How to travel the Maldives

The Maldives, once a destination for people with pockets deep enough for the resorts, has been opening up to tourists more and more in recent years. Visitors searching for the poster-perfect holiday destination are not restricted to designated tourist islands anymore, but are now allowed on local islands as well!

The Maldives were actually the very first destination on our world trip and we did a ton of research beforehand. We compiled all our findings in this article.

Choosing the island

This is the most important decision you have to make upfront: resort or local island? Both offer vastly different experiences with their own advantages and disadvantages. To help you make an educated choice, here are the key differences between the two.

Resort islands

• Resort islands are mostly owned by international hotel chains. They have a luxurious charm with all the amenities you could wish for.
• Restaurants: As the resort owns the entire island, these islands do not have any local restaurants or third-party facilities other than those of the resort. Therefore, restaurants are usually more high-end with prices starting from around $50 per meal. Most resorts also offer full board service, which means that breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the package price.
• Transportation: When you see the cost per night of a resort on e.g. Booking.com, note that you also need to arrange transportation from the airport to the resort and back in advance, and pay for it on top. Usually, resort islands require you to get there either by seaplane (up to $600 per person one way) or by speedboat (around $200 per person one way), depending on where the island is located. The speedboat ride is supposed to be a luxurious experience in itself, with some offering alcoholic beverages and other refreshments. Resorts typically do not allow any third-party ships or planes to dock at their island, so you have to book the transportation via the hotel. The logistics are straightforward – guests are greeted directly at the international airport upon arrival and are escorted directly to the direct transfer terminal or pier. (If you ever find a resort that can be accessed cheaper, please let us know! :D)
• Things to do: Resorts offer a wide range of activities (more on activities below). Based on our research, we found that the same activities at resorts can cost you around double compared to a local island. For specific activities that cannot be done at the resort, they might even take you to a public island, where you can not only do the activities you booked, but also get a glimpse of the local Maldivian life. We saw boats with 20-25 resort guests arriving at the local island we stayed on.
• Service is outstanding at resorts, with staff trained to international standards of luxurious hotels.
• Accommodation: The typical honeymoon overwater villas are only available on resort islands.
• Regulations: drinking alcohol and wearing swimsuits/bikinis is usually allowed everywhere on the premises, unlike on local islands.
• Worth noting is that the money you spend at resorts goes directly to the holding companies, leaving next to nothing for the local economy. This is a controversial issue given the country’s history and the country opening up for tourism in 1972 and local islands becoming accessible only in 2009. You can read more about the topic here and here.

Local islands

• You will stay on an island where locals live too! Hotels are independently owned, so are all the other facilities on the island.
• There are a number of local islands that are allowing tourists. By far the most popular local island for backpackers is Maafushi, which is also the biggest and most developed one, apart from Malé. We read that there you might also find ATMs and more tourists in general, so they offer more tours than smaller islands. Other popular ones include Dhiffushi, Thulusdhoo, Thinadhoo and Fulidhoo.
• Restaurants: more choice of locally owned restaurants and much lower prices. You will find small shops, different kinds of restaurants and even bakeries around. You can also experience the local cuisine in a less fancy but probably more authentic way. Our meals on Fulidhoo cost around $15 per meal per person.
• Regulations: Maldives being a Muslim country, you will have to adhere to certain rules:
  • No alcohol to buy or consume. However, if you really want to grab a drink, there is a way around it. There are evening boat parties you can join – they ferry you to an off-shore ship, and on those you can drink alcohol, as you are on the water and technically not on Maldivian land. We did not try these, but if you have, please let us know in the comments how it was.
  • Bikinis are only allowed in designated areas, so-called bikini beaches. On all other beaches and public areas, you have to cover up, even when entering the water. On Fulidhoo, the nicest beach was actually the bikini beach, and this was also where most of the tourists were hanging out. The locals stuck to the regular beaches.
• Service is also very good in hotels on public islands. Most of the staff used to work for larger resorts and were trained accordingly. This is also why a lot of hotels on public islands have really good online reviews. When we got to Fulidhoo, our bags were driven and carried to the hotel by staff members and we received a refreshing fruit juice once we arrived at the lobby.
• Activities: you can book your off-shore trips online or directly at your hotel. See what the islands have to offer below.
• Talk to locals and get to know the local culture! People might seem a bit distant at first, but everyone we met was very kind and open to chat.

We chose to stay on a local island and didn’t regret it at all! Partly because resorts were way too expensive for our budget, but also because we wanted to experience the local culture. We were considering hopping over to a resort for one night, but, ultimately, the high transport costs put us off entirely. If you want to read more about our 6 days in paradise on Fulidhoo, check out our article here!

To get a better overview of the country and the distances between islands, make sure to check out the excellent (and very long!) map on My Maldives!

Getting there

The Maldives has one international airport in close proximity to the capital city, Malé. It is located on a separate island, which is connected to the capital by a bridge and water taxi. Being a popular holiday destination, many airlines offer relatively affordable flights to and from the Maldives.

Don’t let the island of the capital leave a negative first impression on you – it is built up to the brim with high-rise buildings, nothing like the other tranquil islands you will be heading to.

If you are staying at a resort, you will be picked up directly at the airport and taken to the resort by speedboat or seaplane, depending on the distance. You have to book the transportation through the hotel and it will cost somewhere between $200-$600 per person per direction.

If you opted to stay on a local island, you have three options:

1. Local ferries are the cheapest option and only cost around $4. First, you have to take a small ferry to the Malé’s much larger seaport. From there, you can take a local ferry. Timetables are strict, with ferries running only once or twice on certain weekdays, and not every island is being served. Make sure to check the schedule beforehand! We booked our flight so that we had enough time to take the local ferry from Malé. You can buy the tickets at the ferry terminal; no need to book in advance.
2. You can also take a shared speedboat, usually directly from the airport. These are much faster than the local ferries and can cut your travel time significantly by 50-75%. They need to be booked in advance, best through your hotel, and cost around $40 per way.
3. The most expensive option is booking a private speedboat. As it is private, you can book it for any day, any time. Costs are usually between $200–$300 one way.

On your way out, make sure to be at Malé airport at least 3 hours in advance! This airport is small and extremely busy. We had to queue for hours in front of the security check.

Some useful links with schedules to prepare your transportation:

• Speedboat online booking on the Atoll Transfer portal for shared and private speedboat transfers
• MTCC: the official site of the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company
• Public ferry schedule on Atoll Transfer
• Public ferry schedule on the In Maldives blog

Activities

What can I do in the Maldives besides lying on the beach, you might wonder? Depending on the island or resort you are staying at, there are plenty of activities to choose from. Here are some examples:

• Snorkelling: We saw incredible marine life, including turtles, nurse sharks, blacktip reef sharks, dolphins, stingrays and clownfish. Some seasonal highlights to watch out for are whale sharks (May to November) and manta rays (July to October). More on seasonality later below.
• Diving: The Maldives are a top diving destination, especially from January to May, and mostly popular for diving with sharks, particularly tiger sharks, but also reef sharks and the occasional grey shark or hammerhead.
• Photo with stingrays: these amazing creatures are often lured to the shores by locals feeding fish leftovers to them. You can let them hover around your feet or even float in the water surrounded by the rays. If you book an excursion, the hotel staff take pictures of you or even fly a drone for some cool aerial shots.
• Sandbanks: short excursions take you to a sandbank in the middle of the ocean. A perfect place to take beautiful pictures! Some resorts can even organise private dinners on sandbanks.
• Boat parties: as alcohol is prohibited on local islands, boat parties are a popular way to escape the strict regulations. The staff pick you up at your island and take you to a larger boat anchored in the open water.
• Night fishing: you set off in a traditional dhoni fishing boat in the evening hours and hunt for nocturnal species using the traditional handline fishing technique. A very unique experience and one of the most popular activities!
• Surfing: if you are on the lookout for the best waves, you will certainly not be disappointed in the Maldives! Make sure to check out the excellent surf guide on The Surf Tribe comparing various atolls and islands from a surfer’s perspective.
• Watching bioluminescent plankton: between May and November, you can spot the magical blue-lit spectacle on the shores of many islands – most famous are the islands of Vaavu, Felidhoo and Rasdhu Atoll.
• Water sports: most islands and resorts offer rental equipment for all kinds of watersports – kayaking, jet skiing, parasailing and stand-up paddling are amongst the most popular activities.
• Dine with the fishes: underwater restaurants have gained traction on social media in recent years and many resorts started building such facilities. You don’t necessarily have to stay at the resort – most of them accept guests from other islands too. Some fine examples are Hurawalhi’s 5.8, SEA by Anantara, and Ithaa by Conrad, the world’s first undersea restaurant.
• Bonus: you can even sleep with the fishes (no pun intended)! Conrad offers a unique underwater villa accommodation – the pictures speak for themselves: link.

What to eat

The Maldivian cuisine, also known as Dhivehi cuisine, has three key ingredients: coconuts, fish and starches such as rice, sweet potato and taro. Here are some of our favourites:

• Mas Huni, a typical Maldivian breakfast, consisting of grated coconut mixed with tuna, served with chapati bread and fresh fruit

• Best grilled fish we had on our trip, right at our first destination!

• Various local curries, typically with tuna, chicken or vegetables. Our favorite was the pumpkin curry, also known as Baraboa Riha.
• Most islands also have small bakeries offering a local take on Western-style pastries like croissants, pain-au-chocolat and donuts but also hot-dog rolls and pizza slices. We particularly enjoyed the mini burgers, very affordable and filling as a quick lunch!
• Coconuts are in abundance on the islands; many vendors sell them fresh and crack them open for you – a perfect refresher to sip on the beach.

• Don’t miss out on the amazing fresh fruit shakes either!

• Our top spot on Fulidhoo: Kinān Retreat has a buffet dinner with drinks for just $12. You will find delicious grilled fish, coconut-based curries, and roasted potatoes on the menu. You need to book in advance on the same day at the resort. Bonus point: this is also the beach where locals feed the nurse sharks in the evening. You can watch them from your table while having dinner!

We found food hygiene standards to be generally high, and did not have any stomach issues. Tap water, however, is not safe to drink, so it is recommended to buy bottled water.

If you are staying at a resort hotel, you are not limited to Maldivian cuisine though. Most resorts feature at least one international restaurant – based on our research, Chinese and Japanese options seem to be the most common ones.

The best time to visit

Good news: the island nation is a great destination all year round! Temperatures stay fairly constant between 26°C-32°C (79°F-90°F) while sea water temperature remains around 30°C (86°F).

The rainy season, brought by the southwest monsoon, lasts from May to November. Humidity is higher compared to the dry season and heavy rainfall or occasional storms occur in short bursts. This can contribute to choppy seas with rather unpleasant boat transfers. You shouldn’t rule out visiting in the rainy season entirely though: hotel prices are usually a bit lower and clouds move and dissipate quickly due to the lack of mountains on the islands. We also visited in November and only experienced one heavy rainfall lasting a couple of hours.

Tourist peak season typically lasts from December to March, right after the southwest monsoon passes.

If you are planning to snorkel or dive (which we definitely recommend!), you should consider the seasonality of marine life as well:

• Best for spotting whale sharks: May to November
• Best for spotting mantas: July to October
• Best for experiencing bioluminescent plankton on the shores: mid-summer and early winter
• Best diving visibility: February to April
• Turtle nesting season: all year round, peaking between May and June; nests hatch around 50-70 days after nesting

Infrastructure

Connectivity

Cell phone coverage is very good on most islands – you can even spot the huge cell towers from afar. We bought a data-only eSIM from Monty and did not have any issues. You can compare different providers on eSIMDB, as always.

Water

Running water is readily available on most islands, thanks to heavy investments from the government aiming to bring desalinated water through pipes to all the islands. You are encouraged to be mindful of your water usage though, saving water while showering, etc., as much as possible. Tap water is not considered safe for drinking.

Electricity

Electricity is also available without interruptions, as each inhabited island has its own power generator(s). We didn’t experience any outages during our visit. The grid operates on 220V and there are two socket types in use: type D (with three round pins) and type G (UK standard plug). Make sure to check if you need to pack a travel adapter beforehand.

Waste management

Waste collection, as you might imagine, is one of the biggest logistical challenges in the island nation. Some airlines even provide garbage bags for travellers – you can basically collect your own waste and drop off the bag at the check-in counter for free before leaving the country.

We saw a waste burning facility on Fulidhoo, where locals disposed of their rubbish to be burned in the evening. The facility is located at the far side of the island, so that smoke carried by the wind does not interfere with everyday life and your holiday.

While a rare sight, sometimes you might find rubbish on the beaches. This is mostly washed-up waste and heavily depends on the season and ocean currents. Locals take very good care of the islands and beaches, so this wasn’t an issue at all during our visit.

How much money do I need?

This is actually a little tricky and requires good planning if you don’t want to lose money. Most vendors in the Maldives do accept credit cards, but there is a commission of around 5% on all purchases. This is charged by the merchant, so depending on your credit card, you might have to pay additional fees.

The Maldives has its own currency, the Maldivian Rufiyaa, but they also accept US dollars. If you pay in cash in USD, you will probably get your change in Rufiyaa. The bills are beautiful, by the way, they might even make a great souvenir!

The tricky thing with Maldivian Rufiyaa is that no bank outside of the Maldives accepts it, so you won’t be able to exchange it once you leave the country. Also, you can usually buy Maldivian Rufiyaa only at specialised banks or exchange agencies – or not at all, depending on where you live. Therefore, it is much more handy to bring USD in cash, which is also what we did. The bills have to be in good condition without tears or markings, otherwise they won’t be accepted.

On the smaller islands, like Fulidhoo, where we stayed, there are no ATMs. This means that we had to estimate how much money we would spend in advance and bring that amount in cash, as we didn’t want to pay extra fees using our credit cards. Our cost breakdown below can help you with planning!

How much did we spend in 6 days per person?

Accommodation 4 nights at Cowry Inn incl. breakfast 1 night at Madi Grand	$218 $72
Food Lunch pastries from a bakery; dinner at a restaurant	$100
Activities (1) Dolphin watching and swimming tour (2) reef snorkelling and swimming with nurse sharks (3) whale shark tour	$25 $55 $100
Transport Ferry to Malé port & public boat to Fulidhoo Return to the airport by speedboat	$5 $40
Other expenses Souvenirs, bottled water, etc	$15
Total	$630 per person

Further resources

The following websites and articles were very helpful for planning our trip, make sure to check them out!

• Maldives Tour Guide (especially for diving seasons)
• Nokutravel (what animals to see underwater)
• Atoll Transfer (great site for all your transportation needs)

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