About the Maldives
Destination guide
Twenty-six atolls, around 1,190 islands, and roughly 160 of them run as resorts. What follows is the practical part: how you get there, what you can bring, what the transfers actually cost you in time, and the one rule that decides your whole first day.
What the country actually looks like
One fact shapes every decision you will make: your resort sits on its own island, and reaching it is a second journey after your flight lands.
The Maldives sits on top of a submerged mountain range in the Indian Ocean, south-west of Sri Lanka. What surfaces above the water are 26 natural atolls: rings of coral enclosing shallow lagoons, with small islands strung around the rim. Almost every island is ringed by its own reef, which is why the water changes colour so sharply from the air and why the snorkelling can be extraordinary a few metres from your steps.
Most islands are tiny. A typical resort island takes fifteen minutes to walk around. That scale is the appeal, and it is also why the country runs on boats and seaplanes rather than roads.
The two international airports
Velana International Airport (MLE) on Hulhulé Island, next to the capital Malé, handles almost all arrivals. It was renamed from Malé International Airport on 1 January 2017, so older guides and some airline systems still show the old name. A much larger international terminal opened here in July 2025.
Gan International Airport (GAN) in Addu Atoll serves the far south. There are also domestic airports scattered through the atolls, including Maafaru in Noonu and Hanimaadhoo in the north, which are used for resorts too far out for a seaplane hop.
Getting there from India
Flying is the only practical route. The sea route exists but is seasonal and not something we book.
Several Indian cities have direct flights to Malé, and connecting options run through Colombo, Dubai, Doha and Bengaluru. The flight is short. From most of India you are looking at a morning departure landing early enough to make a same-day transfer, which matters more than the fare, as the next section explains.
Before we quote a resort, we check your arrival time at Velana against the transfer that resort uses. A cheap late-evening flight can cost you a night in a Malé hotel plus a forfeited night at the resort, which wipes out the saving several times over.
Entry requirements
All nationalities receive a free 30-day tourist visa stamped on arrival. You need a passport valid for the duration of your stay, a confirmed onward or return ticket, and proof of your resort booking, which is what your voucher is for.
Separately, every arriving traveller must submit the Traveller Declaration online through Maldives Immigration's IMUGA portal. It is free, it takes a few minutes, and it must be submitted within 96 hours before your flight. Do it the day before you fly. Travellers are occasionally held up at the counter for skipping it.
What you cannot bring in
Maldivian customs are strict and the rules are enforced. None of this is discretionary.
- Alcohol. Importing it is prohibited without a licence that tourists cannot obtain. Any bottles in your bag are held in bond at the airport and returned when you leave. Every resort has a fully stocked bar, so there is no reason to try.
- Pork and pork products. Prohibited on the same basis. Resorts serve pork to guests where licensed; you cannot carry it in.
- Narcotics. Penalties are severe. This includes prescription medicines containing controlled substances, so carry the prescription and the original packaging.
- Pornographic material and materials considered contrary to Islam.
- Firearms, ammunition, explosives and spearguns.
- Dogs and live pigs. Bringing any pet requires a specific import licence arranged in advance.
- Drone? Allowed with prior permission, but many resorts ban them outright for guest privacy. Ask us before you pack one.
Malé and every inhabited local island are dry. Alcohol is served only on resort islands and on licensed liveaboards and hotels near the airport. If your trip includes a night on a local island such as Maafushi or Dhigurah, plan around that rather than being surprised by it.
Health and port checks
The short version: no vaccinations are required for arrivals from India, and the country has been certified malaria-free since 2015.
The World Health Organization certified the Maldives malaria-free in 2015, and the country runs continuous surveillance to keep that status. Yellow fever vaccination certificates are required only if you are arriving from, or have recently transited, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Screening and health checks are applied at both air and sea ports of entry.
Tap water at resorts comes from the island's own desalination plant and is safe. Bottled water is provided everywhere, and most resorts now bottle their own to cut plastic.
Medical facilities on resort islands range from a nurse to a full clinic with a resident doctor. Anything serious means a transfer to Malé. This is the single strongest argument for comprehensive travel insurance, which we do not sell and strongly recommend you buy.
Getting to your resort
Four transfer types, chosen by how far your island sits from Velana. This is not a preference. The resort's location decides it.
| Transfer | Typical use | Journey time | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speedboat | North and South Malé Atoll, some of Ari | 15 – 60 min | Runs day and night. No daylight cut-off, so a late arrival still reaches the island the same evening. |
| Dhoni | Very close islands, some boutique resorts | 20 – 45 min | Traditional wooden boat. Slower and more atmospheric. Less comfortable in choppy water. |
| Seaplane | Baa, Raa, Lhaviyani, Ari, Noonu and beyond | 20 – 55 min | Daylight only. The most spectacular arrival in the country and the one that constrains your flight times. |
| Domestic flight + speedboat |
Far north and far south atolls | 35 – 90 min total | A fixed-wing hop to a regional airport, then a boat. Runs after dark, unlike a seaplane. |
On a four-night trip or shorter, a speedboat resort buys you more actual holiday than a seaplane resort does. You lose a spectacular twenty minutes and you gain most of a day, plus the flexibility to book the flight that suits you rather than the flight the seaplane demands.
How seaplanes actually work
Seaplanes are the reason the far atolls are reachable at all, and the reason arrival timing is the first thing we ask about.
Two operators fly guest transfers from Velana: Trans Maldivian Airways, the largest seaplane operator in the world, and Manta Air, which began seaplane operations in November 2019. Both run dedicated terminals a short shuttle ride from the international arrivals hall, and both fly the same aircraft type on floats.
They fly between sunrise and sunset only. Water landings need visual conditions, so there are no night operations at any price. Seats are also pooled rather than chartered, which means you may wait in the terminal while other guests bound for nearby islands arrive on their own flights.
The timings that matter
| Leg | First departure | Last departure | The consequence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malé to your island | Around 06:00 | Around 16:00 | Trans Maldivian require you to have landed at Velana by 15:30 for a same-day transfer. Later than that and you overnight in Malé. |
| Your island to Malé | Around 07:00 | Around 15:00 | Seaplane transfers are arranged for international departures leaving after 09:00. An earlier flight home means leaving the resort the previous day. |
If your international flight is delayed and you miss the last seaplane, the overnight in Malé is at your expense, and the night you booked at the resort is forfeited. A delayed inbound flight is not the resort's responsibility and no refund is due. This is exactly why we check your flight against the transfer before we quote, rather than after you have paid.
Baggage limit
Seaplane allowances are far tighter than your international ticket. Trans Maldivian permit 20 kg checked plus 5 kg hand baggage per person, with excess charged at USD 5 per kg plus tax, and no single piece over 32 kg. Travel light. Resorts supply snorkelling gear, beach towels, sunscreen in the villa and laundry, and you will spend the week in three outfits.
Your first hour at Velana
Nothing here is difficult, but knowing the order removes the only genuinely stressful part of the trip.
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Immigration
Passport, return ticket and your Traveller Declaration reference. Queues move quickly in the new terminal. No fee, no forms to fill at the desk.
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Baggage reclaim, then the Arrivals Hall
This is where resorts and operators keep their welcome counters. Look for your resort's name on a board. Your voucher has the counter details printed on it.
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Meet your representative
They take your bags and walk you to whichever transfer you are booked on: the resort's speedboat jetty, the domestic terminal, or the seaplane check-in desk.
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Seaplane check-in and shuttle
If you are flying, you check in and drop bags at the operator's desk, then take an air-conditioned shuttle to the seaplane terminal a few minutes away.
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The lounge, then the flight
Most resorts include lounge access with snacks, coffee and a terrace over the water. Your boarding time and gate are given here. Then twenty to fifty minutes of the best view in the Indian Ocean, and a landing on a floating platform beside your island.
If you land too late to transfer
It is not a disaster. It is a night in a hotel, an early seaplane the next morning, and a bill you were not expecting.
Hulhulé Island Hotel
The airport hotel, a few minutes' walk from the terminal. The simplest option when your seaplane leaves early the next morning.
Hulhumalé
A reclaimed island connected to the airport by road, with a wide range of newer hotels at sensible rates. A short taxi ride.
Malé city
Ten minutes by ferry across the harbour. More to look at, but the least convenient if you have an early transfer and luggage.
The airport ferry to Malé runs around the clock, and the crossing takes about ten minutes. If you have a long layover and want to see the capital, it is easily done. Remember that Malé is dry and that modest dress is expected away from the resorts.
What you actually pay in taxes
These are government charges, not resort mark-ups. Any honest quote has them included. Ours does.
| Charge | Rate | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Green Tax | USD 12 per person, per night | Resorts, resort hotels, tourist vessels, and guesthouses on uninhabited islands or with more than 50 rooms. Rate rose from USD 6 on 1 January 2025. |
| Green Tax (small properties) | USD 6 per person, per night | Guesthouses and hotels on inhabited islands with 50 rooms or fewer. |
| Green Tax exemption | Nil | Children under two years old, from 1 January 2025. |
| TGST | 17% | Goods and services supplied by the tourism sector. Increased from 16% on 1 July 2025. |
| Service charge | Typically 10% | Levied by most resorts on top of the room and food and beverage bill. |
A seven-night stay for two carries roughly USD 168 in green tax alone, before TGST and service charge. Every costing we send has all three built in, and we put the exclusions in writing alongside them, so the number you agree is the number you pay.
Cards and cash
Resorts run cashless. You sign for everything and settle on departure by card. Visa, Mastercard and American Express are accepted almost everywhere, and USD is the working currency for tourists. You will not need Maldivian rufiyaa unless you are shopping on a local island. Carry a small amount of USD in low denominations if you like tipping in cash.
Duty free
The duty-free shops sit in the departures area at Velana, not arrivals. Spirits, perfume, chocolate and the usual range are there for the way home, not the way in. Remember the seaplane baggage limit applies to your outbound leg from the island as well.
Questions we get asked most
Short answers. If yours is not here, message us and you will get a reply from Pranjal or Amosha rather than a template.
Do Indians need a visa for the Maldives?
No advance visa is needed. All nationalities, including Indian passport holders, receive a free 30-day tourist visa stamped on arrival at Velana. You need a passport valid for your stay, a return or onward ticket, and a confirmed hotel booking. You must also submit the free online Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before your flight.
What is the time difference between India and the Maldives?
The Maldives runs on GMT+5, which is 30 minutes behind Indian Standard Time. Many resorts also keep their own island time, usually an hour ahead of Malé, to give guests more daylight in the evening. Your resort will tell you on arrival, and it catches people out at breakfast.
Can I take alcohol into the Maldives?
No. Importing alcohol is prohibited without a licence tourists cannot get. Bottles found in your baggage are held in bond at the airport and returned to you on departure. Every resort island is licensed and fully stocked, so there is nothing to gain by trying. Malé and the inhabited local islands are dry.
How long does it take to reach a resort from the airport?
Between 15 minutes and about 90 minutes, depending on the atoll. Speedboat transfers to North and South Malé take 15 to 60 minutes. Seaplanes to Baa, Raa or Ari take 20 to 55 minutes in the air, plus check-in and waiting time. Far northern and southern resorts use a domestic flight plus a boat.
What happens if my flight lands after the last seaplane?
You overnight in Malé or at the airport hotel and fly out on the first seaplane the next morning. The hotel cost is yours, and the resort night you booked is forfeited, because a delayed international flight is not the resort's responsibility. We check your flight times against the transfer before quoting to avoid this.
How much luggage can I take on a seaplane?
Trans Maldivian allow 20 kg of checked baggage and 5 kg of hand baggage per person, with excess at USD 5 per kilo plus tax and no single bag over 32 kg. This is much less than your international allowance. Resorts provide snorkelling equipment, beach towels and laundry, so travel light.
Is the tap water safe to drink?
Yes at resorts. Every resort island runs its own desalination plant, and most now bottle their own filtered water in glass to cut plastic waste. Bottled water is provided in villas and restaurants. On local islands, stick to bottled water.
Do I need vaccinations or malaria tablets?
No malaria prophylaxis is needed. The World Health Organization certified the Maldives malaria-free in 2015. No vaccinations are required for arrivals from India. A yellow fever certificate is required only if you are arriving from or transiting a country with yellow fever risk. Comprehensive travel insurance matters far more.
Tell us your dates and we will do the arithmetic
Send us your travel dates, who is coming and a rough budget. You will get a shortlist of resorts that suit you, with transfers costed in and checked against your actual flight times, within 24 hours. One reply, from Pranjal or Amosha.
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