Travelling to the Maldives

A 30-day visa is issued free of charge to all nationalities on arrival

Visas
A 30-day visa is issued free of charge to all nationalities on arrival.

Visitors to the Maldives must hold a passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of return, an onward or return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds to cover expenses during their stay.

Health Information
Compulsory vaccinations:
None.

Recommended immunisations:
Diphtheria, Hepatitis A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Yellow Fever (if arriving from an infected area within six days).

Malaria prophylaxis:
There is no risk of malaria in the Maldives.

The Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH) in Male is the principal hospital of the country and provides good healthcare facilities. ADK Hospital is the largest private healthcare facility and follows international medical standards. Many resorts also have an in-house doctor, although costs may be high and it is a prerequisite of travelling with Tikalanka Tours that you travel with adequate health insurance that also covers evacuation. A decompression chamber is within easy reach of most resorts in case of a diving emergency.

It is prohibited to import alcohol without a special permit, however alcohol is on sale at resorts once inside the country.

Certain items may not be imported into the Maldives, including: pornography of any kind, pork and all products containing pork, firearms, explosives, poisons and hazardous or industrial chemicals.

Penalties for carrying or trafficking illegal drugs are extremely severe and can lead to life imprisonment.

There are restrictions on the export of many items that originate from the sea such as coral, fish products and turtle shells.

Local Time
The time in the Maldives is GMT + 5 hours.

Money Matters
The Maldivian currency is the Rufiyaa (MRf). One Rufiyaa is equivalent to 100 laarees. Rufiyaa bank notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500. Coins are in the denominations of MRf2, MRf1, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 laarees.

Payments in the resorts and hotels can be made in most currencies in cash, travellers’ cheques or credit cards. Commonly used credit cards are American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card. The US$ is the most commonly used foreign currency.

For up to date exchange rates, click on www.xe.com.

Business Hours
From Sunday to Thursday, 07.30-14.30 in the government sector, and generally from 09.00 to 17.00 in the private sector, although most offices in the private sector open for a half day on Saturday. In the Maldives, the weekend falls on Friday and Saturday.

Language
Dhivehi is the official language spoken in all parts of the Maldives. English is widely spoken by Maldivians and visitors can easily make themselves understood. In the resorts, a variety of other languages are spoken by the staff including German, French, Italian and Japanese.

IDD Telephone Calls
The international dialling code for the Maldives is 00 960.

Electricity
The Maldives electrical supply operates at 230-240 Volts AC. Round-pin and square-pin plugs are both common.

Water Supply
Tap water is considered safe in the resort areas, but water and ice should be avoided elsewhere. Bottled water is available.

International Airport Departure Tax:
US$10.

Domestic Airports
Gan, Hanimaadhoo, Kaadedhdhoo, Male.

Domestic Airport Departure Tax:
None.

What to Wear and Social Etiquette
Islam is the predominant religion in the Maldives and although dress is casual on the resort islands, beachwear is not acceptable away from the resorts. According to religious values, locals do not eat pork, and alcohol is only available to foreigners within resorts.

Visitors should dress respectfully when visiting a mosque by keeping arms, shoulders and legs covered.

Diplomatic Missions
There are no countries with representative offices or consulates in the Maldives.

Location
The Maldives is on the equator southwest of Sri Lanka (just over a one-hour flight away).

Weather
The climate is generally warm and humid. Sun shines all year round. The average daytime temperature is 29-32°C.

Flights
A non-stop flight between London Heathrow and Male (Maldives) with SriLankan Airlines takes approximately 10 hours 30 minutes outbound and 11 hours inbound. Flights via the Arabian Peninsula take a minimum of 15 hours, depending on the time and day you travel.

Flights between Colombo and Male (Maldives) take about one hour.

Travel Advice
The safety and security of our customers are paramount and Tikalanka Tours always follows the official travel advice of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which means we do not visit areas of the Maldives advised against by the FCO. Please go to Maldives for up to date travel advice.