Maldives travel guides

No advance visa is needed. The Maldives grants a free 30-day visa on arrival to every nationality, with no application or fee required beforehand. You do need a passport valid for at least one month beyond arrival, a confirmed onward ticket, proof of accommodation, and completion of the IMUGA Traveller Declaration online within 96 hours before both arrival and departure. The declaration is free and takes a few minutes, but it is checked at the airport.

November to April is the dry northeast monsoon and the peak season, with the clearest skies, calmest seas and best underwater visibility, plus the highest prices. May to October is the wetter southwest monsoon, bringing shorter squalls rather than constant rain, noticeably lower rates and better surf. Divers often prefer the shoulder months: manta and whale shark activity shifts between the eastern and western atolls with the monsoon, so the wet season can actually be the better time for big-animal encounters in Hanifaru Bay and Ari Atoll.

Your resort arranges the transfer and it is booked in advance, not on arrival. Nearby islands in North and South Malé Atoll use speedboats taking 15 to 60 minutes and running at all hours. More distant resorts use seaplanes, which take 20 to 50 minutes but only operate in daylight, so a late-evening arrival can mean an unplanned overnight in Malé or Hulhumálé. Some far southern atolls require a domestic flight plus a boat. Transfers are a significant cost, often USD 200 to 700 per person return for seaplanes, so factor them in when comparing resorts.

Yes, by staying in guesthouses on inhabited local islands rather than private resort islands. Guesthouse tourism was legalised in 2009 and islands such as Maafushi, Dhigurah, Thoddoo, Fulidhoo and Ukulhas now offer rooms at a fraction of resort rates, reached by cheap public ferries or shared speedboats. The trade-off is that local islands follow Maldivian law: alcohol is not served, and modest dress is expected outside designated bikini beaches. Many guesthouses run day trips to sandbanks and snorkelling sites, and some arrange excursions to nearby resorts.

Alcohol is served on private resort islands and on liveaboard boats, but not on inhabited local islands. The Maldives is a Muslim country and alcohol is prohibited under national law, with resorts operating under a specific licensing exemption. You cannot bring alcohol into the country: it will be confiscated at customs in Malé and returned when you depart. Resort prices for drinks are correspondingly high, which is one reason all-inclusive packages are popular.

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