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Although geographically isolated the Maldives
is easily accessible by air from anywhere in Southeast Asia,
Middle East and Europe. Colombo is an hour's journey away by
air, from Singapore and Dubai it takes about four hours and from
Europe it takes nine to eleven hours to reach Malé. Catch one
these international airlines travel from your region click here
Tourist are issued a 30-day tourist visa on
arrival. A valid travel document is necessary. Visa extensions
are granted by the Department of Immigration and Emigration in
Malé.
The Maldives is warm throughout the year. Light, cotton and lien
wear is ideal. Pack lots of tee shirts, beachwear, and
wrap-around skirts, cotton shirts and shorts. For visits to
inhabited islands, where most of the streets are of compact
sand, or Malé where the street are paved, sandals are easy to
walk on. Some essential items include swimwear, sunglasses,
sunscreen and a hat or a cap. If your travel plan includes
traveling to many islands, a mosquito repellent may become
handy.
An international certificate of inoculation against yellow fever
and cholera is required by visitors arriving from infected
countries.
Malé International Airport is on an island that only houses the
airport and related facilities. The airport located on Hulhule
Island is a modern well-equipped airport with all the facilities
and services one would expect from an international airport. The
airport complex houses terminals for arrivals and departures,
landside shops and airside duty free shops, restaurants, medical
facilities, bank, post office and other services. The island
also houses the airport hotel.
The airport departure tax which is US$ 12.00 is usually included
when you purchase your airline ticket.
Duty free shopping is only available at the departure terminal
at Malé International Airport. The lounge has specialized shops
with a wide variety of international brands selling well known
products at competitive prices. The duty free lounge has shops
for toys, souvenirs, perfume, electronics, watches, fashion
accessories, jewelry, liquor and tobacco and confectionery.
The import of firearms, drugs, pornography and idols of worship
are prohibited. Dogs, pigd, and pork products are also
prohibited for import by tourists. Alcohol imported under a
special license is available in all the resorts. Similarly pork
products are available at most of the resorts as well.
Prohibited products such as alcohol brought in by passengers are
bonded and released at departure.
On arrival you will be welcomed by our airport representative at
the airport and he takes you to our counter just in front of the
arrival gate and assists you to arrange your transfer.
If you have a booking with a resort, transfer is usually
arranged prior to your arrival. The options of speedboat or
seaplane transfer where available is for you to choose from. For
transfer to resorts close to the airport, motorboat or dhoni
transfer is quite convenient. Even if you make a resort booking
while in Malé, transfer arrangements are often made by the
resort.
The Maldives has one of the largest seaplane fleets in the
world, not surprising for a country with 99% ocean and more than
a thousand islands. The low altitude seaplane journey offers you
the additional opportunity to experience a breathtaking bird's
eye view of the country.
Communication service in the Maldives is provided by the
National Telecommunication Company DHIRAAGU. DHIRAAGU provides
an efficient and reliable telephone service all over the
Maldives. Whether you are on your chosen tourist resort or on
any of the inhabited islands of the Maldives, you will have
access to a telephone. On most resorts you will have
international direct dial telephones in your room. Most cruising
vessels also offer phone service. If you happen to make a visit
to an island village nearby, it might be good idea to take a
telephone card with you. Phone cards are available at many
retail establishments including the shops on your resort.
Your resort will also be able to provide you with fax service.
DHIRAAGU also operates a pager service, a GSM mobile telephone
service, along with the internet and cyber cafe' facilities.
Please ask us if you need any of these services.
Banks & Currencies
The local currency is the Rufiya, and US$ 1.00 is equivalent to
approximately 12.85 Rufiya, all major currencies are accepted
widely in the country. The most commonly used credit cards are
American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diner Club, JCB and Euro
Card.
Banking hours are Sunday to Thursday: 08 am to 1:30 pm.
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