The Maldives

Sunsyamolhuveli water villas Maldives Malinasvibe

Turquoise water in the Maldives Malinasvibe

Sunsyamolhuveli beach Maldives Malinasvibe

General Info

The Maldives is a tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, comprising 26 atolls and over 1,000 coral islands. Known for its crystal-clear waters, powdery beaches, and diverse marine life, the Maldives is a dream destination for sun-seekers, honeymooners, and underwater enthusiasts.

In this guide, I am going to cover everything you need to know before traveling to the Maldives, so keep reading if you want to find more about the postcard-perfect landscapes, vibrant marine life, and luxurious resorts of the Maldives. Moreover, if you are aiming for a budget-friendly tropical escape, you have come to the right place! In this ultimate guide, I will reveal practical tips and tricks for you to have an unforgettable journey without “breaking the bank”.

The secret of traveling to the Maldives on a budget is as easy as this: go to local islands instead of booking expensive accommodations on resorts. Keep reading to find out more about it!

When to visit the Maldives

To experience the Maldives at its finest, plan your trip during the dry season (between November and April). During this period, most of the days are sunny, the seas are calm as there are no storms, and you will be happy to have exceptional visibility for snorkeling and diving.

However, if you plan to visit the Maldives on a budget, consider traveling between the months of May to July, as you will not be during the high season. The rainy season will be at its beginning and you might experience a few days with heavy rains and storms on the sea, but they will not last for too long.

Currency and Cash Usage

The official currency of the Maldives is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR). However, you might be surprised to discover that the US dollars are widely accepted in most resorts, tourist areas, and major establishments and even on local islands as I found myself ordering from menus having the prices only in dollars. While credit cards are widely used, it is advisable to carry some cash for small purchases and local transactions.

Transportation and getting around

Traveling between the picturesque islands of the Maldives is primarily done through seaplanes, speedboats, or domestic flights. While seaplanes offer breathtaking aerial views, speedboats and domestic flights are more budget-friendly options, but the cheapest ones are the local ferries! However, you will not always be able to take the speed boat or the local ferry as crossing the channel between atolls might be challenging (during the rainy season especially) or due to the distance.

Transportation and getting around: from the airport to your island

As you land in Male, the capital of the Maldives, here is what you should keep in mind: Male Velana International Airport is currently the only airport in the country offering international flights. Due to the density of the population in Male, the airport is located on Hulhule Island in the North Male (not in Male City!). And here is the catch! From the airport, you will need to take the local boat to Male city or you can directly order a speedboat to your island (if it is not too far). The local boat to Male city departs every 10 minutes between 5 A.M. and 12:45 A.M., so if you are having a late-night flight be aware that you might need to wait in the airport until 5 A.M. to take the local transportation. This is exactly what happened when I landed in the Maldives. If you want to know more about my experience at the airport in Male, feel free to check my Instagram highlights on malinasvibe.

In the same time, Male Velana International Airport is usually closed at night, so you are not allowed to remain in the airport, which is very small (it has somewhere around 12 chairs), but you need to exit the airport building. Outside the building, you will find many chairs arranged where you could wait until the sunrise or until the first local boat/speedboat arrives.

Transportation and getting around: more about the speedboats

When it comes to speedboats, you may arrange your transfer in advance. If you wish to go to a local island, I suggest you do a bit of research about the island before and confirm a pick-up time with a transportation company. If you wish to visit Maafushi, then I recommend you contact iCom, since they helped us with our way from the Airport to the Island. There is a significant difference between the prices of the speedboat and the ones of the local ferry:

The local ferry from the Airport to the City of Male is 1$ if you pay directly in dollars, or 10 MVR (less than 1$) if you pay in the local currency. You will buy the ticket directly from the counter in the airport and you will find the counter on the dock (“FERRY TO MALE” is written on it). If you want to make it to your island by local ferry, then you will need to make it to Male and take the local Ferry from there.
The starting price of the speedboat from the Airport/from Male to your island will be 25$ (I paid 25$ from Male to Maafushi by Speedboat with iCom).

Safety in the Maldives

Maldives is generally one of the safest countries I have ever traveled to. In general, it seems that the government in the Maldives is investing in the safety of the tourists because the economy of the country is heavily impacted by tourism. While the private island with resorts have great security systems, and the local islands are safe as well, the capital of the Maldives, Male, experiences the most crime in the country.

In the Maldives it is rude to…

If you are traveling to the Maldives, there are a few aspects you might need considering. The country is a conservative Islamic nation (did you know this?!), therefore, drinking alcohol is forbidden on the local islands, but can be consumed on private islands and while on the sea. This is also the main reason why, on the local islands, there are separate beaches for locals and tourists. It is nice to respect their culture and not wear your beachwear on the beaches of the locals or when walking around the local island, but only on the beaches designed for tourists as every local island has one.

Fun facts about the Maldives: the coconut names

As in the rest of Southeast Asia, it is very common to drink young coconut juice in the Maldives, but did you know that depending on how old the coconut is, there are 12 different stages and names that it might have? For example, the coconut that has the most and sweetest amount of water to be drank is called Kurumba. The Kaashi is a coconut as most of us know: the small brown ball, the “old coconut” with thicker meat and little water.

Fun facts about the Maldives: the local snacks

The Maldivian snack consist of areca nuts served with betel leaves and other spices. The areca nuts are known for increasing the sense of well-being, having anti-inflammatory properties, as well as many negative effects. On the other hand, the chewing of betel is strongly associated with a higher risk of developing neck cancer.

While I read that both of them are not healthy, it is still something that locals consume after dining.

Another Maldivian snack is Bondi: a sweet delight made out of shredded baby coconut and palm syrup.

In the same time, did you know that in the Maldives it is possible to swim with the sharks? Swimming with the nurse sharks is a common activity as they are harmless for humans.

I will tell you more on how to travel on a budget to the Maldives on my next blog post, stay tuned!

Fulidhoo, local Island in the Maldives, Malinasvibe

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