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Are you a first, or for that matter, a second-time visitor to the Maldives? Confused about how to plan a trip to the island nation? Don’t be! The Maldives is not just a tropical paradise, but it is also a relatively easy country to travel around.
However, because the Maldives offers several accommodations, transports, and activities, you need to plan a few essential things before heading out to the islands.
These include picking an accommodation, deciding on transfers, packing smart, and making all the necessary reservations for a smooth and carefree travel experience.
Create an itinerary
The first step to planning a holiday in the Maldives is deciding on an itinerary. Most people prefer to book a resort and stay there for the entirety of their trip. While Maldivian resorts are famous globally, they are not the only accommodation option.
The final itinerary depends on your budget, expectations from the vacation, time, and overall sense of adventure. The choices on hand are a private retreat, a liveaboard, or spending your holiday on a public island.
Each of these options has advantages, and they all offer something unique. Inhabited islands present an opportunity to immerse yourself into everyday Maldivian life. Private islands are luxurious secluded escapes. At the same time, liveaboards take you to distant locations in the archipelago that are popular for diving and snorkeling.
In the end, every decision is a personal choice. However, for that complete experience, divide your holidays with stays on both private and public islands.
Pro Tip:
When creating an itinerary for the Maldives that includes staying on multiple islands, remember to factor in transfer times. Whether by boat or seaplane, you’ll have to pre-book your transport. In the case of ferries, always have a backup plan if they are running late.
Pick the right resort
There are some truly amazing private retreats across the Maldives. However, the best resort need not always be the right one for you.
When booking resort accommodation, you must look at several factors, including room prices, activities, distance from the airport, and island size. There are retreats in the archipelago that are more suitable for couples – small, intimate, few bungalows. Others are ideal for families – large, daily activities, kid’s club, multiple villa types.
And then there are mid-range resorts where guests chiefly include divers. These are resorts that provide excellent accommodation at low costs. More importantly, they are near some of the best diving spots in the region.
During the planning stage of your Maldivian holiday, spend time researching the resort. If it’s too far from the airport, it means you’ll have to spend money on a boat or seaplane transfer. If it doesn’t have too many extracurricular activities, maybe skip it for a retreat that will keep the kids busy.
While you are at it, select the accommodation type as well. If traveling with family, pick a villa that has open indoor and outdoor living spaces. Couples, though, will love the novelty factor of an overwater bungalow.
Also, do not totally disregard public islands, which have modest yet clean and comfortable guesthouses and hotels. Not only are the guesthouses in the Maldives pocket-friendly, but staying on an inhabited island is a culturally magnificent experience.
Carry cash
A fascinating fact about the Maldives is that it allows travelers to have a cashless holiday. From hotel bookings to using credit cards for paying at resorts, you can get away without having to spend a single dollar in physical money.
Nevertheless, it is important when planning a holiday in the Maldives that you carry cash. Also, while US Dollars are readily accepted, exchange some of your currency into the local Rufiyaa upon arrival.
But why do you need cash? For several reasons, actually.
For starters, you need smaller denominations of physical money for tips at the resorts. In some places, they accept a combined tip at the end of your stay. However, in some private retreats, you can give a cash tip directly to the staff.
Then, you will need cash if you decide to go on a day trip to a public island. Shops and restaurants on popular inhabited islands do take credit cards. Still, there are often smaller establishments that do not accept digital payments.
Cash can also come in handy for last-minute excursion booking and transfers. Whether taking a local ferry, paying for water sports, or picking up souvenirs, having cash gives you overall spending flexibility.
Factor in extra costs
A significant setback many first-time travelers experience during a holiday in the Maldives is the accumulation of extra costs. A few dollars here and there seem irrelevant individually, but these costs add up and can alter your overall budget significantly.
So, when planning a trip, set aside money for taxes, excursions that are not part of your resort package, alcoholic drinks which can be expensive, and activities like motorized water sports.
Adding to these costs are transfers, which may or may not be a part of the resort package. Moreover, in times of COVID, you have to factor in the price of getting an RT-PCR test at the resort. Prices for these vary dramatically, from being included in the room cost to $100 per person in some cases.
Decide on your transfers
Before heading to the Maldives, as part of your itinerary, you need to plan your transfers. Once again, a transfer to your resort or public islands depends on two main factors – budget and distance from the airport.
If your budget is expandable or you have limited time, nothing beats the thrill of a seaplane ride in the Maldives. In some cases, where the resort is in an isolated location, a seaplane is the only option.
Alternatively, if the resort is near Malé Airport, you can take a speedboat. There are scheduled speedboats that cost less per person and travel regularly throughout the week.
Budget travelers in the Maldives, on the other hand, prefer to stay on inhabited islands. Provided you have time and don’t mind a longer boat ride, the local ferries are the best option. They might be a little unpredictable and only sail to public islands, but they are super cheap and a great way to travel with the locals.
Pro Tip:
If arriving at Malé Airport at an odd time, stay the night on the island irrespective of your transfer. Seaplanes fly only during daylight, and speedboats also don’t sail too late into the night. By staying in Malé, you can enjoy the touristic sights of the capital and have a relaxed transfer the next day.
Pre-book (almost) everything
One reason why a holiday in the Maldives is effortless is that you can pre-book almost everything. As it is, tourists need to have a resort, hotel, or guesthouse reservation to enter the country.
Furthermore, when you make an online reservation, your accommodation host will probably ask if they can help book your transfers. Unless you plan to travel by ferry, it is best to pre-book a boat or seaplane transfer through the resort. Not only do they know the latest timings, but in case of a delay, they can help reschedule your transport.
Excursions, however, you can wait to book upon arriving at the resort. Since the weather is unpredictable, check if it will be a clear day, and plan your day trips accordingly.
The only exception to the above is popular attractions. For example, a snorkeling tour of Hanifaru Bay, where you can swim with manta rays, is regulated and much in demand. For a trip like this, you should pre-book to avoid disappointment at the last minute.
Pack smart
A holiday in the Maldives requires holidaymakers to be a little smart and careful about what they keep in their luggage. Our ultimate packing list for the Maldives gets into the nitty-gritty of everything essential, from sunscreen and the right kind of clothes to medications, electronics, and must-install apps.
However, the main trick is to keep things light. If you are taking a seaplane, remember that the baggage weight limit is 20kg per person. Also, most private resorts follow the “no shoes, no news” mantra, which means you can save on space with your footwear.
A critical aspect of packing for a trip to the Maldives is what not to bring. The island nation is a 100% Muslim country. Consequently, among the banned list of items at the airport are religious texts, drugs, alcohol, porn, and pork products. The customs officials do not take this lightly and regularly check luggage. So, do not try to sneak in any of these items.
Plan for drinking water
Tap water in the Maldives is desalinated seawater. While perfectly fine for everyday use (cooking, bathing, brushing), it isn’t the best for drinking. Therefore, drinking water is a bit of an exclusive commodity in the Maldives.
When planning your holiday, keep the availability of drinking water in your mind. Since it gets boiling during the day in the Maldives, you need to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.
Even if you try various alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in the Maldives, you’ll still need mineral water to replenish yourself.
So, at the time of booking a resort or guesthouse, ask how many complimentary bottles of water they will provide daily. Some places offer unlimited water with full-board. Others charge you extra for every bottle you take over and above the free ones.
If staying on a public island, it’s best to buy mineral water from the local shops to save money. As for resorts, many private islands now have water treatment plants of their own. Remember, there is no water shortage, but you still need to arrange for it, so you don’t end up spending extra money on it.
