You’ve likely seen pictures of the Maldives and thought to yourself, wow, I want to go there. And you should! The Maldives is a phenomenal vacation spot. The picturesque resorts are each on their own tiny island in atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The islands are surrounded by white soft sand beaches that flow into the clearest waters revealing the wondrous wildlife below.
The island nation of the Maldives includes 1192 islands, which are part of 26 atolls (a ring-shaped reef, island, or chain of islands formed of coral). Only 200 of the islands are inhabited.
With such a wide variety of fish and colorful reefs, the Maldives is one of the best snorkeling and diving sites in the world. Thousands of fish species call these reefs home, as do manta rays and whale sharks. Plus, with so many reefs, the surf is epic too.
The Ultimate Guide to the Maldives
Now that you know why you should visit, let’s talk about how to make a trip to the Maldives a reality and the things to know before you go. Unlike many vacations, a trip to the Maldives is not as easy as just booking a hotel room. You should know and think about several things before you start planning your trip to the Maldives.
1. How long should I stay in the Maldives?
Because getting to/from the Maldives can be long and exhausting, I suggest staying at least seven nights. Otherwise, once you get acclimated to the time change and relax, it is time to start the tedious journey home. We stayed in the Maldives for eight nights and nine days, which was perfect. I felt relaxed and rejuvenated when we left Six Senses Laamu.
2. What are the passport and visa requirements?
A visitor must have a valid passport and an airplane ticket out of the country within 30 days of entry. The Maldivian government will then issue a complimentary 30-day tourist visa when you arrive in the country. Visitors are also given a landing card. Make sure you fill out the landing card and keep it with your passport. You will need to present the card when leaving the Maldives.
3. Do I need a specific vaccination or test?
Travel vaccines
Before Covid-19, this was an easy question because the vaccination requirement was minimal. Only visitors arriving from an area infected by Yellow Fever would need to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate.
Covid-19 requirements
Now, onto Covid-19. Visitors did not have to be vaccinated to visit The Republic of the Maldives when writing this post. However, unvaccinated visitors are only permitted to stay in guest accommodations provided that 60% of the population, including 90% over age 65 and 95% of the tourism staff, is fully vaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated don’t have these same restrictions.
All tourists must show a negative PCR test taken at most 96 hours before arrival (except those under a year old), and travelers must show a negative PCR test result taken within 72 hours of departing.
However, before you book your travel and leave for your vacation, make sure you check the Republic of Maldives Ministry of Health website for the current entry, vaccination, and documentation requirements.
4. When is the best time to visit the Maldives?
The reason driving your trip to the Maldives (diving, surfing, etc.) makes a considerable difference in deicing what time of year you want to visit. For example, if you plan to relax and lay on the beach, you might choose one season, but you might prefer a different season if you plan to surf or dive.
Guide to the best time to visit the Maldives by activity
Relaxing in the Maldives
The high season for fun in the sun runs from November through April.
Surfing in the Maldives
The surf season begins in April and runs through October. Our trip to the Maldives was in October, and it rained during three of the nine days of our trip. I didn’t mind, but this is a consideration when choosing the best time for you to visit the Maldives.
The best waves are generally from April to May and September to October. You can expect the biggest and best swells during these months and fairly consistent offshore winds. March and November may offer good swell, depending on whether you are in the northern, central, or southern atoll.
There are a handful of luxurious 5-star resorts in the Maldives near surf breaks. We stayed at Six Senses Laamu and loved every minute of our stay. Gary (my husband) surfed several times during our stay. If you are staying at Six Senses Laamu for the surf, consider booking the surf package because it can be more economical than paying for a boat each time you want to surf.
Luxury resorts close to surf breaks
- Six Senses Laamu – Yin Yang
- Four Seasons Kuda Huraa – Sultans
- Niyama Private Islands – Kasabu, Hocus Pocus
- Gili Lankanfushi – Jailbreaks
- COMO Maalifushi – Farms/Mikados
Diving in the Maldives
The dive season depends on what you hope to see. If you are looking for calm, clear water, the dive season runs from November to May. However, if you are looking for larger animals, like whale sharks, the dive season runs from May to November, with the best diving in late July to early October. However, it generally rains more during whale shark season.
Luxury resorts near dive sites
If you are looking for luxurious hotels with fantastic diving, check out some of these hotels:
- One and Only Resorts, Reethi Rah
- Soneva Fushi, Baa Atoll
- Como-Maalifushi
- Six Senses Laamu
- Hurawalhi-island-resort
- Four Seasons Explorer (catamaran)
- Pro Tip
If you have some flexibility, consider traveling in shoulder season when the resorts are not as crowded, and the resort prices are a little lower.
5. What is your budget for your Maldives bucket-list vacation?
Living the dream doesn’t come cheap. To avoid sticker shock, and trust me, this can happen, you should decide how much you want to spend on your vacation. Think about the cost of airfare, transfer fees to/from your hotel (more on this below), hotel room fees, whether you plan to do a meal plan (see discussion below), activity fees, spa treatments, and the cost of Covid tests. All of these fees add up quickly in the Maldives. I think the price is worth this once-in-a-lifetime experience. But, make sure your pockets are deep enough before you start booking your dream vacation. It would be awful to get to the Maldives, realize you didn’t budget for extras like activities, nice dinners, and the like, and have to penny-pinch on your bucket list vacation.
6. How do I get to the Maldives?
Don’t be fooled; getting to paradise takes some work. But the reward is worth the effort. There are a few ways to reach the Maldives from the United States. The most popular routes from the west coast fly through Hong Kong, Singapore, Dubai, or Qatar. From the east coast, most people fly into London or France with a layover in the Middle East.
However, we took a more creative route by spending a week in India’s Golden Triangle (Agra, Delhi, Jaipur) before heading south to catch our flight to the Maldives. Another unique way to get to the Maldives is to stop in Sri Lanka.
Because the flights are so long, I highly recommend springing for economy plus, business, or first-class tickets to make the long trip more tolerable. Our long-haul flights were on Cathay Pacific, and we had a good experience.
7. Where should I stay in the Maldives?
It’s insane how many luxury resort options are available in the Maldives. At last count, the Maldives has over 160 resorts. If you’re not traveling to the Maldives for a specific reason (surfing or diving), narrowing the field of 5-star luxury resorts can be difficult because there are so many phenomenal options. To help get you on the path to finding the right luxury resort for you, Travel + Style’s article on the 25 best luxury island resorts offers a quick overview of some of the best properties. They are amazing!
8. Is an overwater bungalow in the Maldives worth the cost?
The overwater bungalows can be phenomenal. Think about seeing the gorgeous clear water in the morning from your bed or jumping off your deck straight into the water. Or seeing the fish swim below your feet as you get ready for the day ahead. A resort in the Maldives is THE place to book an overwater villa. If not in the Maldives, then where? There is a reason people pay the upcharge for an overwater villa – because it’s worth it!
9. Should I stay in Malé before heading to my resort?
If you are headed to the Maldives to relax, then the answer is no. Head straight to your remote resort island to enjoy the beautiful beaches and your luxurious villa!
To skip a stay in Malé, you will need to coordinate your transportation (“transfer”) from Malé International Airport to your final destination.
10. How do I get from Malé to my final destination?
Because many of the hotels are on their own island, you cannot just hop in a cab and head to your final destination. You need a transfer either by boat, seaplane, and some require a commercial flight and a boat ride. It’s a bit of a dance coordinating the transfers to and from your hotel. Keep in mind that if your flight arrives late in the day, you might have to stay in Malé for the night because transfers are not always available in the late afternoon or evening. Since transfers can be a bit of a pain, they are usually booked directly through your hotel.
Seaplanes
A seaplane would be a fantastic way to get to your hotel. However, a seaplane journey is not always offered and available. It was not an option for our stay at Six Senses Laamu.
Seaplanes do not fly after 4:00 p.m. So when you are planning your trip to the Maldives, you will need to find out from your hotel if your transfer includes a seaplane flight. If a seaplane ride is in your future, your international flight must arrive early enough to allow you to fly to your final destination before 4:00 p.m. Otherwise, you will need to stay the night in Malé.
Staying in the northern atoll
The northern atoll is the closest to the airport. For these hotels, like the Four Seasons, your transfer will be by seaplane or boat. The trip is a short distance (25-35 minutes) to your final destination.
Staying in the central atoll
It was a bit of a journey to get to Six Senses Laamu in the central atoll. After a couple of hours at the Island Aviation Lounge in Malé, we flew to Laamu’s Kadhdhoo Airport – a 50-minute flight on a mid-size commercial prop plane. Once we landed, a Six Senses Laamu representative greeted us at the airport. We then enjoyed a 15-20 minute boat ride to the island.
Staying in the southern atoll
If you are going to the southern atoll to a resort such as COMO Maalifushi, you will have a 60-minute seaplane ride before arriving on the island.
11. How much is the transfer fee?
Generally, the cost of the transfer to/from the hotel is an extra fee and can be expensive. The transfer fee for Six Senses Laamu is $590 + 23% tax and service charge per person. However, since we booked our trip several months in advance, we received a 20% discount and paid $472 per person, plus the tax and service fee.
As a reference, The Points Guy gathered additional transfer fee data from some of the larger hotel chains. The list below will give you an idea of the transfer costs per person.
- St. Regis Maldives – Seaplane, $745
- W Maldives – Seaplane, $505
- Waldorf Astoria Maldives – Speedboat, $862
- Park Hyatt Maldives – Domestic flight and speedboat, $520
As you can see, the cost of a transfer can be steep. Before booking your hotel, you should contact the hotel to confirm the transfer fee and the logistics.
12. How do I book my transfer?
Booking your transfer can be a little confusing. In general, the transfers are booked directly through your hotel. During the hotel booking process, you have to confirm that you need a transfer. It’s a little silly since unless you are booking a private boat or plane, how else would you get to the hotel?
If you are staying in the northern atoll and your transfer is by boat, you might want to inquire whether there is a seaplane option. The hotel might be able to arrange a seaplane for you instead of a boat ride.
Your confirmation itinerary should include a line item for the transfer. If your transfer requires a flight, you may not get your flight transfer information until a few days before landing in Malé. The flights get adjusted based on the number of travelers and the weather. So don’t freak out if you don’t have your flight until the last minute.
Once you book your hotel stay, your hotel will likely make the transfer arrangements for you. Six Senses Laamu worked with our travel agent to book our transfers.
13. How do I get from my hotel back to Malé?
The return transfer will depend on your international flight time, the domestic flight schedules, and whether other guests have similar international flight times. If you have a late international flight, contact your hotel to see if you can secure a late checkout. If not, see if you can book a hotel room on a beach in Malé for the day. You do NOT want to spend any more time than you have to at the airport. Although there are several private airport lounges (most of which are run by specific hotels), there is nothing to do, and there are limited food options.
14. What is a meal plan, and do I need one in the Maldives?
A meal plan is a pre-paid grouping of meals, such as breakfast and dinner.
Many resorts offer meal plans because the food is more expensive than other similar resorts in the United States and Europe. At Six Senses Laamu, we opted for the half-board meal plan (breakfast and dinner), which cost $110 a day per person, plus 23% tax and tip (excluding alcohol), and I’m glad we did. Our dinner bills would have been over $300 a night without it, and we would have had an enormous food bill at the end of our nine-day stay.
You can also opt for the full board package, which includes lunch. However, we usually had brunch and were too busy having fun to stop for lunch.
15. What is there to do in the Maldives?
So far from reading this article, you know there is great surfing and diving. But there are endless activities in the Maldives. Other examples include swimming, snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, standup-paddle boarding, fishing, and boating.
Even if you don’t love being in the water, the islands in the Maldives still offer a pretty view. You can sit outside in your overwater villa and relax and read a book. You can go for a walk (toes in the sand), take a cooking or yoga class, visit a local town, go for a bike ride, enjoy a private island picnic, or relax with a spa treatment. Each resort has endless activities to keep you busy.
I suggest you check out the cost of the excursions at your hotel before booking. Some of these activities may be free, while others can be expensive. It would be so sad if you spent your budget on the hotel and didn’t think about the activity fees.
16. Do resorts in the Maldives have sustainability programs?
Many of the hotels in the Maldives have a sustainability program, including desalination plants, power stations, waste removal systems, food composting, and their own farm. Six Senses Laamu offered a fascinating back-of-the-house tour (including visiting the chicken coop).
Many resorts employ marine biologists to increase marine conservation and teach tourists about marine life. I highly suggest you take one of these tours (if offered). It was an eye-opening experience to see the sustainability efforts at Six Senses Laamu.
To help with their conservation efforts, do your best to avoid bringing plastic bottles on your trip and pack reef-safe sunscreen.
17. Should I make any reservations in advance of my trip?
If you have read my blog posts before, you know my answer is yes! Part of my standard pre-planning checklist includes making dinner and activity reservations a couple of weeks before my trip to ensure I have dinner reservations and can participate in my dream activities.
If you are going to the Maldives for a week, I suggest making the following reservations:
- two or three dinner reservations (during high season, the more popular restaurants at your hotel can book up)
- a couple of spa appointments
- a reservation for an activity or two (if there is an activity you have your heart set on)
But I also like to leave lots of free time to act on a whim.
18. Do I need Maldivian currency?
The short answer is no if you are staying at an island resort. The Maldivian currency is the Rufiyaa. However, crisp U.S. dollars are preferred. You can charge everything at your hotel to a credit card but some small U.S. bills to tip the staff at your hotel are helpful. At the Six Senses Laamu, where we stayed, we were able to add gratuity to our final bill. In hindsight, it would have been easier to tip in cash.
19. Is tipping customary in the Maldives?
Yes. Your bill includes an automatic 10% service charge. However, tipping on top of the service fee is welcome in the Maldives but not required. Based on the high level of service offered, it is common to tip the staff at your resort. I preferred to tip at the end of our stay rather than each day.
20. Can I drink the water?
It depends. The high-end resorts have desalination plants on their islands. Once the water has gone through the desalination process, it’s safe to drink. If you are elsewhere in the Maldives, opt for bottled water.
21. Does The Republic of the Maldives prohibit certain items?
Yes. The Republic of the Maldives is an Islamic country. Visitors cannot bring certain items into the country, such as idols of worship, alcohol, and pork.
Upon arrival in Malé (the capital of The Republic of the Maldives), the airport officials scan your bags to ensure you did not bring any forbidden items into the country.
In Malé, we were pulled out of line after our luggage was inspected. This process was a little unnerving until we understood the problem. We were given a Ganesh in India and forgot it was in our bag. The Malé officials confiscated the Ganesh. Fortunately, they gave us a claim check ticket, and we retrieved the confiscated Ganesh before our departing flight home. We were lucky because the officials could have confiscated it permanently.
- Pro Tip
If you are traveling to another destination before you reach the Maldives and buy idols of worship, consider shipping them home. You don’t want to take a chance that it will be confiscated.
- Pro Tip
Don’t buy duty-free alcohol on the plane. The airport officials will take your alcohol at the airport.
22. Can I drink alcohol in the Maldives?
The Maldives is a dry country. However, there is one exception. Most island resorts have obtained a special permit to allow guests to drink alcohol while on the resort grounds.
23. Is there a dress code in the Maldives?
Yes and no. Since The Republic of the Maldives is an Islamic country, people dress conservatively in Malé (women should cover their thighs and shoulders). However, you do not need a head covering for the airport or your resort.
Once at your resort, you can wear a bathing suit. However, you may not go topless or nude.
Before you leave, you should contact your hotel to find out the dress code. In my experience, women could wear cute sundresses to dinner, and men might wear nice shorts and a collared shirt. Sometimes, certain restaurants will require more formal wear, but not too formal, given this is a beach destination.
- Pro Tip
For women, I highly suggest leaving your high heels at home. You are generally walking on sand or wood piers. It can be a little tricky, not to mention uncomfortable wearing high heels on these surfaces. Plus, the Maldives is just more casual by nature. I didn’t wear shoes at all for nine days!
24. What should I pack for a trip to the Maldives?
Packing for the Maldives is just like packing for any other tropical vacation. You will probably wear half the clothes you brought unless you follow my packing guide! There are a few specialty items to pack in your suitcase, such as a rash guard, cover-up, reef-safe sunscreen, and a waterproof case for your phone.
Your resort may also have a donation program. For example, guests of Six Senses Laamu are encouraged to bring the following items to donate to local schools:
- stainless steel reusable water bottles
- cloth or reusable canvas bags
- snorkeling equipment (mask, snorkel, fins)
- marine books in English
25. Are there any luggage restrictions?
Yes, there are luggage restrictions. The restrictions depend on your transfer. We flew a commercial flight for our transfer, which restricted surfboards to seven feet. Seaplanes are smaller and will have specific luggage parameters. So, you should check with your airline and/or your resort before you leave for vacation to find out the luggage restrictions, especially if you are bringing a surfboard or dive gear.
26. Do I need a travel agent to help me plan a phenomenal trip to the Maldives?
You might be wondering why you need a travel agent to book a hotel when it’s easy enough to book a room online. If you have made it this far (I know, it’s a lot of information), you have realized this is probably not the type of trip you book on a whim. A significant amount of logistics go into booking a trip to the Maldives, not to mention the cost.
Because the Maldives is so far, many people, including us, opt for a side trip or two. Our vacation included a tour of the Golden Triangle in India (Agra, Delhi, and Jaipur), plus we stayed a night in Hong Kong on the way home. Given there were so many moving pieces (hotels, flights, transfers, tours, etc.), it was invaluable to have someone with experience help plan our trip. If your trip has similar components, I recommend working with a travel agent to plan your trip to the Maldives.
I called Laurie Stalick of Arvida Travel. I have worked with Laurie over the years on numerous vacations. She has significant experience in luxury travel, is a pleasure to work with, is a Virtuoso member, and is committed to providing excellent service to her clients. She was a real asset in planning our trip. If you are looking for a fabulous travel agent, Laurie is the way to go!
- Pro Tip
Given the cost of a trip to the Maldives is pricey, trip insurance that also provides Covid-19 protection could be very useful.
I hope these 26 tips help you plan a fabulous trip to the Maldives. Feel free to drop a comment below to help your fellow travelers plan a trip to the Maldives or share your experiences.
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Lots of great tips here. I’m glad you were able to get your Ganesh back. The sustainability aspect of the hotel is really interesting to me, and it’s so good to see that the hotel is thinking about it and able to share with its guests.
Thank you! Yes, the Six Senses in the Maldives has an in-depth and impressive sustainability program.
Pictures look beautiful. Definitely on the bucket list!
As always, you put together such a fantastic guide. I can’t think of anything that you didn’t cover. I’m always looking to go to the Maldives but haven’t booked it yet.
Thanks, Peggy. You are so kind. I truly appreciate your positive feedback!
I think I am going to be dreaming of beaches ?. Thank you for sharing the best seasons to travel by activity I don’t think that is something I would have thought of.
I am so happy you found my guide useful! The activity you plan to do the most surprisingly makes a big difference in the time of year you may want to visit the Maldives.
Packed with tons of great information and photos. Definitely just added one more place to the bucket list.
Thanks! The Maldives was on my bucket list for years before I actually got to visit! It was worth the wait.
Maldives has been on my bucket list for a while it’s so good to have these tips in hand
I can’t wait until I’m financially in a place to visit the Maldives!! It’s absolutely stunning.
The Maldives has been on my bucket list forever. It looks absolutely beautiful from your photos! I hope we can visit one day – and that travel becomes easier soon. Thanks for sharing all of this info! Xx Sara
Thanks, Sara. I hope you get to check the Maldives off your bucket list soon!
The Maldives has been on my bucket forever! This is such a great, and informative post that would help anyone who is visiting the Maldives for the first time. Thank you for putting this together!
Thanks so much, Trisha! Happy to hear you found my post useful!
An absolute dream vacation! Thanks for breaking down the prices so clearly!
So happy to help!
Bookmarked this page. This is a wealth of information.
Thanks so much!
The Maldives have been on my bucket list for a while! Sounds a little tricky with the transfers, but otherwise, I can’t wait to get there someday!
Wow I knew there were many islands I didn’t realize they were more than 1000. Great tip on dress code I guess one would easily forget that its an islamic country and the need for respecting cultural norms
That looks absolutely unreal! I’d so love to get to visit here someday! Saving this for future planning! <3
Yay! Great to hear!
This is such a helpful, informative post! Thanks for sharing this information. I’d love to visit the Maldives one day!
You’re welcome! I know it’s a lot of information. I didn’t know about half of the topics in this post until we started seriously considering a trip to the Maldives.
Oh wow! I was supposed to go in 2019 but we all know what happened there. I didn’t know half this stuff, so it’s super useful thank you!
Wow! This is such a comprehensive post. Thank you for providing everything I could possibly need to get to the Maldives. I am definitely saving this for future reference.
Great!
Wow this is a great guide! I’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives so saving for the future
Terrific!
The Maldives are absolutely stunning & so are your pictures! Thanks so much for sharing!
The Maldives looks like such a magical place to visit! I’d love to wake up in such a beautiful tropical paradise! It is good to know about the hotels with sustainability programs, one of my goals for this year is to make my travels a little greener! Thanks for the great guide!
You’re welcome! I was very impressed by the sustainability program at Six Senses.