The Maldives is a separate state, consisting territorially of scattered land areas. They are not part of another country, but have an independent status. The state has become famous for its islands with white beaches, unique nature and resorts with a high level of service.
What the Maldives looks like - a map of the islands with a detailed description is presented below.
Where are the Maldives islands on the world map
The Maldives is one of the countries located on the equator. The territory of the state is located between the South and North Poles. It washes the atoll-islands of the Indian Ocean between the continents of Asia and Africa. The state is located near Sri Lanka and the Hindustan Peninsula. To the southwest are the Seychelles Islands. Crossed by the equatorial waters of the island of Fuvahmulah, which is home to rare species of birds and other animals not found on other land areas of the Maldives. The border also passes through Addu, Gaafa Dhaala and Gaafa Alif atolls.
The total area of the Maldives is 90,000 sq.m., all of them are surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean. The state has 1,196 coral islands with a length of more than 1,000 km. They are united into 26 “atolls,” so named because of the peculiarities of their formation. Most of them have a home reef to protect them from destruction by water, others have an external one, which allows them to maintain the territory unchanged.
There is a version according to which the atolls were formed from extinct volcanoes, since the islands inside them are shaped like a circle.
The islands of the Maldives on the world map are viewed on Google maps in two modes: Satellite - satellite photos from Space, Earth - with the option to search for a specific atoll, hotel or city.
A map of the Maldives islands with designation is available in the Hybrid function with highway numbers, public transport stops, administrative buildings, hotel names and infrastructure.
Maldives: map of islands with hotels
A special feature of the Maldives is that almost every island is occupied by a separate hotel. This creates the impression of complete isolation from the world and solitude. The business center - the capital of Male - is also located on separate islands of natural origin: South Male and Kaafu.
Only 10 atolls of the Maldives are inhabited:
- Faadhihpolhu - Lhaviyani (Laviana);
- Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi- Baa ( Baa);
- Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi - Raa ( Raa);
- Ari(Alif-Alif) - Alifu(Ari) Vaavu(To Felid) - Vaavu(Felidhu);
- Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi - Faafu (Faafu);
- Meemu(Mulak) - Meemu(Mulak);
- Nilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi - Dhaalu(Daalu);
- Seenu(Addu) - Addu(Siena).
There is virtually no local life on the atolls, but the best hotel complexes are based on them: Gaafu Alifu , Haa Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Nyavinani, Seenu, Haa Dhaalu , Laamu, Shaviyani (Noonu) and Thaa.
The local names of the atolls are very complex, so it is customary to use abbreviated names.
It is quite difficult to show the islands of the Maldives on a map, since the land areas are very small and difficult to distinguish. When you zoom in on Google Maps, the islands stretching out in a chain from north to south are clearly visible.
And this is the Maldives - a world map in Russian. It is very easy to understand where you are going to go or where you are along the route.
The Maldives is known for its beautiful views and sandy beaches. On the world map, the Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives are located southwest of Ceylon, in the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean. If you look at a world map, you can find approximately 1192 islands. Only 100 of them are intended for tourists, the rest are either uninhabited or inhabited by local residents.
Weather on the islands by month
The Maldives has different weather in different months, sometimes the tropical paradise turns into a rainy and windy place. Therefore, it is necessary to become familiar with the behavior of the monsoons passing over the islands.
January
Tourism demand is high in the Maldives in January. Because this month marks the start of the dry season in the Maldives, i.e. without a lot of rain. The air temperature varies from 28 to 30 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature from 26 to 27 degrees Celsius.
February
The beach season opens in February. This month is the sunniest month in the Maldives.
The sun warms almost 10 hours a day. The air temperature reaches a stability of 30 degrees Celsius, the water temperature warms up to 29 degrees Celsius. This month, like January, has low rainfall.
March
From the beginning of March you can start windsurfing. The rainless season continues in the Maldives. But short-term rains are already beginning on the southern islands. 
The air temperature rises to 31 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature to 29 degrees Celsius.
April
Until April is the best time for diving in the Maldives. Diving in the Maldives is very popular around the world. The air temperature will change from 31 to 32 degrees Celsius, the water temperature reaches 30 degrees. The amount of precipitation is gradually increasing.
May
The rainy season begins in May in the Maldives. About half of the days of the month will be rainy. At the same time, air humidity rises. But in May you can still enjoy the delights of local fishing and SPA treatments. Air temperature 31 degrees Celsius, water temperature 28 degrees Celsius.
June
June is the most unfavorable month for traveling to the Maldives. During the day in June the rains are short and light, and at night they are very heavy and last almost all night. Humidity and winds rise strongly. Air temperature 32 degrees Celsius, water temperature 28 degrees.
July
This month is also not famous for high tourist demand. The amount of precipitation gradually subsides, but humidity takes its place. Humidity this month is the highest of all months of the year. 
Air temperature 30 degrees Celsius, water temperature 27 degrees Celsius. There is also a high probability of storms, but by the middle of the month all negative factors reduce their effect.
August
In August the rainy season ends and precipitation becomes less. But this period of the year still cannot be called ideal for relaxation. Rains are short-lived and occur mainly at night. Air temperature is from 27 to 29 degrees Celsius, water temperature is 25 degrees Celsius.
September
The fishing season opens in September. For people who prefer a warm holiday, but without excessive heat, like in February, this period of the year is ideal. The air temperature reaches 29 degrees Celsius, the water temperature is only 25 degrees Celsius.
October
The cruise season begins this month. Storms and heavy rains no longer appear, so sea cruises are open. 
This time of year is important for the budget-conscious tourist. October is considered an off-season month, so prices will be significantly lower than in January or December. Air temperature 30 degrees Celsius, water temperature 28 degrees Celsius.
November
From November onwards there are hints of a dry season. In November, the fauna of the Maldives will be especially active. Also this month, Maldivians celebrate Republic Day. Air temperature 30 degrees Celsius, water temperature 28 degrees Celsius.
December
December is the most popular time of year for tourists.
Many tourists go to celebrate the New Year, and in December newlyweds begin to celebrate their weddings in the Maldives. Air temperature varies from 27 to 32 degrees Celsius, water temperature from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius.
Tours to the Maldives. Prices, description
The Maldives islands on the world map are quite far from the mainland, so the flight has a high cost. Prices mainly depend on the rainy season in the Maldives. The lowest prices for tours during the rainy season: May, June, July, August, September.
The highest prices for tours are in December, January and February. These months contain the majority of holidays and are also the most popular months for newlyweds who want to celebrate their wedding in the Maldives. Prices range from 33 thousand rubles to 56 thousand rubles per adult for 3 nights departing from Moscow.
Hotels in the Maldives
The cost of the hotel depends on the island on which the hotel is located and the season of travel.
Hotel types:
Approximate prices for two for 1 day:
3 star hotels
Some 3 star hotels to consider:
4 star hotels
Some hotels are both room-type hotels and can be island hotels with a bungalow or villa:
5 star hotels
Five-star hotels differ from 4-star hotels in the quality of service and a wider range of services:
Beaches in the Maldives
The main treasure of the Maldives is its beaches. Always white sand and azure sea.
There are a number of activities on the beaches of the Maldives:
- Alcohol ban. Drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited on beaches and in public places. Alcohol can be consumed in tourist restaurants or alcohol bars that are located on boats or uninhabited islands in the sea. You cannot bring alcohol with you.
- On non-tourist beaches you can only swim in clothes. Since the majority of Maldivians are Muslim, nudity or bikini swimming is prohibited on public beaches. On the island resorts you can swim in a bikini.
- It is prohibited to bring pets.
- On some islands (islands that are nature reserves) it is prohibited to wear shoes. This is necessary to preserve the environment. So you need to ask your hotel for these subtleties before going to the beach.
- When traveling on an excursion with the indigenous population, Shoulders and knees should not be exposed. To avoid conflicts for religious reasons, it is better for men not to talk to married indigenous women.
- Fishing can only be done in an organized manner and with the presence of an experienced fisherman.
In addition to sunbathing and swimming, tourists can take part in water sports:
You can also go fishing or see exotic fish, small sharks or stingrays directly from the beach. Sharks and rays are not dangerous, but it is better not to touch them.
The Maldives on the world map is one of the places on Earth that have glowing beaches. This phenomenon can be observed from June to February, especially during the new moon.
The beaches glow because during the glow period, the bacterium “bioluminescent phytoplankton” multiplies on the shores of the beaches. The bacterium begins to glow when waves hit the shore.
Entertainment on the islands
In addition to relaxing on the beach and using hotel services, on the islands you can:
- Take a tour. The islands and their people have a rich history, both in general and in individual corners. Sometimes, along with the excursion, for example, fishing or dinner are included. Price from 40 dollars.
- A trip to a desert island. People like to have picnics and sunbathe on such islands. Price from 35 dollars.
- Flight on a seaplane. Opportunity to fly and take photographs over the islands. Price from 160 dollars.
- Yacht cruise. Various routes are offered, you can see many islands in 1 trip. Price from 80 dollars.
- Dive on a submarine. Price from 50 dollars.
- Diving. You can dive from 5 to 40 m in depth, underwater visibility is 40 m. Price from $40.
- Snorkeling. Swimming on the surface with a mask, the opportunity to look at the reefs and fish. Check the price with the guide.
- Surfing. Ride a wave using a surfboard. Check prices with the guide.
Diving in the Maldives
The Maldives islands on the world map are considered one of the best places for diving. Both beginners and professionals can dive in the Maldives. You can dive from the islands or in the open sea. 
You can swim over reefs or dive to greater depths. Also, there is the opportunity to dive to attractions, into canals or swim with large marine animals. Water temperature at depth is from 26 degrees. It is not recommended to go diving during the rainy season. At this time the current is very strong.
Types of diving:
If the trip took place in August or autumn, then there is an opportunity to see whale sharks and manta rays.
Surfing
The best shore for surfing is the shore of the eastern reefs. For surfing purposes, it is better to plan a holiday in the Maldives from December to April. For professional surfing, it is better to go in the summer when the waves are the highest.
The surfing location must be chosen taking into account the height of the reefs and the extent of the monsoon winds.
Wedding in the Maldives
The Maldives is marked on the world map by many newlyweds as the dream of their ideal wedding. The wedding season in the Maldives opens in December and ends in March with the onset of the rainy season. You must book your date at least 6 months before your trip. 
Getting married in the Maldives is the dream of many couples. You can book a wedding in almost every hotel; it will be arranged according to the following scenario: first, the couple is taken to the spa, where they enjoy the treatments.
The future spouses are then taken to the altar in their wedding attire, where they are traditionally showered with rice. Afterwards they are invited to a romantic dinner, which takes place on a yacht, and the wedding night takes place in a bungalow or villa. Prices must be agreed with the hotel.
You can also order a wedding with immersion under water. The ceremony takes place in the Temple of Love. In the blue lagoon of the temple they are immersed in the altar, which is installed at the bottom. Then the spouses celebrate on a yacht or on the shore. After the ceremony, the spouses are presented with a marriage certificate.
Shopping in the Maldives
It is better to go shopping in the evening, after sunset or during it. Usually, black boxes coated with varnish with stones, models of fishing boats, shark jaws or coconut oil are brought as souvenirs.
In the Maldivian bazaars you can buy bodu beru drums, mother-of-pearl shells, figurines of monkeys made of coconut wood, and coconut sausage. For collectors, we can offer a traditional dress with embroidery around the neck.
Shopping in Male
Only in Male can you find large bazaars or large shops with a large assortment of goods. The main shopping street in Male is called Chandani Magu. On this street you can find not only high-quality products, but also rare books and watches. 
The largest center is Chandhanee Magu, this center is suitable for purchasing quality imported goods, such as clothing or equipment. Products are imported from Sri Lanka, Dubai, India or Indonesia.
Unlike other eastern countries, in the Maldives all prices are fixed and trying to bargain with the seller is considered rude.
Cuisine and restaurants of the Maldives
Maldivian cuisine is formed from Indian and Arabic cuisine.
The cuisine of the Maldives includes: hot sauces, curries, a large selection of spices, an abundance of fruits, a small amount of vegetables and herbs. Since the Maldives is surrounded by water, the traditional menu includes seafood: crabs, shrimp, clams, squid, mussels. The peculiarity of Maldivian cuisine is the abundance of fish and rice. Roshi bread is also made from rice.
Fish can be found from octopuses to sharks and rays, the most popular fish being tuna. The fish is fried: grilled, breaded, in oil, baked in the oven. Fish is also smoked, rolled, stewed, dried or boiled. 
It is better to try local dishes in small cafes that are located on ordinary streets.
List of dishes to try in the Maldives:
- Gula. Tuna and coconut milk cutlets.
- Hikimas. Sun dried tuna.
- Babukeylu hithi. Breadfruit soup.
- Fijunumas. Fish baked in spicy sauce.
- Mae huni. The dish consists of smoked tuna with coconut, lime, onion and hot chili sauce.
- Raa drink. Made from palm milk.
Sights of the Maldives
In addition to excursions and sunbathing, you can visit local attractions:
Holidays and events on the islands
Most holidays are of a religious or national nature.
Festive events worth visiting:
- Independence Day. Celebrated on July 26th. On this day, the Maldives celebrates the establishment of sovereignty and secession from British rule.
- 12th day of the third month according to the Muslim calendar. Celebrating birth of the prophet Muhammad. Also on the 1st day of this month, the liberation from the Portuguese invaders is celebrated.
- End of Ramadan. Muslims celebrate the end of the holy fast for 3 days. During fasting, it is forbidden to drink, smoke, eat food during the day, or have sexual intercourse. The fast lasts 30 days.
- First month of the Islamic calendar. Celebrated islamic new year. Military operations are prohibited throughout the entire month.
- Fisherman's Day. Celebrated on December 10th. Fish fairs and magnificent shows with dances and songs are held.
The Muslim calendar is different from the regular calendar, so holidays fall on different dates every year. New Year is celebrated for tourists on December 31 and January 1, but the residents themselves do not celebrate it.
The Maldives gave an unforgettable experience to everyone who has ever vacationed there. Holidays in the Maldives are unique in their unusualness and versatility. This corner of the planet is worth marking on the world map.
Article format: Vladimir the Great
Video about the Maldives
Review of the Maldives in the TV show “Heads and Tails”:
Where are the Maldives?
Their location is almost at the very equator, which means that the islands are always warm and the temperature ranges from twenty-eight to thirty degrees.
The islands have an elongated shape and, according to Wikipedia, extend 820 kilometers from north to south and 120 kilometers from west to east.
The Maldives are ordinary coral formations without mountains or volcanoes. The level of the world's oceans is rising every year, and this factor threatens to completely destroy this beautiful and tranquil place where luxurious and rich hotels are located. Scientists agree that in the next thirty to forty years the Maldives will disappear from the face of the earth and be completely submerged in the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives is quite small and the archipelago is not so easy to find on the map. They are located in the Indian Ocean, near Sri Lanka and India. In total, the islands cover about ninety thousand square kilometers, but most of this is sea. The archipelago consists of thousands of small islands, but not all of them are inhabited, and only eighty-eight are considered intended for recreation. The rest are inhabited by the indigenous people of the Maldives and tourists prefer not to visit their area.
The journey from Moscow to the Maldives is eight and a half hours.
You can stay on the paradise islands for no more than thirty days. You should know that customs will certainly check whether you comply with the rules according to which the import of the following items into the country is prohibited:
- pork
- animals
- alcohol
- pornographic products
- anti-Islamic literature
Moreover, women appearing in public places should remember that in order to avoid trouble, their clothing should be selected so that the knees and shoulders remain covered.
Despite many prohibitions that seem strange to us, but very important for local residents, this country remains a particularly attractive holiday destination due to its privacy, tranquility and beautiful landscapes.
Many tourists wonder: do they understand Russian in the Maldives and will life be difficult there without knowing English in the country? There's really nothing to be afraid of. At the airport you will be met by a Russian-speaking person representing the agency who will help you resolve any issues. In addition, in good hotels, administrators are fluent in both Russian and English.
This piece of paradise is difficult to spot on a regular world map. The island chain is located off the coast in the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean. Only zooming in allows you to clearly see the location of the Maldives.
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The Maldives are located in the Indian Ocean. On the world map they can be seen near South Asia. The islands are very popular among Russian tourists, but few know all the features of a holiday in the Maldives. The article will provide up-to-date information about tourism in the Maldives.
The Maldives on the world map is located in the Indian Ocean near the equator, which crosses them on the southern side. The group of islands has coordinates: 1 degree south and 8 degrees north latitude, as well as 72 and 74 degrees east longitude. The closest countries to the Maldives are India and the island of Sri Lanka.
The islands belonging to the Maldives are grouped into atolls, of which there are 26. There are about 2000 islands in the Republic of Maldives.
How long is the flight to the islands from Moscow? What to take with you
The Maldives on the world map is located in the open ocean, so the islands can only be reached by plane. Shipping in the archipelago area is not developed due to the structural features of the land of the Maldives. The flight takes from 9 hours to 1 day, depending on the chosen flight.
You can get to the Maldives from Moscow:
Another flight option is charter flights organized during the holidays or high season. Such flights can be offered to vacationers by travel companies or special online services. The undoubted advantage of such flights is direct flights and a more affordable price compared to regular flights.
When holidaymakers land at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male, they go through customs. Border guards will record the tourist’s personal data and issue a temporary visa for 30 days. Since the Republic of Maldives is a country with an Islamic faith, personal belongings are inspected at the border for the absence of anti-Islamic symbols, pork or alcohol.
After passing through customs, tourists go to the hall where they can exchange currency or find out information about how to get to their atoll if the hotel does not provide a transfer. The hotel can be reached by ferry or by seaplane. Before departure, you should carefully prepare and collect the necessary things.
The tourist must have:
To make your flight and vacation comfortable, you can take with you:
- things for leisure (books, gadgets, headphones);
- charger for phone or tablet;
- universal adapter for sockets;
- drinking water;
- non-perishable snack foods;
- sanitary and dry wipes;
- pocket first aid kit.
It is also worth taking with you:
- light clothing made from natural fabrics;
- clothing for swimming and sunbathing;
- hat and sunglasses;
- sunscreens;
- means for protection against tropical insects;
- hygiene supplies;
- a thin jacket in case of rain;
- beach flip-flops.
If vacationers come to the islands with a baby, it is worth stocking up on the required number of diapers, since they may not be available for sale on the selected atoll.
Climate and weather by month
The Maldives on the world map is located directly on the equator, so a subequatorial monsoon climate prevails here. Depending on the direction of the wind, the seasons are divided into dry and wet.
Weather in the Maldives by month:
| Month | Temperature | Precipitation |
| January | Warm, windless weather with a thermometer reading of +25 degrees. In the ocean, the water warms up to +27, and there are no waves. | The month ends the wet season, so it doesn't rain very often. |
| February | The ocean still remains calm and heats up to +29 degrees. The air temperature remains around 28 degrees. | There is practically no precipitation. |
| March | The month differs from the previous one only in the appearance of rare sandstorms. | It still hardly rains. |
| April | The climate is gradually changing, and the islands are becoming very stuffy. There are no special storms observed. | Showers are very rare. |
| May | Although the indicator on the thermometer remains unchanged, the speed and strength of the wind increases sharply, which even leads to hurricanes. | It starts to rain more often. The clear sun can suddenly be replaced by rainy clouds. Precipitation occurs approximately 10-15 days per month. |
| June | The temperature remains the same, the winds continue to blow with the same force, bringing high waves to the islands. | The rainiest month of the year. Precipitation occurs almost every day. |
| July | The air temperature rises to +31 degrees, and the water temperature to +28. | Showers continue to fall, but with slightly less intensity than in June. |
| August | At the beginning of the month, it may seem that the climate is changing. However, after mid-August the days become cloudy more often. The temperature continues to remain unchanged. | Precipitation occurs in the second half of the month. |
| September | The temperature drops slightly and remains around 27 degrees, the stuffiness recedes. | It rains more than half the days in the month. |
| October | The thermometer stays at 25-26 degrees, the water also warms up to 25-26. | The intensity of precipitation is reduced by almost half from the previous month. |
| November | The climate changes to north monsoon. It becomes warm and windless on the islands. The air temperature is around 28 degrees, and the water temperature is 26. | There is practically no heavy precipitation. |
| December | The thermometer shows 30-32 degrees, the water heats up to 25-26. | It rarely rains. |
Depending on weather changes, the Maldives will have high and low tourist seasons.
Best time to holiday in the Maldives
Since the islands have hot weather all year round, you can fly to the Maldives in any month of the year. However, holidays can be spoiled by seasonal rains, which begin in April and end in December. However, precipitation that falls in the low season does not last long, and heavy thunderstorms can suddenly give way to clear weather.
Also in the second half of August, the so-called “Indian summer” occurs here, characteristic of the dry season.
An additional advantage of holidays in the low season is the reduced cost of flights and hotel accommodations. The high season is from December to April. A lot of tourists come here to take a break from the winter cold of their country, sunbathe and swim in the clear water of the Indian Ocean or go diving.
Many people fly to the Maldives to spend the New Year holidays. Due to the great popularity of the Maldives, prices for accommodation and flights increase greatly during this season.
Geographical characteristics of the islands
The Maldives is an archipelago of islands of volcanic origin. The islands are washed by the Laccadive Sea of the Indian Ocean. The length of the archipelago along the equator is 120 km, and across it - 750 km, while the distance between the atolls varies from 25 to 80 km, and between the islands from 1 to 10 km.
The total area of all the islands is almost 300 km. sq. Almost all inhabited atolls are designated for specific purposes.
For example, there are separate atolls:
- hotels;
- settlements of local residents;
- airports;
- farm or production;
- prisons.
On the islands, locals speak Dhivehi and Indo-Aryan languages, the majority speak Arabic and English. The official currency in the republic is rufiyaa, but you can pay at the hotel or with sellers in dollars, or exchange them at any exchange office.
Administrative divisions, resorts
There are a total of 26 atolls in the Republic of Maldives, some of which are either not occupied at all or are occupied only by hotels. Of the 1,196 islands in the Maldives, only 200 are inhabited by people and the rest are wild places.
The most popular atolls among tourists:
- Laviana;
- Siena;
- Meemu Raa;
- Kaafu;
- Vaavu;
- Alifu;
- Daalu;
- Faafu.
All atolls are part of a specific administrative center.
There are 8 of them in total:
- Metropolitan;
- Far northern;
- Northern;
- North Central;
- Central;
- Central-South;
- Southern;
- Extreme southern.
Features of tourism in the Maldives
A distinctive feature of the Maldives from other popular resorts is a quiet and relaxing beach holiday. There are no striking historical and architectural attractions or noisy amusement parks and attractions. The place is great for a family holiday with children.
Cost of tours to the Maldives
You can travel to the Maldives on your own without turning to a tour operator for help. In this case, you will have to book your hotel and plane tickets on your own. The travel agency will take its percentage, but tourists will no longer need to look for suitable conditions for living and spending time on the island; the travel agent will do everything.
The cost of tours to the Maldives primarily depends on the season of visiting. In high season, a week-long tour for two will cost 300-400 thousand rubles. In the low season, you can purchase a tour for 150-300 thousand rubles. A last minute tour for 6 days with only breakfast can be purchased for 90-100 thousand rubles.
Types of holidays in the Maldives
The Maldives on the world map is located in the ocean, so surfing and diving are well developed here. Tourists can also go fishing in the open sea. Surfing is well developed on the island of Male. There are many surf clubs here, mainly for professionals. The best time for boarding is from May to October.
The Maldives is an ideal destination for active holidays such as surfing. Beginners should try surfing in winter, when the waves in the sea are relatively small. It is worth noting that despite the enormous popularity of surfing in the Maldives, there is not a single school for beginners.
In addition to Male, professional surfers can go to the following islands:
- Chickens;
- Coca Cola;
- Lhokhi;
- Kanifinol;
- Sultans;
- Honkys.
If the trip falls between March and April, it is best to board on the southern atolls. Unlike surfing, there are many schools for diving training on the islands. The best time for diving and snorkeling is from January to March. During this period, the water is clear and the underwater world is visible as in the picture.
One dive will cost approximately 3,500 rubles. depending on the season, as well as the chosen hotel or diving center. If a tourist wants to see the rare inhabitants of the ocean: tiger sharks and manta rays, then it is worth visiting the Maldives from October to November.
Fishing is one of the most popular recreational activities in the Maldives. A tourist can go fishing from a yacht or donny boat. This can be done in the morning or at night. Anyone can be taken to uninhabited islands for a fishing safari.
Sights of the Maldives, interesting places
The Maldives is primarily valued for its beach holidays. However, for curious tourists there is a small number of excursion entertainments.
Vacationers can visit:
Tourists can also visit several famous atolls and picturesque islands.
Where a tourist will stay: location and description of hotels
The Maldives is known to Russian tourists as an expensive pleasure. Due to the location of the islands right on the equator (you can see it on the world map), eternal summer reigns here, so vacationers fly to the Maldives all year round. Many hotels are located on the main atolls, others can completely occupy 1 island.
The high demand for vacation is clearly visible in the cost of accommodation, which can reach 200 thousand rubles. for two per day. However, this does not mean that there is no affordable housing on the islands. If a tourist wants to save money on accommodation, you can safely go to a new, not yet fully developed area of the island of Male - Hulumale, where you can rent decent accommodation in a guesthouse for little money.
Tourists will stay in good rooms with the necessary furniture and appliances, and will pay from 2,500 rubles for accommodation for two. per day. The area is in close proximity to the main attractions of the capital of the Maldives. Vacationers can rent rooms in similar guesthouses on other atolls. A common sight on the islands is a hotel that occupies the entire island.
Such places provide guests with a wide variety of services, for example:
- private beach with the necessary infrastructure;
- surf school;
- spa or wellness center;
- gym;
- food points;
- playgrounds.
Vacationers will also be met at the airport and taken back. Tourists can use the services of a tour guide at the hotel.
Some of the most notable hotels are:
If your trip falls during the high season, you should worry about booking accommodation in advance.
When planning a vacation to the Maldives, you should find out not only official information, but also get acquainted with interesting and important facts about the islands.
For example:
The Maldives is known all over the world as one of the best tourist destinations with tropical beauty. The islands on the map are located near the equator, so eternal summer reigns here, which can sometimes be ruined by heavy rainfalls during the wet season.
Article format: Lozinsky Oleg
Video about the Maldives on the world map
Description of the islands and their location on the world map:
Basic moments
The Maldives offers generous sunshine, glamorous sand-sifted beaches, bounty-style turquoise lagoons and fantastic diving 365 days a year. And this is a delightful atmosphere of complete relaxation, respectable laziness and detachment from everyday problems. No matter what economic cataclysms shake the planet, this Asian resort continues to live in its relaxed rhythm, independent from the mainland. The classical Islamic state, with its traditional taboo on everything that contradicts religious canons, managed to adapt to the free morals of the tourist elite, without compromising its own traditions at all. The Maldives is the very place where the roads of visitors and indigenous inhabitants (unless they are hotel employees) almost never cross, and a bank account, no matter how solid it may be, can be reset to zero in a matter of days. It is in the Maldives that you can have the most romantic wedding, improve your diving skills, and, finally, just feel like the last person on the planet by renting a secluded bungalow with a private beach and stunning views of the ocean.
History of the Maldives
According to rough estimates, the history of the Maldives began more than 2000 years ago, when the atolls lost in the Indian Ocean were inhabited by people from neighboring India and Sri Lanka. It was the first settlers who brought Buddhism to the islands, which in the 12th century supplanted Islam, which was actively propagated by the Arabs who arrived here.
Starting from the mid-16th century, the Portuguese and Dutch began to lay claim to the territory of the Maldives. But the local inhabitants were in no hurry to turn their country into a raw material appendage of insatiable Europe, actively resisting the attacks of foreigners.
In 1887, England still managed to establish a protectorate over the Maldives. But in 1967, the islanders rebelled, demanding complete independence from Britain, which was granted to them a year later. The country was immediately declared a republic and a new president was elected.
Weather and climate
You can go to the Maldives at any time of the year: thanks to the subequatorial monsoon climate, it is always warm here. Even in the coldest months (January - February), the thermometer never drops below +17 °C, and the average air temperature often fluctuates between +24...+33 °C. The main climatic differences depend on the two monsoon seasons. The winter northeast monsoon, which blows from January to March, is the peak season, bringing dry weather and coinciding with the European winter. The southwest monsoon from May to December causes wet weather, but the rain rarely lasts very long. The rainiest months in the Maldives are May and November, while the sunniest months are March and before and after it.
Geography
The Republic of Maldives is an Asian country in the equatorial Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is 700 km from here, and India is only 430. By the way, the Maldives are considered the lowest state on the planet: almost all of the land here is only a meter or two above sea level, so in the distant future the fashionable resort risks repeating the fate of Atlantis.
The Maldives islands are mostly small, and the area of some of them is absolutely tiny. Almost each of these pieces of land has its own coral “shield,” so the main feature of the local beaches is that they are almost never stormy, and the water off the coast remains amazingly clear.
The main resort area of the country is formed by the northern atolls, which guarantee their guests the highest level of service and complete privacy. The southern atolls are a little behind in terms of tourism business development, but it is easy to predict that in the foreseeable future they will also catch up, given that their lagoons are full of suitable diving spots.
But tour operators reached the far southern atolls relatively recently, so for now these islands continue to be inhabited by the Maldivians themselves. This, of course, does not mean that the ubiquitous backpacker has never set foot here - quite the opposite, given the fact that the distant atolls are perhaps the only place in the country where a tourist thirsting for national flavor can freely contact the local inhabitants. In other parts of the resort you won’t be able to walk so freely through the village streets.
Flora and fauna
The natural world of the equatorial paradise is surprisingly poor. The main inhabitants of the land are hermit crabs, giant Achatina (snails), flying foxes (relatives of our bats) and gray herons. The situation with vegetation in the Maldives is even worse. Basically, the tourist will have to admire coconut palms and bananas, which are cultivated in huge quantities on the islands. True, as soon as you leave the shore and plunge into the azure ocean waves, a completely different Maldives will appear before you - whimsical, full of life and the most incredible colors. The reefs surrounding the resort are home to more than 1,100 species of fish, 400 species of shellfish, 187 species of coral, 21 species of mammals (whales, dolphins) and 145 species of crabs.
Capital
The classic rule: “The capital is the face of the state” does not work in the Maldives. Male is a small but incredibly densely populated city on the southern coast of the atoll of the same name. Its area is 5.8 km². It is in Male that ¼ of the total population of the republic lives.
It’s a paradox, but the capital of an elite world resort is not much different from the provincial cities of India. Cramped streets, high-rise buildings right next to each other, a littered port and the unchanging symbol of any Islamic country - the mosque. There are almost no significant attractions in the city, so tourists arriving in the Maldives do not stay in Male. Perhaps they will go to the local market to look at the abundance of fish rows, or, in urgent need, they will take a walk to the hospital.
Local residents and national traditions
As in any Islamic state, religious traditions are strong in the Maldives. The indigenous people do not drink alcohol and never sell it, or rather, they try to pretend that they are disgusted by it, and also hide their women under shapeless robes. This way of life, of course, is not imposed on visitors. Moreover, many Maldivians work as bartenders in hotels, masterfully mixing cocktails and filling guests' glasses with drinks that they would never try themselves.
The bulk of the country's population is employed in the tourism business, but those for whom the stars shine a little less brightly have to earn a living by fishing, repairing boats and other not the most highly paid activities.
Since not all islands have regular transport links with other parts of the land, the majority of Maldivians live extremely isolated. Ordinary islanders have a monotonous and measured life: going to sea in the morning, lazy swinging in a hammock chair and idle contemplation of the surrounding reality in the afternoon, and at sunset, fishing again.
Etiquette standards and rules of behavior at the resort
The Maldives has a lot of restrictions, non-compliance with which can lead to serious problems. For example, on the most beautiful beaches on the planet it is forbidden to sunbathe topless, much less be completely naked. Walking around cities and towns in ultra-short tops and shorts is also not recommended, nor is it recommended to break off branches of local coral as a souvenir of your trip. Fans of coastal fishing and spearfishing are better off not talking about their passion at all: such types of fishing in the Maldives are equated to poaching. And for throwing garbage and drinking alcohol outside the hotel premises, substantial fines are imposed.
Video: Maldives from above
Beaches of the Maldives
Listing the beaches of a resort consisting of almost 2,000 islands is a thankless task, so it’s easier to name the most popular and well-groomed of them. On North Male Atoll, these are Banyan Tree and Naladu. Nikak and San, which belong to the Ari Atoll, do not suffer from a lack of swimmers. You can swim in the company of Maldivian turtles on the beaches of Lhaviani Atoll, and the shores of Maafushi are better suited for observing the habits of dolphins. The islands of Kunfadhoo and Hadahaa are occupied by those with deep pockets, while incorrigible romantics flock to the coast of Vaadu, dreaming of watching the sunrise on a luminescent beach. Surfers and other wave-chasers hang out around Kunuhura Island, where their unofficial headquarters is Pasta Point Resort.
Attractions and entertainment in the Maldives
Once you have explored the amazing beaches of the Maldives and discovered all the delights of the all inclusive system, you are unlikely to want to go anywhere else. Well, if such a desire nevertheless arises, then take a ride to the Sultan Park on the island of Male, where the National Museum is also located. In the capital, you can also gaze at the Presidential Palace, a rather modest building by modern standards, where all official receptions are held, and at the Good Friday Mosque, built from coral blocks. If possible, book a table at the underwater restaurant Ithaa, one of the ten most unusual restaurants on the planet. The queue for this pretentious establishment is endless, and for the exclusive surroundings they demand an inadequate amount from visitors, but according to the lucky ones who managed to appreciate the local service, it is worth it.
It's certainly hard to find a more comfortable destination than a tropical island with upscale hotels, great food and impeccable, friendly staff. But if you come to the Maldives for at least a couple of weeks, then most likely you will want to see what is hidden behind the borders of a cozy hotel. Traveling around the Maldives is not easy, especially if you try to do it on your own, but it is possible to join an organized excursion. This could be an aimless boat ride looking for a suitable angle for a selfie against the sunset, or a visit to a Maldivian village and getting to know the life of the islanders. You can relieve yourself of worries (and extra money) by booking an aerial cruise on a seaplane, or renting a real submarine with a crew to explore the ocean floor. Well, lovers of picturesque ruins should go to Ari Atoll, where the ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple are still preserved.
Traveling around the area
Of course, what places you can visit and what trips you can take are entirely determined by the location of the resort you're at. True, you will find little variety here, because one island is not much different from another. Perhaps only a trip to Male will give you new impressions. Most resorts located near the capital can organize a one-day excursion for their guests. And while all of Male's attractions are gathered in one place and can be explored in just a couple of hours, it's worth staying overnight to get a taste of the capital and see how its inhabitants entertain themselves after the sun dips below the horizon and the heat subsides. This can be done by taking a day boat flight to the capital, having previously booked a hotel room, and returning the next day also on a day flight. You can also take the boat or seaplane that hotels send to pick up tourists from the airport.
Boat trips
Another popular way to explore the Maldives is boat excursions. These can be short sunset trips around the island where your hotel is located, or long trips where you charter a boat or go on liveaboards (passengers live on their own boat on the open ocean). Travel conditions depend entirely on the size of your wallet. On most boats, passengers are provided not with private cabins, but with bunks separated by curtains, and the tourists are expected to do the routine daily work themselves.
A higher degree of comfort is offered by ships such as the Atoll Explorer, which features air-conditioned cabins and a swimming pool on the upper deck. Private yachts are intended for the very rich, famous and influential people, as well as oligarchs who avoid resort accommodation.
If these prices are a little out of your budget, the resort can charter a speedboat and crew for the day. It will cost no more than $200. Ordering from the pier in Male will cost less due to competition. To reduce the price even further, you can charter a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat, but then you won't be able to travel long distances.
If you want to get a taste of the sweet life and ride on a luxury yacht, Kuredu on Lhaviani Atoll offers day yacht cruises, and night cruises can be booked privately. The yacht is also available at W Retreat & Spa on Ari Atoll.
Desert Islands
Paradoxically, uninhabited islands may be the busiest after Male. Often they are “adopted” by certain resorts, which build various communal amenities, cafes there and send their guests there on a day excursion to have a picnic, snorkel and just swim. And since several groups of tourists come ashore at once, calling these islands “uninhabited” would be somewhat incorrect.
There are tourists who want to visit the uninhabited islands of the Maldives not in such large numbers. Some resorts offer private dinners on the sand for two or more guests and even offer the opportunity to stay overnight. Visitors are given a flag to raise in case of danger.
If money isn't an issue for you, you can rent an entire resort; many small islands can provide safe havens for rich people. For example, the boat-only portion of the Soneva Gili resort can be rented in its entirety.
Village Islands
In the Maldives, excursions to nearby villages are very popular among tourists. Some resorts have close relationships with the islands on which the villages are located and regularly shuttle guests back and forth. If there is no such island near the resort, then, as a rule, a visit to the village is included in the program of a one-day excursion, which involves visiting an uninhabited island.
The Maldivian villages that you will visit during an organized tour will not give a complete picture of the life of the local population. There you will see crowds of tourists milling around and a market that has arisen with the express purpose of satisfying their needs, and not the needs of local residents. But the schools, mosques and houses will be real, and the natural spontaneous development of these villages will allow your eye to take a break from the strict regularity of the resorts.
To visit a “real village” in the Maldives, somewhere off the beaten path, you will have to make a considerable effort. First, it won't be cheap (you have to rent a separate boat because the transport to the inland atolls doesn't take foreigners on board). Secondly, you will have to overcome many bureaucratic obstacles, such as obtaining permission to visit the inland atolls from the administration of the ministry located in Male. And in order to receive it, you need confirmation from a person living on the island you are going to visit. All this, of course, deprives the acquaintance with the real life of the archipelago of spontaneity. If your determination is unshakable, a travel agent in Male will help you overcome bureaucratic obstacles.
Diving
Masters of scuba gear and action cameras in the Maldives will find perfectly warm water (on average +27 °C), excellent visibility even at a depth of 40 m and an incredibly rich underwater world. The only danger is the currents that gain strength just outside the reefs, so it is better for beginners to flounder inside the atolls.
It is better to go in search of bottom riches from September to May: the sea during this period is calm, it does not have the abundance of plankton that occurs with the arrival of the monsoons. Coral slides, sunken ships (wrecks), inter-island straits - all these are traditional routes for heroes in wetsuits.
One type of diving or another can be practiced at almost all resorts, but the conditions vary significantly. On some islands, scuba diving is not high on the list of sports offered. This means that both the diving sites and scuba training courses will be quite limited, which is more suitable for beginners or casual scuba diving enthusiasts.
However, true fans of diving in the Maldives can claim something more. The resorts, which are the most popular among the scuba diving fraternity, offer a wide range of courses such as VIT, CMAS, SSI, PADI, NAUI, ANDI and RAB where one can improve their skills. They also provide additional equipment that guarantees safety, such as underwater video cameras. The choice may also be influenced by the availability of nitrox and a decompression chamber, as well as the proximity of suitable diving sites to the resort.
Most local diving centers are located at hotels (Sun Diving School PADI Golden Palm 5, Ocean Dive Center, TGI Maldives, Euro Divers, etc.). Well, for the most restless, there is the possibility of a diving safari, for which a group of divers with the same experience is recruited. The advantages of such a cruise are obvious: you can get acquainted with almost all the atolls and look at uninhabited islands, it is much cheaper than diving with hotel accommodation and, finally, traveling on a yacht is an almost guaranteed opportunity to meet local sharks, which are precisely what those who come to the island are chasing Maldives scuba divers.
Video: Diving in the Maldives
Rating of the best diving spots in the Maldives
Male Atoll
- Banana Reef;
- Lions Head;
- Manta Point;
- Old Shark Point;
- wreck of the ship "Victoria";
- Poodle Place;
- Rainbow Reef;
- Hans Place.
South Male Atoll
- Vadu Cave;
- Guraidhoo Strait.
- the sunken ship "Fesdu";
- Maaafushi-Tila;
- Fish head reef.
Northern atolls
The Northern Atolls are one of the main areas of the Maldives for tourism. Now the number of resorts has barely exceeded double digits, but this figure will steadily increase. There are plans to develop pristine atolls that will provide visitors with even more peace and solitude. Since there are much fewer ships cruising here than on the more populated atolls close to the capital, the air in the northern resorts is cleaner and the water is clearer than anywhere else in the archipelago.
New tour operators are competing with hundreds of competitors, so they are trying to stand out by offering better facilities and more interesting activities. One such idea is embodied on an island called Hideaway. This is a relatively new resort that boasts the first marina in the Maldives. It is designed to attract as many customers as possible. People accustomed to vacationing on yachts, such as Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, already regularly spend time on the Northern Atolls. They may be trying to avoid the busier islands near the capital. In high-class hotels, guests will receive appropriate service: butler assistance and massage.
Guests who do not have their own yachts can be transported to hotels in the northern islands by speedboats. The journey will take just over two hours. A seaplane flight is much more likely, and the more remote resorts sometimes operate their own commercial flights.
Beaches
In this part of the country you can see the same fantastic beaches covered with white sand, illuminated by golden rays of the sun and washed by azure waves, as on other Maldivian atolls. But their privacy guarantees you even greater purity and pristineness than in the central regions of the archipelago.
Diving
The relatively recent development of tourism in the Maldives, which began in the 1990s, and the small number of boats and ships plying around the atolls, keep the area pristine and thus provide excellent diving conditions. Both kailu (straits, channels between reefs) and thila (seamount, reef bank, the top of which is not visible from the surface) offer many opportunities for snorkeling. Diving on the Raa and Baa atolls, to the west of the southern group of islands, includes the protected waters of Horubadu Thila, inhabited by ocean fish, sometimes gray reef sharks and eagle rays can swim there. Other thilas in the area include the busiest Daravandu, as well as Beriyan Faru, Kottefaru Kuda and Vaadu, each of which promises a lot for true scuba diving enthusiasts. The southwest monsoon, which blows from May to June, brings manta rays and whale sharks to the shores. The strong currents in these areas mean that they are more suitable for experienced divers, with few areas suitable for beginners.
To the east of Raa and Baa, near Lhaviani Atoll, divers will encounter the remains of the fishing boats Skipjack II and Gaafaru, which after two decades spent on the ocean floor became part of underwater life. Their sinking location is easy to find: the Skipjack II's bow rises above the surface of the water. There are also two excellent giri (coral clusters a few meters below the ocean's surface) diving sites: Narkola, south of Hurawali, rich in ledges and faults, and Maa, southwest of Kanuhuraa, where underwater currents create fantastic marine diversity flora and fauna. Another protected ocean area called Kuredu Express offers enjoyable scuba diving, while the 250m long Fushifaru Thila with strong currents is a great spot for advanced divers.
Southern atolls
Given its proximity to Male, parts of the Southern Atolls remain relatively undeveloped in terms of resorts, perhaps because the atolls here are not as close to each other as in the north of the Maldives. The slow pace of development has made the area popular for liveaboard boats, which ply the archipelago in search of privacy and tranquility for their passengers.
If it were not for tourism, this zone could not be called active at all, especially on the islands where fishing and agriculture are practiced. As in the Northern Atolls, the number of resorts here has barely exceeded double digits, including those that developers are still working on. You can fly from Male to your resort by seaplane in 35 or 45 minutes.
Beaches
The lack of busy boat traffic guarantees crystal clear waters, and some even claim that the local beaches are some of the best in the Maldives. And although it is almost impossible to rank countless coastlines, walking along the sands of Filitheyo or Vilu Reef Resort, I really want to agree with them.
Diving
Just below South Male Atoll, at Vaavu, lies the country's longest ridge of pristine reefs, stretching 55 km. It stretches from Hurahu Kandu to the southernmost point of the atoll. The main form of scuba diving in this area is drift diving in the kaila, for which there are many excellent sites, including Wattara Kanda, a protected area and a reef. Also popular are the thila (underwater coral reefs), particularly Fotteyo, which many rank among the best dive sites in the Maldives. An amazing life of various underwater inhabitants takes place here, and some of the corals are simply dazzling.
Water sports
All the usual water sports are available in the Southern Atolls, and centers that focus on this type of activity include Alimatha Aquatic, Medhufushi and Vilu Reef.
Far southern atolls
The Maldives' southern atolls, some of which are located on the other side of the equator, are rare islands where tourists mingle freely with the local population. The equatorial village is located on the island of Gan, which belongs to the southernmost Sin Atoll, where traces of the British presence remain. There used to be two Royal Air Force bases here, which were dissolved in 1976, but the English lawns and reconstructed barracks still remind of them.
Another unique feature of this part of the country is that you can walk 17 km in a straight line without ever reaching water. This was made possible thanks to a causeway that the British built, connecting Gan with three islands - Feydhoo, Maradu and the main atoll of Hithadhoo - to the northeast of it. No special permit is required to visit these islands inhabited by locals, so independent tourists who are curious to see the real life of the Maldivians love to come here. A relatively inexpensive (by Maldivian standards, of course) stay at the resort attracts a whole crowd of backpackers.
Until recently, Gan was a rather sleepy little island, but that's all set to change in the near future. The fact is that the local airport has been brought into line with international standards, and now it can accommodate more tourists seeking to visit resorts, the number of which is steadily increasing. Ghana's geographic isolation means its culture and language, as well as flora and fauna, are different, so travelers may have a very different experience on the island than the rest of the Maldives. For many years, Gan was the only island in a group of distant southern atolls on which a resort was built, but it is now beginning to experience competition from its neighbors.
Beaches
If you prefer immaculately maintained beaches, then it is better to stay somewhere else in the archipelago. The beauty of Gan Island is that you can wander freely along its beaches, which are not monitored by strict resort management, and mingle with the locals. You can swim at Koattey Beach, at the northern tip of Hithadhoo.
Diving
Thanks to the almost complete absence of tourist infrastructure, ocean life in these places flourishes. Sinu Atoll is especially attractive in this sense, where divers will not find a crowd of like-minded people. This atoll has escaped the coral bleaching that has plagued much of the archipelago, making it particularly attractive. Perhaps the most famous diving site is the multi-ton tanker British Loyalty, which was torpedoed by the Japanese during World War II. Experienced divers are allowed to swim into the remains of the hull itself, where a dazzling variety of underwater life awaits them. Another attraction for the scuba diving community is Shark Point, or Shark Point, located northeast of Hulumidhoo, so named because of the abundance of white and gray reef sharks.
Getting to know local life
This rare chance to experience a real Maldivian village is not to be missed. Explore the islands by motorbike, bicycle or on foot (there are tours to the Equatorial Village). There you will see mosques, schools and remnants of the British stay. At the far end of the causeway is the most beautiful part of the atoll, the capital city of Hithadhoo. In the center there are many tea houses and a stadium where you can even watch competitions. And on the fresh water lake Eidigali-Kili you can admire the birds.
A wedding in the Maldives is no longer a fashion trend, but rather a pathetic tradition that stubbornly does not give up its position, demonstrating the level of wealth of the couple. You can book a ceremony in the best traditions of soap operas, including a visit to the spa, a romantic walk, a wedding ceremony and a wedding picnic, smoothly turning into a wedding night in a secluded bungalow, right at the hotel. For a spectacular theatrical performance and a wedding certificate, you will have to pay 2,833 rufiyaa (11,000 rubles). Fans of extreme sports and non-trivial experiences in the Maldives are offered an underwater version of the special event. Prices for a wedding at the bottom of the sea in the company of experienced dive instructors are already more serious - around 3,993 rufiyaa (15,500 rubles).
The other side of Maldivian paradise
The most fashionable resort in the world has virtually no natural sources of fresh water. Life-giving moisture is either collected here during the rainy season or pumped from wells. The water extracted from the atoll depths contains a large amount of salts, so it is subjected to demineralization. However, it is still of little use for drinking, as it has a short shelf life, which is why most tourists, and even indigenous residents, prefer to buy bottled water.
Own power plants in the Maldives are a luxury item, so on a number of islands they are replaced by fuel generators. And if on relatively populated atolls electricity is supplied around the clock, then where there are fewer people, light is supplied only in the evenings and then for a couple of hours.
The problem of garbage in the island state was solved ingeniously and simply - they set aside a separate island for household waste. But since official landfills cannot accommodate the volume of waste that accumulates, some parts of the Maldives are approaching this issue with a great deal of creativity. For example, on some atolls they use sewage water to fertilize green spaces and enrich the soil with fertilizer from fish offal; in other parts of the resort, tourists are provided with special bags for waste, which the guest must take with them after their vacation. However, despite all efforts, it has not yet been possible to completely get rid of garbage, so plastic thrown out by passengers of yachts and boats washes up on the shores of the Maldives from time to time.
Food and drink
In search of national Maldivian dishes, it is better to go to Male, since the hotel kitchens are staffed mainly by Sri Lankan staff, who adapt the food to their own culinary traditions. In the capital's eateries, mostly islanders work, so the food there is the most authentic.
Oddly enough, in a tropical paradise, culinary preferences cannot be more modest. True, such unpretentiousness is a necessary measure: little grows in the Maldives except bananas and coconuts. The products here are imported and, therefore, expensive, so local chefs always have 1,000 and one ways to prepare rice with fish.
A regular on the Maldivian table is tuna: fried, boiled, dried, smoked, boiled into a soufflé (mas huni), canned... They also love curry on the islands, which is much less spicy here than in neighboring India. Maldivians prepare fish broth (garudiya) as their first course. This tropical soup is cooked for several hours, flavored with lime and chili and served with the same rice. Meat is a rare guest on local tables, since pork is prohibited in an Islamic country, and there is simply nothing to feed cattle on the atolls.
The average Maldivian can season his “daily rice” with coconut or lime juice, onion and chili pepper. The islanders' bread is replaced by unleavened flatbread Roshi (a local variation on the theme of Armenian lavash), and the main drink here is green tea with milk (masala). Maldivians do not drink alcohol, but they get their portion of alcoholic euphoria from raa - fermented palm sap. As for desserts, almost all of them are coconut-based. The most prominent representative of sweet dishes is considered to be a bondi stick - a compressed and somewhat sugary delicacy made from coconut flakes, wrapped like a Havana cigar.
Most all inclusive hotels offer international cuisine. Of course, they also host weeks of local delicacies, but on other days there are French croissants and every Maldivian's nightmare - juicy pork steaks.
Money
The official currency of the country is the Maldivian rufiyaa ($0.06). The rufiyaa exchange rate is artificially maintained against the dollar, and its exchange rate with other currencies is based on this, so there is no point in looking for a place where you can make a more profitable exchange. Banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rufiyaa and coins of 1 and 2 rufiyaa are in circulation. Foreign currency can be exchanged at the airport or at any of the banks, just keep in mind that the latter are closed on Friday and Saturday. In all places where tourists visit, American dollars and euros are accepted, and they are in circulation at all resorts. If you wish, you can avoid handling cash at all and ask for all expenses to be included in your hotel bill and pay at the end of your stay with a credit card.
Fun fact: The Maldives prints its rufiyaa on the same paper that America prints its dollars.
Tips
Tipping, while quite common in nearby territories such as India, does not have such a strong tradition in the Maldives. But low wages and foreign guests with a habit of tipping began to change the situation. At most resorts, the guest is immediately assigned a specific table, so that he will be served by the same waiter throughout the entire vacation. If you don't want to deal with cash, then you can thank the service staff on the last day. Some tour operators set the amount at $10 per week. There is no need to tip taxi drivers or cafes. If you want to thank a local resident for taking a photo with you, he may be offended.
Shopping
Shopping in a country where practically nothing is produced is like a kind of quest. Although for the unpretentious tourist in the Maldives, of course, there is something authentic or skillfully imitating this very authenticity. It is worth noting that most of the trinkets with supposedly Maldivian flavor that are sold in the capital’s shops are not actually such. All these, as a rule, are Sri Lankan variations on the theme of “a truly Maldivian souvenir.”
For authentic creations of Maldivian artisans, it is better to go to the islands of Mahibadhoo, Maafushi, Khuura, Rasdhu, where for a not very modest sum, local craftsmen will happily provide you with wooden boxes, miniature “dhoni”, palm fiber rugs, colorful shells and funny coconut monkeys. Those who are looking for “something like that” will definitely be persuaded to buy a Maldivian hookah, Gudu-Guda, which local grandmothers love to blow before bedtime. If the hookah doesn’t work out, magnets and T-shirts won’t surprise you, but you still want to bring a material reminder of your vacation with you, take a closer look at the badu-beru ritual drums.
By the way, about T-shirts and magnets - you don’t have to go far to buy them: all the souvenir shops in Male are filled with this stuff. In them you can also get the notorious shark teeth, which have long become the main resort trophy.
Opening hours
Business life in the Maldives comes to a standstill on Friday, as well as five times a day for 15 minutes during prayer. Shops may open at 6:00, but most often open at 8:00 or 9:00. They usually close at 20.00, but some can be open until 23.00. Government offices and banks open at 7.30 or 8.00 and are open until 13.30 from Sunday to Thursday.
Difference in time
The time difference with Moscow in the Maldives is +1 hour in the summer (when in Moscow it is 11.00, in the Maldives it is already 12.00) and +2 hours in the winter.
- Birthdays are not celebrated in the Maldives. Moreover, they don’t even try to remember this date.
- Only a Muslim who has lived in the country for several years can obtain citizenship of a country.
- The Maldives is among the top 10 countries for divorce rates (about 50%). At the same time, citizens bear criminal liability for adultery. Those who walk to the left are publicly treated to a whip here.
- The working week in the country begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday.
- Entering the Maldives with a dog is strictly prohibited: according to the Koran, this animal is considered unclean.
- The resort's motto is No news, no shoes! (No news, no shoes!).
- The Maldives does not have a tax free system.
- Male International Airport is located on an artificially created island.
- In the Maldives, not only the celebration of Halloween, but also the mention of it out loud is officially prohibited.
- The largest fish in the world, the whale shark, is found in the Maldives. Its size varies from 5.5 to 10 meters, and people can admire how this hulk cuts through the crystal clear waters of the Maldives.
Where to stay
The Maldives is not a place where you can go with a hundred dollars clutched in your fist, party all weekend and still bring “change.” On the one hand, the country has several hostels and guest houses, but even in such places the tourist will be asked to pay far from a modest amount. You can, of course, try to negotiate with the locals and stay with them, but this is rather an extreme option for backpackers and experienced adventurers. On the other hand, people don’t come to a tropical paradise to count every bill and cut themselves off in everything, so why not relax on a grand scale.
A classic of local housing is water bungalows (wooden houses on stilts standing directly in the sea). For the waves splashing right under your feet and the exclusive opportunity to snorkel on your own porch, you will have to pay an average of 5,153 to 20,6611 rufiyaa (20,000-80,000 rubles). An excellent chance to combine comfortable living conditions and acquaintance with the most picturesque Maldivian atolls - yachts, the rental of a cabin on which is equivalent in price to an excellent hotel room.
There are relatively few budget three-room hotels in the Maldives, and even those are mostly occupied by divers. Booking.com recommends Gunbaru Inn, Rihiveli by Castaway and Sun Tan Beach most often. There is a wide range of prices here: you can find a room for 902 rufiyaa (about 3,500 rubles), or for 3,865 (15,000 rubles).
Safety
In the Maldives, they are terribly afraid of yellow fever, so they scrupulously check that all travelers arriving from South America and Africa are vaccinated against this disease. For some reason, all other infectious agents are of no interest to local doctors, but, just in case, it is better to first get vaccinated against rubella, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B and typhoid fever. If you are not coming from an infected area, then vaccinations are not necessary.
You shouldn’t leave without a strategic supply of essential medications - normal pharmacies at the resort can only be found in Male, while on most other islands the choice of medicines is extremely poor, and hospitalization in this country costs a lot of money. It’s also best not to show up on Maldivian beaches without good sunscreen, repellent and a bottle of water. Due to the high concentration of solar radiation, you can get a sunburn at the equator not just by lying under a palm tree, but also by sitting up to your neck in water.
Despite the fact that local beaches give the impression of calm and “lazy” places, do not rush to demonstrate your prowess and swim beyond the line of red flags that mark safe swimming areas. Of course, in most hotels on the shore there is security on duty, but underwater ocean currents, which are impossible to cope with, have not yet been canceled.
Crime in the republic is kept to a minimum, so the Maldives can safely be called one of the safest resorts. In force majeure situations, when you cannot do without the help of law enforcement agencies, it is better to contact the hotel security, who will themselves establish contact with the police station.
Connection
Cellular services at the resort are provided by Dhiraagu and Ooredoo, whose SIM cards can be purchased at the airport or in specialized shops in Male. The connection quality is quite good, unless you go too far out to sea. It is customary to top up your phone balance using special cards, which are usually sold in hotels. A call to Russia from a Dhiraagu operator SIM card will cost around 4.9 rufiyaa/minute (about 19 rubles). For calls within the country, it is better to use local payphones, the services of which are also paid for by card (easy to find in hotels and from street vendors). For wealthy tourists, there is such an exclusive option as calling a landline phone from a hotel room. So, if you are the happy owner of a couple of oil wells, you can calmly solve business issues without leaving your bed.
Free Wi-Fi in the Maldives is a rare “beast” and lives exclusively in hotels. Those who are unlucky with a hotel can go to an Internet cafe in the capital, spending from 45 to 150 rufiyaa (175-582 rubles) for an hour of online surfing, or connect the necessary service from one of the local mobile operators, thereby robbing himself of at least 290 rufiyaa (1,125 rubles).
How to call the Maldives
To call from Russia to the Maldives, dial:
- from a landline phone: 8-10-960 (Maldives code) - code of the desired city - subscriber number;
- from a mobile phone: 8-10-960 - mobile operator code - subscriber's mobile phone number.
There are no area codes in the Maldives. All numbers are now seven digits.
How to call abroad
To call from the Maldives to Russia, dial:
- from a landline phone: 00 - 7 - desired city code - subscriber number in Russia (00 - international line access code; 7 - Russian telephone code);
- from a mobile phone: +7 - subscriber number. International operator - 190; information desk - 11.
Transport
There is no ground transportation as such in the Maldives; fortunately, the vast majority of the islands here can be explored on foot. And only in Male can a tourist afford the luxury of a ride for 27 rufiyaa (97 rubles) by taxi or for 4.70 (18 rubles) by bus.
For those planning to travel from island to island, there are three main modes of transport:
- hydroplane;
- boat/boat;
- ferry.
The first option is ideal for travelers with an unlimited budget - the pleasure costs from 2,400 to 3,000 rufiyaa (9,316-11,645 rubles), but it provides a unique opportunity to look at the atoll chain from a bird's eye view. A trip on a speedboat or national boat “doni”, depending on the remoteness of the destination, will cost 470-860 rufiyaa (1824-3380 rubles). Well, a ferry ride will be affordable even for a budget tourist, since the final cost of the crossing will be from 31 to 46 rufiyaa (approximately 120-179 rubles). The main airport of the Maldives is located next to the capital, on the small island of Hulhule. This is where all international flights arrive.
Insurance
We strongly recommend that you take out insurance, especially if you plan to spend time on the island; transport to hospital in case of emergency can cost a pretty penny. Purchasing insurance will in no case ruin you: a two-week trip will cost about one euro per day. If you travel frequently, it is more profitable to buy an annual policy. Risks associated with active recreation activities such as scuba diving may not be included in the package. When choosing a policy, be sure to take this into account.
Visa information
When entering the Maldives, Russian citizens are issued a tourist visa in their passport free of charge, valid for 30 days. A foreign guest will be required to have a passport with a validity of at least six months, return tickets, a receipt confirming tourist services, and the availability of cash at a rate of at least $30 for each day of stay.
customs control
There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency in the Maldives. In addition, you can bring duty-free cigarettes (no more than 200 pieces) and perfumes in quantities not exceeding 125 ml. But goods worth more than $200 (about 12,000 rubles) will have to be declared.
Save money and nerves by once and for all giving up trying to bring alcohol to the Maldives (even purchased in Duty free stores). Your alcohol will still be taken away and disposed of. Pork delicacies and pornographic magazines will suffer the same fate. You should also be more careful with local souvenirs: pearl oysters, corals and turtle shell products (unless they are certified products) will not let anyone out of the equatorial paradise. It is allowed to transport a certain amount of gifts and tobacco. The most serious offense is the transportation of weapons or drugs. The punishment could be life imprisonment.
Airports
For those who travel a lot throughout the Indian subcontinent, Male International Airport will seem like a breath of fresh air. Here, unlike other airports in the region, civilized calm reigns; passengers are not overwhelmed by crowds of barkers, porters and taxi drivers. The airport is located on a separate island called Hulhule, which is not far from the capital. As soon as you reach the terminal, you will immediately see two rows of counters that belong to different resorts and tour operators. Find the one you need and a representative will tell you about the transfer in every detail. If your resort is nearby, a high-speed boat will be enough; if it’s far away, then you may have to get there by seaplane. In any case, you will receive precise instructions and leave the airport unhindered and as planned. When you return to the hotel reception, all the details will be explained to you in detail.
If you're one of those rare breeds of independent travellers, you should probably head to Male. Ferries operate 24 hours a day between the capital and the island on which the airport is located. They depart from the main pier in Hulhule and moor at breakwaters 9 and 10 in Male. Boats leave every 15 minutes or when they are full of people, the trip costs 10 rufiyaa or 1 dollar. For about $10 you can rent a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat, which is now equipped with a motor.
For flight information, call Male International Airport: 333-8800.
In the Maldives you have the opportunity to visit another, very unusual airport. Seaplanes that transport passengers from Male to resorts land on the water and only then taxi onto a small floating platform just a few meters long and about the same width. From here you will be taken by boat to the desired island. The miniature size of these “airports” is the butt of jokes among resort companies. On one of the floating platforms there is a sign that reads: “Welcome to Soneva Fushi International Airport.”
How to get there
The following airlines operate regular flights to the Maldives from Moscow:
- Aeroflot – direct flights from Sheremetyevo twice a week.
- Turkish Airlines – flights from Vnukovo with a transfer in Istanbul.
- Qatar Airways – flights from Domodedovo with a connection in Doha.
- Emirates - with a connection in Dubai.
You can go to the most expensive resort on the planet from St. Petersburg with Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Rossiya and Emirates. All flights are connecting. Another option is charters that fly in the direction of the Maldives both from St. Petersburg and from other Russian cities. Delivery to the hotel usually falls on the shoulders of tour operators, whose representatives meet their clients as they exit the plane.
