Car hire in the Maldives: can you rent a car and do you need one

The Maldives are difficult to call a destination for road trips. The archipelago consists of around 1,200 islands separated by the ocean, so the usual road network between cities and resorts simply does not exist here. Most islands are so compact that you can walk around them in 10 to 30 minutes, and the main means of transport remain boats, speedboats, ferries, domestic flights and seaplanes.

Even so, car hire in the Maldives does exist. However, it is available only in certain parts of the country, and most tourists simply will not need a car. Let us look at it in more detail.

Asad Photo Maldives

Do you need a car in the Maldives

For most travellers, the answer will be no. On local islands, tourists usually move around on foot, by bicycle or by scooter. On resort islands, guests use bicycles, while transport around the territory is handled by the resort's service buggies and electric cars.

Travel between islands is done not by roads, but by sea and air. For this, the Maldives use public ferries, speedboats, domestic airlines and seaplanes. These modes of transport perform here the role that cars and intercity highways perform in other countries.

Asad Photo Maldives

Taxis in the Maldives: where they operate and how much they cost

The most developed transport system is concentrated in the capital region.

Today, the state service Male' Taxi Line operates 24 hours a day and serves the Maldivian capital Male, the artificial island of Hulhumale near the capital, Velana international airport and the surrounding urban areas.

Most of the fleet consists of modern electric cars. You can order a car through the Male Taxi mobile app. In addition, private taxi services and car-hailing services, including Avas Ride and Nala Taxi, operate in Male and Hulhumale. Private transfers by advance booking are also available.

According to the current fares, a trip within one zone, for example within Male or Hulhumale, costs about 30 Maldivian rufiyaa, which is around $2.

Asad Photo Maldives

Where you can rent a car in the Maldives

Full car hire is available mainly on the islands of Male and Hulhumale. It is here that most of the country's road infrastructure is located and where regular car traffic exists. At the same time, the usual international rental companies are almost absent in the Maldives. The market is mainly represented by local services and private vehicle owners.

One of the largest local platforms is Dhihvaa, where you can find cars, scooters and other transport on different islands of the archipelago. However, the choice of cars remains rather limited compared with popular tourist destinations in Europe or Asia.

Car hire conditions

As a rule, to rent a car you will need:

• a driving licence;
• a passport;
• a bank card for the deposit;
• an age of 21 or over.

The exact requirements depend on the rental company.

Asad Photo Maldives

Scooter and motorbike hire in the Maldives

Scooters and motorbikes are much more popular. Thanks to the compact size of the islands, they are far more convenient than cars.

The advantages of this transport include low rental cost, easy parking, convenient movement through narrow streets and the ability to quickly ride around the whole island.

One of the largest specialised services is MotoRent Maldives, which operates in Male and Hulhumale. The company offers a wide choice of scooters and motorbikes of different classes, including the popular Honda PCX, Airblade and Scoopy models.

Hussain Naushad

Addu Atoll - the only place for road trips in the Maldives

A rare exception in the Maldives is Addu Atoll, the southernmost atoll in the country. Here, several inhabited islands are connected by causeways and roads, forming a single transport network. The region's main road is Addu Link Road, which connects the islands of Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo, Feydhoo and the island of Gan.

The total length of the road system is about 14 kilometres, which makes Addu the only region in the country where a car can really be useful for a tourist.

During the trip, you can independently visit beaches, cafes and restaurants, natural sights, historical sites from the British period, and Gan Island with its international airport.

Even so, many travellers here also prefer scooters, bicycles or taxis, since the distances remain comparatively small.

Asad Photo Maldives

Is it worth taking a car in the Maldives

A car in the Maldives is rather an exception than a necessity. Renting a car makes practical sense only during a long stay in Male, Hulhumale or while travelling around Addu Atoll.

For holidays on local islands, and even more so in resorts, a car gives no advantages. In most cases, bicycles and sea transport are enough. So a car in the Maldives is unlikely to become a necessary part of a trip around these paradise islands.

Asad Photo Maldives