| Visa Requirements No prior visa arrangements
are required. A tourist visa of 30 days will be given to visitors
with valid travel documents, on arrival. Visitors should be in possession
of at least US$25 per day to stay in the Maldives. For those coming
from yellow fever infected regions, an international certificate
of inoculation is required. |
 |
| |
|
| Customs Strict laws prohibit the importation
of pornographic material, firearms, alcohol and illegal drugs into
the country. Exports of coral, shells and other object removed from
the marine environment is also prohibited. |
 |
| |
|
| Tipping is discouraged in the Maldives. Unofficially,
if the service is good - and it usually is - it's quite customary
to tip room staff and waiters in your resort. US$10 per week is
a suitable amount. A few resorts add a 10% service charge, in which
case there's no need to tip. Bargaining is limited to tourist shops
in and around Singapore Bazaar in Male? and at island village souvenir
shops where prices are not fixed. |
 |
| |
|
| Climate It's generally warm and humid. The
sun shines all year round generally and the average temperature
is around 29 - 32 degrees Celsius. |MORE| |
 |
| |
|
|
What to wear Nudism is an offence in the Maldives and
this includes bare breasts. Dress is generally casual. T-shirts
and cotton clothing are most suitable. In Male', the capital island,
it is recommended that women wear modest clothing without baring
too much and when visiting inhabited islands, thighs and shoulders
must be covered by both men and women. |
 |
| |
|
|
Language Dhivehi is the language spoken in all parts of
the Maldives. English is widely spoken by the Maldivians and every
visitor can make himself understood when getting around the capital
island. In the resorts, a variety of languages are spoken by the
staff including English, German, Italian, French and Japanese.
|MORE| |
 |
| |
|
|
Currency The Maldivian currency is Rufiyas and Laaris.
A Rufiya is equal to 100 laarees (coins). The Rufiyaa comes in
the following denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500.
The American Dollar is the most common foreign currency. Payments
in the resorts can be made in most hard currencies in cash, traveller's
cheques or credit cards. The most commonly used credit cards are
American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro
Card. |
 |
| |
|
|
Health Care facilities are improving on a daily basis.
The Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male' is the biggest hospital
in the country providing sophisticated medical care. ADK Hospital
is the biggest private health care facility, and follows high
medical standards. Experienced European doctors work at the AMDC
Clinic, and some resorts have an in-house doctor. Decompression
chambers are within reach of most resorts in case of a diving
emergency. The Maldives is tropical and generally a healthy environment
abounds. Most will be safe here but please get advice from your
doctor regarding vaccinations you may require before arrival. |
 |
| |
|
|
Local time GMT +5 hours
Business hours From Sunday to Thursday 7:30 - 14:30 in the government
sector, and generally from 9:00 to 17:00 in the private sector.
Weekend falls on Friday and Saturday |
 |
| |
|
| Communication: Up to date technology and international
satellite links allow Maldives to have a sophisticated communications
system. IDD facilities are available on all resorts, and card phone
facilities are available on all islands. Dhiraagu, the Maldives
telecommunications company, an affiliate of the British Cable and
Wireless Company, provides mobile telephones for rental on a daily
basis. Dhiraagu is also the Internet service provider. |
 |
| |
|
| Food and Beverages Restaurants, coffee shops
and well stocked bars in all resorts provide varied and delicious
meals with wide choice of fresh fruit juices, punches, cocktail,
wines and spirits. All resorts serve food and beverages to suite
demanding palates, be it favourite international dishes and or the
fresh and exotic delights of seafood. Many offer a-la-carte services
that cover eastern and western flavours. Maldivian short eats served
with tea or coffee are popular with most visitors as a snack in
between meals while grills and barbecues are much in demand in most
resorts. A few resorts have specialised restaurants each for favoured
cuisines as European, Indian and Chinese. |
 |
| |
|
| Electricity 220-40V, 50 Hz |
|
| |
|
| When to Go If you're looking for a few extra
hours of sunshine then you should visit the Maldives between December
and April, which is the dry season. This is the high season, however,
and resorts can be fully booked and prices are higher than the rest
of the year. The Christmas-New Year period is the busiest and most
expensive part of the high season. Between May and November it's
still warm, but the skies can be cloudy, humidity is higher and
rain is more likely. This is the low season, and there are fewer
tourists and prices are lower. The transition months of November
and April are said to be associated with increased water clarity
and better visibility for divers. |
 |
| |
|
| Events and Public Holidays Most holidays are
based on the Islamic lunar calendar and the dates vary from year
to year. The most important religious event is Ramadan (known locally
as rorda mas), the Islamic month of fasting. Other noteworthy events
are Kuda Id, the sighting of the new moon (celebrated at the end
of Ramadan), and the Prophet's Birthday, which commemorates the
birthday of the Prophet Mohammed. Fixed holiday dates include: National
Day (the day Mohammed Thakurufaan and his men overthrew the Portuguese
on Malé in 1573, the first day of the third month of the lunar calendar);
Victory Day (victory over Sri Lankan mercenaries who tried to overthrow
the Maldivian government on 3 November 1988); and Republic Day (which
commemorates the current republic, founded on 11 November 1968).
|MORE| |
 |
| |
|
| Alcohol and Drugs Maldivians, being Muslims,
are prohibited by law from consuming alcohol, hence there is a strict
restriction on the alcohol available in inhabited islands. Foreigners
who reside in Maldives can have a private supply arranged by an
authorised licensing procedure. All tourist resorts and hotels,
as well cruise ships and yachts have alcohol for consumption for
guests. The Maldives is amongst one of the toughest countries in
dealing with drugs. Lengthy jail sentences are normal if found in
possession or whilst using them, even with a marijuana joint. Please
do not try to import any form of drug into Maldives. Also, please
do not use drugs even if offered whilst here, it is not worth the
risk. |
|
| |
|
| Culture A proud history and rich culture evolved
from the first settlers who were from various parts of the world
travelling the seas in ancient times. The Maldives has been a melting
pot of different cultures as people from different parts of the
world came here and settled down. Some of the local music and dance
for instance resemble African influences, with hand beating of drums
and songs in a language that is not known to any but certainly represents
that of East African countries. As one would expect there is a great
South Asian influence in some of the music and dancing and especially
in the traditional food of the Maldivians. However many of the South
Asian customs especially with regard to women - for instance the
Sub Continent's tradition of secluding women from public view -
are not tenets of life here. In fact women play a major role in
society - not surprising considering the fact men spend the whole
day out at sea fishing. Many of the traditions are strongly related
to the seas and the fact that life is dependent on the seas around
us. |
 |
Maldives
Islands 
