Location

Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation consisting of a group of atolls stretching south of India's Lakshadweep islands between the Minicoy and the Chargos archipelagoes, and about seven hundred kilometres (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea of Indian Ocean. The twenty-six atolls of Maldives encompass a territory stretching 820 kilometers north to south and 120 kilometers east to west and featuring 1,192 islets, of which two hundred and fifty islands are inhabited and 87 are exclusive resorts.  All the islands are low lying. The highest point in the country is three meters but most islands are less than one and a half meters above sea level.

Population

About 270,000 according to 1998 estimates. Origin of the Moldavians is lost in antiquity, but history reveals that the islands have been populated for over 3,000 years. Early settlers were travellers on the Silk Route and from the Indus Valley Civilisation. Inherently warm, friendly and hospitable by nature, it is easy to feel comfortable and relaxed with a Maldivian.

Currency

The Maldivian currency is the Rufiyaa and Laaree. The exchange rate for US Dollar at the time of writing is MRf.12.8 for the dollar.  One Rufiyaa is equivalent to 100 laarees.  Rufiyaa bank notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500.  Coins are in the denominations of MRf.2.00, MRf1.00, 500 laarees, 20, 10, 5 and 1 laaree.  US Dollar is the most commonly used foreign currency. Payments in resorts and hotels can be made in most hard currency in cash, travelers' cheques or commonly used credit cards.

Working 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, although most offices in the private sector open for a half day on Saturday. Weekend falls on Friday and Saturday.

Climate

The temperature is constantly between 29C - 32C.  There are 2 distinct seasons:
The North-East monsoon runs from December through to April.  This is the tourist high season when there is little rainfall, wide blue skies and endless hours of sunlight.

The Southwest monsoon runs from May through to November.  During this period it is still generally dry and sunny though there is sporadic rainfall and cloud cover (rarely prolonged enough to spoil a holiday).  At the turn of the monsoon winds it is rough and rainy for a couple of weeks.

Local Time

GMT + 5 hours

Airport Transfer

There are 3 ways of getting from the airport to your resort:
by Dhoni (local boat), by speedboat and by air.

Obviously the distance to the resort dictates which modes of transport are feasible. The king of the transfers is a seaplane flight on a cloudless day.

Culture

The Maldives have been a melting port of different cultures as people from different parts of the world came here and settled down.   Eastern Africa and South Asia influence music, dancing and the traditional food.  However, many of the Asian customs especially with regard to women are not tenets of life here.  Women play a major role in society - not surprising, considering the men spend the whole day out in sea fishing.  Many of the traditions are strongly related to the dependency of life on the seas embracing the Maldives.

Language

Dhivehi is spoken in all parts of the Maldives, while English is widely spoken around the capital island. In the resorts staff speaks English, German, French, Italian and Japanese.

What to wear

Dress-code is generally casual. T-shirts and cotton clothing are most suitable. In Male’, the capital island and other inhabited islands it is recommended that women wear modest clothing without baring too much.

Free 30 days Visa upon arrival for all visitors

No prior visa is required to enter the Republic of Maldives. Entry permit will be granted to visitors on arrival at designated ports of entry, based on the immigration requirements.

Port Health

Maldives being free from certain diseases that are of public health concern as well as of international importance, implementing continuous vigilance activities at Ports of entry at sea and Air, to ensure that appropriate surveillance activities are carried out effectively in safe guarding against any threat of introducing diseases are of health importance. Intensified surveillance for incoming passengers and continuous inspection of food items, and animals that were imported into the country is being carried out at all ports of the country.

In preparation for the certification of the Malaria Free Maldives, all incoming passengers from malaria-infected countries are screened.

For Certification of Sanitary Port an organized Medical Service, adequate staff and equipment provides in and out passengers care and attend Medical emergencies at port.

Disinfections are compulsory for Cargo aircraft and passenger aircrafts coming from Yellow Fever and Malaria endemic areas.

Electricity

30-240 Volts AC.

Scuba Diving

Every resort in the Maldives caters for scuba divers and international certificates of all types are accepted. The dive schools are well equipped, and regulators, BCDs, computers, masks, snorkels and fins are available for hire. For those learning to dive resorts offer a variety of dive courses are conducted in several languages, with courses conducted in English, German, Italian, French and Japanese in most of the For those learning to dive all resorts conduct open water and advanced courses such as night diving, rescue diving, underwater photography. Courses such as naturalist and shark specialist courses have proved most popular due to the growing interest in the marine environment. At resorts, diving is conducted daily all year around and it is only rarely that diving has to be cancelled. Most resorts would have access to a protected reef on the leeward side of the island that enables them to dive even during times of rough seas and strong winds.

Snorkeling

Snorkeling over the shallow reefs of the islands is an ideal way to explore the underwater world. The house reefs of most of the islands are just a few strokes away from the beach. Even if the reef are quite shallow and one may simply walk up to the reef to enjoy its beauty. Snorkeling equipment is available at all the resorts. Some organize regular snorkeling excursions to give visitors a chance to experience the diversity of marine life and reef structures in the Maldives.

Submarine

Until today, divers are said to be the only people who truly enjoy their holidays in the Maldives. After all, what is a visit to the Maldives without experiencing its magical underwater world?

Now with the introduction of the German built Whale Submarine, divers and non-divers alike can enjoy the enchanting beautiful coral reefs and magnificent tropical fish from the comfort of an air-conditioned submarine with friends, family or loved ones

This incredible adventure takes place aboard the world’s deep diving largest passenger submarine! Descend to 100 feet below the ocean surface and witness ocean life and other treasures, sights once only seen by scuba divers.

Boasting with a 100% safety record worldwide this is a must experience for every visitor, an excursion only available in a very few parts of the world.

After all how many people in the world can say that they have dived in a real submarine!

Surfing

Maldives is fast establishing itself as a destination for surfers. Surfing is relatively new to the Maldives, especially compared to more established activities such as scuba diving. However, the recent O’Neil Deep Blue Contest held in this year has placed Maldives firmly on the world’s surf map. While most of the recognized surf breaks are in Male’ Atoll, there is certainly more to be discovered. For resort based surfing it is advisable to choose one of the resorts on the eastern side of North Male’ Atoll where you could get access to a number of excellent breaks.

Fishing

Fishing is not only the lifeblood of the Maldivian economy; it is also a popular pastime among locals as well as visitors. Maldivians enjoy a variety of different types of fishing. The most popular among these is night fishing. The boat leaves the island and anchors at a reef before the sunsets and darkness sets in. the lines are tethered with hooks and sinkers and dropped overboard from both sides of the dhoni. If the fishing is good it gives a lot of excitements to everyone. If not it gives you an excellent opportunity to relax under the night sky as the boat gently rocks with the waves.

Morning fishing or big game fishing involves trolling, usually outside the atoll along the reef. Fishing enthusiasts may prefer to bring their own equipment if they wish to experience the excitement during their visit. Almost all the resorts organize night fishing trips at least once a week. Big game fishing or morning fishing, if not included in the resorts weekly program, may be organized on request.

Dolphin and Whale Watching

Did you know that Maldives ranks among the top five places on Earth for watching whales and dolphins? Over 20 different species (a quarter of the world’s total) call the Maldives home. These range from the mighty Blue Whale (the largest animal alive) to the diminutive but highly acrobatic Spinner Dolphin.

Spinner Dolphins are the commonest species, and they occur here in their tens of thousands. They have a regular daily routine to their lives, feeding offshore at night, coming into the atolls in the early morning, and leaving again for the open ocean in the late afternoon. This dependable schedule means that it is very easy to find Spinner Dolphins at certain times every day. And as a result, many Maldivian resorts offer morning or afternoon dolphin excursions to see Spinners. While nothing with wildlife can be absolutely guaranteed, you will never have a better chance to watch wild dolphins playing in their natural environment than right here in the Maldives.

Alternatively, if you would like to see even more dolphins and whales too, why not try a cruise on one of our many comfortable safari boats? Species that are regularly seen on special whale watching safaris include the Blue Whale, Sperm Whale and Pilot Whale as well as seven different types of dolphin (Spinner, Bottlenose, Risso’s, Spotted, Striped, Fraser’s and Rough-toothed). Maldivian specialties, which are frequently seen here but hardly ever anywhere else, include Dwarf Sperm Whale, Melon-headed Whale and Tropical Bottlenose Whale (long considered the rarest whale in the World, but now known to be a Maldives resident). You may also be lucky enough to spot a pod of magnificent Killer Whales (Orcas), which contrary to popular belief do not live only in cold waters.

You may not have realized this before, but with our unbeatable diversity and abundance of whales and dolphins, plus warm clear waters, Maldives really is one the very best places in the world for whale and dolphin watching.

Festivals

Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar, a month during which Muslims mark 30 days of fasting. The working hours altered for the month, the government offices being open from 9.00 to 13.30 and the private sector also closing for the day at 15:00 in the afternoon.

Eid-ul Al’h’aa falls on the 10th day on Zul Hijja in the Islamic Calendar. While those who can afford are at pilgrimage at the holy Ka’aba in Mecca, for those who stay behind it is a time for celebrations and feasting.

This is the longest holiday during the year and people make preparations well in advance to visit their friends and relatives in other islands. The holiday period is between five to seven days. All over the Maldives the period is one of celebrations. Traditional sports, music and dance go hand in hand with modern sports and music. The young, old, male and female take part in the celebrations

The Prophet’s Birthday is celebrated by all Muslims, Maldivians. The prophet’s Birthday is 12th day of Rabee-ul-Awwal in the Islamic Calendar. Families invite one another to their homes to share the special dishes prepared for the day.

Kuda Eid is the first day of the month of Shawaal in the Islamic Calendar. This follows the end of Ramadan and is a period of feasting. Early in the morning men and women gather at the mosque to perform prayer. At each house a feast in prepared and family, friends and neighbors are invited. The Kuda Eid is celebrated for a period to three days during which public holiday period is observed.

The Independence Day is celebrated on 26th July. The highlight of the day is the official celebrations held in the evening at the Republic Square. The event begins with a march past by the National Security Service and the National Cadet Corps. This is followed by drills, traditional dances and modern drills performed by hundreds of school children in colorful attire. These events are interceded by the passing of floats and processions depicting traditional and modern themes.

Republic Day is on 11th November.  On this day, in 1968 Maldives became a Republic of the second time. The day is celebrated every year with parades and marches.

The National Day celebrates the great victory of Mohamed Thakurufaanu over the Portuguese in 1573. The National Day is celebrated on the 1st of the Rabee ul Awwal, the third month in the Islamic Calendar.

UPDATED November 2008

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IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE.

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