Asia > Maldives: Weather, Map, Costs and Travel Guide

The name of the Maldives has for several decades been associated with beautiful turquoise water, white sand beaches, coral atolls and the magnificent seabed. As a tourist paradise, many of the archipelago’s islands have been transformed into hotels and are not easily accessible from the main territory without special authorisation.

First you will probably wish to discover the capital, Malé, small and peaceful, with small mosques, a large bazaar and many tea rooms, and of course the reasonably priced hotels and restaurants perfect for independent visitors. At the extreme South, Addu Atoll is home to Seenu, the second largest town of the archipelago. This city shows many traces of its English influences.

Diving fans will find the best spots on the three atolls near Malé: Ari, South Malé, and North Malé. To explore the fabulous underwater world you will have the choice between snorkelling and scuba diving if you want to see rays or sharks up close. Fuamulaku, isolated from the archipelago and not in the more touristic zone has however something not often seen in the Maldives: From its fertile soil farmers grow agricultural products absent from the other islands including bananas, oranges and mangos.

Apart from the diving and relaxation on the fabulous beaches, there are few other leisure activities: Sports fishing is quite popular, there are several beautiful surf spots and most hotels have a health centre where massages and body care are available.

The marine environment is definitely the most popular attraction in the Maldives, with magnificent coral landscapes for the enjoyment of divers and all fans of the scuba diving world. In fact, almost all of the flora and animal wealth of the Maldives can be found on the seabed. On land, the Maldives archipelago doesn’t have a lot of wildlife except for the bats which seem to be the most common species of local land animal. So, diving sites are numerous, around a hundred in total throughout the archipelago, each of them has attractive services and offers. Sometimes hotels themselves propose their own sites to their clients and provide all the equipment required. For a reasonable price, divers will be able to go down to the sea bed to admire thousands of marine animals, some popular and others extraordinary and unique to this area, including sea turtles, dolphins and others. All can be seen freely swimming on the sea bed, as in a gigantic natural marine aquarium. Surfing is also a very popular activity in the archipelago. On the numerous and magnificent beaches, surfing is more than a simple leisure activity, it’s a real moment of relaxation.

You will easily be able to find a variety of flights from Europe.
For a stay of less than 30 days, you will be given a visa on your arrival.
The currency in circulation is the Maldivian rupee (or rufiyaa). Prepare for a fairly high budget, you will not find accommodation for less than €45 in low season, but plan for double to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Concerning heath precautions, don’t forget to use sun protection and products against intestinal trouble as well as against mosquitoes. A certificate of scuba diving skills may be necessary. Be careful of the stone-fish that can cause fatalities.

To travel in the archipelago, taxi, bike or motorcycle are popular in the capital city, the islands can be visited on foot. Local boats are used as shuttles between the islands.