Self-guided travel Maldives: traveler's guide

How to plan your trip to the paradise islands and what do you need for the trip? Find the complete Maldives travel guide for the solo traveler in this article.

When to fly to Maldives

• The best months for a vacation in the Maldives are considered to be the period from December to January. The weather is warm, the ocean is calm and its waters are transparent.
• Summer in the Maldives is often rainy and windy but it is a great period for surfers.
• Prices for holidays in the Maldives from November to March are higher than from April to October.

How to get a visa to the Maldives

Just pick up and fly. For most countries, when entering the Maldives, a tourist visa is issued free of charge for up to 30 days. The stamp is affixed upon arrival at the airport. To obtain a visa, you must confirm your reservation at an officially registered resort upon arrival.

PCR test for travel to the Maldives

From 2022, neither a PCR test for coronavirus nor vaccination is needed to visit the Maldives.

How to buy tickets to the Maldives

To buy tickets to the Maldives, you should use aggregator sites. They monitor the prices of several airlines and air ticket sellers, allowing you to choose the best option. A flexible search is also available: the ability to monitor not specific dates, but a whole month, or find the cheapest offers.

It is possible to subscribe to the newsletter in a given direction.

How to fly to the Maldives

• "Package" tourists to the Maldives are usually delivered by charters. Flights to the Maldives can be direct if you purchase a charter ticket. However, charter tickets are not always available for sale. In this case, you will most likely have to fly to the Maldives with a transfer.
• To the Maldives with a transfer. Please note which airlines fly to the Maldives from your region. If there are none, choose the nearest hub from which there are flights to the Maldives. For example, Qatar, Istanbul, Dubai.

Purchase a self-connecting or transit ticket.

If possible, choose a single ticket. It will indicate the transfer airport and the responsible airline. In this case, if one of the flights is delayed, you will not be hurt: the company will be obliged to take you to the Maldives.

If you dock on your own, you have two different tickets: to the airport from which you fly to the Maldives, and the flight to Male.

You can choose a flight with a minimum waiting time at the airport. Or, on purpose, leave a gap of 2-3 days between flights to get to know another city. If you have chosen a minimum waiting time, make sure you have enough time for the transfer.

Asad Photo Maldives

Islands of the Maldives: which is better to choose

The Maldives is a group of atolls in the Indian Ocean. A scattering of a thousand islands! Only about 200 of them are inhabited. Among them there are both local islands, where locals live, and resort islands.

To have a successful vacation in the Maldives, you need to decide on the island on which you want to relax.

• Islands resorts. This is the best option for "Bounty advertising" style holidays. Everything for the luxury tourist: lush greenery and excellent service. Beautiful pictures of bungalows standing on the water, just made at luxury resorts.
• Islands for the locals. Maldivians live on them. Such islands are much cheaper and offer hotels and guesthouses.

Calculate your budget when choosing an island. This is the main thing when choosing an island. If the island is remote from the capital of the Maldives, Male, you must additionally include transportation to the island in the expense item. An inexpensive state ferry may not go there or run rarely.

Kurumba Maldives

Island hotels: where to live in the Maldives

Kuramathi Island

A luxurious island relatively close to Male: 20 minutes by seaplane. Three luxury hotels and many bungalows like in the picture. Attractive for diving enthusiasts.

Kuda Huraa Island

It is quite small: less than a kilometer. Just here is the chic Four Seasons Maldives at Kuda Huraa, made in a colorful Maldivian style. Luxury snorkeling and diving are guaranteed in season. By the way, Kuda Huraa is in the top 21 best beaches in the Maldives.

Velassaru

Island of weddings. People go here for incredible photo shoots. Interestingly, a marriage registered in the Maldives is not valid anywhere else in the world. The wedding ceremony on the Maldivian Islands serves to beauty and renew the senses. Maldivian newlyweds spend romantic time in a bungalow on the beach or live in a villa on the water. Velassaru Maldives is one of the best vacation options in the Maldives.

Giraavaru

It is known for its beautiful corals and a variety of the underwater world. Right here, during snorkeling, you can meet stingrays, crabs and even sharks: do not be alarmed, little ones. Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru is one of the top 9 best hotels in the Maldives.

Giraavaru island | Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Local islands

Resorts islands are a luxury vacation that not everyone can afford. You can consider the option of local islands and a budget holiday in the Maldives - stay in a modest hotel or guesthouse.

Maafushi

It is very popular due to its location. It can be reached by ferry in an hour and a half for $ 2. It has a well-developed infrastructure and a lot of people.

Todd

A 20-kilometer island with good infrastructure and a distance of about 70 km from Male. Two bikini beaches, a beautiful coral reef, fruit plantations. On Todd, try the local papaya.

Ukulhas

It boasts a beautiful reef and a wide bikini beach line. Due to its remoteness (about 80 km from Male), it is less popular than the previously listed islands

Dhigurah

Gorgeous beaches and privacy: the island is almost 100 km from Male. Just here people go to see the massive whale shark. Of the minuses - the lack of a direct transfer on a speedboat: you have to either fly on a seaplane, or make transfers on other islands.

Maafushi island | Kaani Palm Beach

The best beaches in the Maldives

Almost all the beaches of the Maldives are delightful. The beaches of the Ari and Baa atolls are recognized as some of the best. Fulhadhoo Beach is included in the list of the 50 best beaches in the world according to Forbes magazine. The following beaches are worth visiting:

• Cocoa Island by COMO
• Sun Island Resort & Spa
• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
• Biyadhoo Island Resort
• Fulhadhoo
• Dhigurah Island beaches
• Bandos maldives
• Meeru, North Male
• Thoddoo island beaches

Meeru Island Resort & Spa

How to book accommodation

Use WIOTTO to book villas or bungalows in the Maldives. Here you can book guest houses, budget hotels and luxury hotels with their own island. To find accommodation according to your preferences, use the filters and the sorting function: select the star rating, coastline, necessary infrastructure, sort the results of issue by price. By the way, at WIOTTO all taxes and fees are already included in the presented value.

Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort

How to get medical insurance

You can take out the insurance yourself online. To do this, you should use aggregator sites that collect offers from different insurance companies. Check to see if your insurance covers the risks associated with COVID-19.

To apply for insurance online, choose the appropriate option and enter the data of your passport, as well as indicate the place of registration, identification code.

How to get to the hotel from the airport

International flights arrive at the capital of the Republic of Maldives, Male Airport. The way from the airport to the resort depends on the island you have chosen for your holiday. It is convenient to get to the capital ferry by shuttle from the airport ($ 0.65).

Maldives transport

There are practically no taxis in the Maldives, because there are no large islands. Some can be found in Male, the cost of a taxi is not high, since the distances are extremely short. Water transport is much more common in the Maldives because it allows connections to the islands.

• If the islands are relatively close to Male, it is cheaper to get by an inexpensive state ferry ($ 2-10). The state ferry is the cheapest way to travel between the islands. However, you will have to take high-speed transport to the distant islands.
• A speedboat is more expensive: $ 25-50 even for short distances, but it will deliver to any corner of the country.
• Hydroplane. The fastest connection. Costs from $ 250. It will help not only quickly move between the islands, but also see the gorgeous scattering of the Maldives from above.

Hydroplane | Asad Photo Maldives

How much money do you need to go to the Maldives

It all depends on the season and the entertainment you are planning. On average, if you don't spend too much money on your leisure time and choose the cheapest accommodation, it will come out at least $ 700-1000 for two for a week, excluding flights - this is a budget option. At resorts, the costs will be much higher.

Avery Evans

Currency of the Maldives: how to pay

Although the local currency of the Maldives is the Maldivian rufiyaa, locals do not mind paying in dollars.

Dollars can be exchanged at the bank for rufiyaa. The exchange rate is approximately 15.4 to 1. However, we do not recommend exchanging large amounts in advance. If you have free rufiyaa, there will be problems with their reverse exchange: banks require a certificate stating that the rufiyaa was purchased from their branch.

Better to pay by card. It is not profitable to withdraw funds from a bank card: the bank commission, regardless of the withdrawal amount, is about $ 10.

Where to eat in the Maldives: cafes, restaurants, supermarkets

Food in the Maldives is not cheap, because most of the products are imported. On the local islands, you will find relatively inexpensive cafes and restaurants. The average bill for two in an inexpensive cafe is $30-45.

Prices in supermarkets are quite high when compared with other countries: basic products such as bread, milk, eggs cost about $ 1.5. Fruit: $ 2.5-3.

Kurumba Maldives

Language question

The Maldives speak the Maldivian language or Dhivehi. Don't worry: everyone involved in the tourism industry can explain themselves in English and other languages. You will not experience any inconvenience, especially if you settle on a resort island.

What to do in the Maldives

It all depends on what season you arrived in. If in winter, enjoy the water activities. If in summer, try surfing and alternative entertainment.

• Surfing. The Maldives are known for their excellent waves: they flock to the paradise islands from different parts of the world. Summer is a particularly interesting time to conquer the waves.
• Diving. The ideal time for diving is winter. At this time, the water in the ocean is clear: excellent visibility.
• Almost all of the islands in the Maldives are ideal for snorkeling. You can meet many fish, rays, whale shark. Only in winter: from May it starts to storm and visibility deteriorates.
• Swim with mantas. The traditional migration of manta rays begins in August. Divers from all over the world flock to this spectacle.
• Excursions to the islands. You can make trips to the island resorts and even use the all-inclusive system at luxury resorts for an additional fee. Cost - from $ 75.
• Robinson Crusoe. Taste life on a desert island. It is easy to arrange with local fishermen to take you to a deserted island.
• See local islands. The contrast of local life, living next to luxury hotels and rich life is impressive.
• Try Maldivian cuisine. She will delight you with dishes of tuna, coconut, curry, fruits.
• Dine at an underwater restaurant In the Maldives; there are aquarium restaurants with a transparent roof, allowing you to view the marine life.
• A kind of bathyscaphe, thanks to which you can see the reef and underwater life.
• Tour of the capital. The capital of the Maldives cannot boast of an abundance of attractions. Still, you will find palaces, mosques, parks, museums: everything for cultural leisure.
• Summer is a period of winds in the Maldives. This opens up opportunities for parachute enthusiasts. You can soar over the scattering of islands and look at them from above.
• Glowing beach. From February to June, a miracle happens in the Maldives: thanks to the tiny inhabitants, the water glows at night. A magical sight!
• Cruise to the Maldives. On a luxury yacht, you can spend a romantic vacation in the Maldives, sailing from one island to another.
• Take a seaplane flight over the Maldives, view them from above.
• The Indian Ocean is rich in underwater life. The catchy Maldives could be the best fishing trip of your life. It's fun to go to the ocean as part of a fishing team. The cost is about $ 1600 for 8 hours.

Meeru Island Resort & Spa

What you need to know about holidays in the Maldives

• You can rest in swimsuits only in the designated bikini beaches. In the Maldives, the local population professes Islam, and therefore rather strict customs reign here. Tourists have their own beaches where you can appear in your usual bathing clothes. In other places, you can swim in T-shirt shorts or any closed suit. There is no ban on swimming in swimsuits on the resort islands.
• Nudism in the Maldives is punishable by a fine. It is forbidden to sunbathe in the nude or topless.
• In the Maldives, you cannot swim after sunset for safety reasons: the Indian Ocean is home to many predators.
• You cannot collect corals on the shore.
• It is forbidden to consume alcoholic beverages: they can only be drunk in certain places, for example, in resort hotels.
• Friday is a day off Maldives. Ferries do not run on this day. This is worth considering when planning a trip.
• When paying for goods and services, 16% tax and 6 dollars eco-tax per day are added to the invoice. Therefore, housing costs about a third more than the stated price tag. By the way, at WIOTTO all taxes and fees are already included in the hotel's declared value.
• Mobile communication in the Maldives is expensive, choose a hotel with free Wi-fi. The cost of a local SIM card for 5 GB is about $ 35.
• There are no dangerous insects in the Maldives.
• Beware of palm trees: coconuts have a habit of falling.
  
  

Traveling to the Maldives on your own is no big deal. The main thing is that you are free in your choice and can plan the program, as you like. Such a vacation can be much more budgetary than travel from a travel agency.