes, there will be no problems in communicating with people in many hotels, restaurants and on the public transport.

Are their ATM’s on the Capital City/Island or anywhere else ?
The ATM’s are located at a few places on the capital island only mainly

Why is Maldives a favorite among honeymooners ?
Maldives is simply the ultimate in romance. Couples can immerse themselves in the incredible beauty of the islands and the casual, relaxed pace. With its mesmerizing sunsets and sweet aroma of flowers, Maldives radiates romance.

Are there hospitals and medical facilities ?
Maldives has excellent medical and dental services, pharmacies, a large government hospital and many private clinics in the capital city of Male, all of the resorts are also equipped with outstanding medical facilities and clinics