With its spectacular weather and breathtaking island scenery, the Maldives are an amazing destination bursting with tropical adventure. With warm temperatures year-round, the Maldives offer the most ideal weather from November to February. March to April is also a great time to visit, especially for surfers. Whereas May to October brings the wet season.
Located in the Indian Ocean about 700km south-west of Sri Lanka, the Maldives is a 16 – 20 hour flight journey from Australia. Getting to this remote tropical paradise is fairly straight forward but will require some pre-planning. Flights depart from all Australian major capital cities stopping via Singapore. Upon arrival in the Maldives, guests will need to take a speedboat or sea plane transfer to their resort. These can be organised at time of booking. To learn more about getting to the Maldives, click here.
While typically known as a romantic holiday destination, the Maldives is an amazing place for families with children of all ages. Thanks to the spectacular tropical weather, world-class resorts and beautiful beaches, there’s plenty of fun to be had for kids too. Additionally, the Maldives is a very safe country with warm and welcoming locals who will go above and beyond to make your holiday truly unforgettable.
The Maldives is a luxury holiday destination with the price tag to match. However, all inclusive resorts provide amazing value for money. You can leave your wallet at home because all of your meals, drinks, accommodation and activities are already paid for. Alternatively, other Maldives resorts typically charge anywhere between $20 - $50 + per meal, around $10 for a beer and anywhere from $12 and $20 for a cocktail.
As the Maldives is a Muslim nation, it is polite to dress conservatively. If you’re staying in Malé or the locally inhabited islands, it is advised to bring some respectable clothing to cover your shoulders and legs. Once you reach your resort, you can wear your normal holiday attire. It's a good idea to bring some mosquito repellent and sunscreen. You can buy these items in the Maldives, however resorts and gift shops sometimes inflate prices in tourist areas. A dry bag is also a great idea for waterproofing your belongings on snorkelling trips as well as a waterproof camera. If you’re catching a sea plane to your resort, please keep in mind that the baggage allowance is usually 25kg per person.
ATM machines can be found all across Malé and at the international airport. However, ATMS are limited and even non-existent on some resort islands. You can use your credit card for all purchases at your resort, and they will normally charge everything to your room for payment at checkout.
As the Maldives are a Muslim country, alcohol is illegal in Malé and the locally inhabited islands. But there’s no need to worry, all the resort islands have a special alcohol licence so you can still sip cocktails in tropical paradise.
Passports are required for tourists visiting from outside of the Maldives. Tourists staying in the Maldives for less than 30 days will be issued a free visa on arrival. Extension stays are available for a fee of rf700. Foreigners who enter the Maldives are required to have a return or onward ticket and your passport must be valid for at least six months.
With an unlocked mobile phone, you can purchase a prepaid sim once you arrive in in Malé, or alternatively contact your service provider to see if international roaming is available. WiFi is available throughout the Maldives resorts.
The Maldives uses a variety of plug sockets including type C / D / G / J / K / L and a standard voltage of 230 V and frequency of 50Hz. To make life simple, we suggest looking at purchasing a multi-purpose international adapter.
Yes. Regardless of your health or preferred holiday style, travel insurance protects you against accident, illness or injury. Insurance also covers you and your family in case of acts of nature, lost or stolen luggage and in light of unexpected changes to your travel plans.
The official currency of the Maldives is the rufiyaa (rf) which is made up of 100 laree (1 rf = 100 laree). Rufiyaa notes come in denominations of 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, five and two. Coins come in denominations of two and one rufiyaa as well as 50, 25 and 10 larees. Many Maldives resorts and tour providers also accept US dollars. However, it is likely you’ll receive change in the local rufiyaa, so having a small mix of US dollars on hand may be helpful for tipping and making small purchases.
