Maldives
Holidays
Maldives is best for...
Couples: An epitome of romantic settings, the Maldives provides couples with luxury, seclusion, and stunning beauty. Couples can enjoy private overwater bungalows, intimate beachside dinners, and mesmerizing sunsets, creating an enchanting atmosphere for love and relaxation.
Families: The Maldives offers families an idyllic escape with child-friendly beaches, engaging water activities, and resorts equipped with family accommodations and exciting kids' clubs. The calm seas and vibrant marine life create a perfect setting for introducing children to snorkelling and marine education in an enjoyable and instructive manner.
Marine Life Enthusiasts: The rich underwater world of the Maldives is a dream destination for anyone who loves the dynamic life under the seas. With colourful coral reefs and diverse marine species, Maldives offers exceptional experiences for snorkelers and divers.
Getting around Maldives
By speedboat and seaplane: The most common modes of transport in the Maldives are speedboats and seaplanes. For shorter distances, especially for transfers between airports and resorts, a speedboat is the best option while a seaplane offers faster and more scenic routes to further islands.
By air: There are domestic flights available from Velana International Airport in Malé for some distant islands.
By ferry: Public ferry services offer more budget-friendly travel options between the islands. They are less frequent than seaplanes or speedboats, but they are more affordable.
By dhoni: Traditional Dhoni boats are widely used for both inter-island travel and leisure activities like fishing trips or island hopping. It's a unique way to experience the local culture and explore the surrounding islands at a leisurely pace.
Fast facts for Maldives
Language: Dhivehi. In more tourist-oriented locations and resorts, English is also commonly spoken. To be on the safe side, make sure to bring a phrasebook or download a translation app before your visit.
Currency: Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR)
Local time: GMT+5
Fly to: Most international flights will arrive at Velana International Airport in Malé.
Flight time from the UK: It takes around 10 hours of flight from the UK.
Tourist Information: For more information on all Maldives locations, please visit the official tourism website here.
Visa/health: If you are a UK citizen and have a valid passport, you do not need a visa for Maldives holiday visits for up to 90 days. Visit the official UK travels website for restrictions, travel advice, visa requirements and health advice here.
More travel guides: Curious for more? We have a range of travel guides and holiday destinations from all over the world! Here are a few: Cyprus | Greece | Turkey | Canary Islands | Spain
Your Guide to Maldives holidays
- Food & Drinks
- Beaches
- We Love
- At a Glance
Food & Drinks
The cuisine in Maldives is a delightful mix of South Indian, Sri Lankan and Arabic influences in the seafood-focused dishes where you can taste the salt of the sea that surrounds the islands. With local vegetables and fresh-from-the-sea fish, the food in Maldives is unique to each island.
- Make sure to try garudhiya, a fish soup that is usually cooked using fish, water and salt; served with lime, rice, chilli and onions, it is a fragrant and filling local dish that is a staple among the locals. Or enjoy a plate of mas huni, a popular food composed of shredded smoked tuna served with grated coconuts, lemon and onions, making it a popular Maldivian breakfast accompanied by chapatti bread called Roshi.
- Similar to samosa and a spring roll, bis keemiya is a good snack for when you’re visiting the islands; a pastry filled with tuna or hardboiled egg, sliced onions and gently sautéed and shredded cabbage, it’s an authentic food that should not go missed. To top it off, there is also boshi mashuni, a mixture of salsa and salad that is made of crunchy, shredded banana flowers and fresh coconut.
- While the public beaches and areas outside of the resorts are very strict in the alcohol restrictions, make sure to try the traditional toddy Raa. With a slight percentage of alcohol, it is a lightly fermented drink made from the juice of the palm tree trunk.
Beaches
The Maldives not only have some of the best beaches you can find, but they also offer the most variety of options. Whether you’re in for a relaxing getaway where you can get a tan and enjoy the crystal clear waters, or you’re in for an underwater adventure along the reefs, the Maldives have got you covered.
- A visit to the North Malé Atoll as well as the Huvadhoo Atoll from March to November will allow you to enjoy the amazing surfing community of the Maldives. Some of the most loved swells can be found along the outer reefs of the North Malé Atoll, with a friendly crowd of surfers gathering at the Thulusdhoo island. Intermediate and advanced surfers can enjoy some of the biggest waves such as Cokes, Chickens or Sultans along the coastline.
- You can also dive deep and explore the beauties of the underwater world of the Maldives in Lhaviyani Atoll. With sites where you can explore shipwrecks or have a chance to encounter manta rays, the northern tip of the atoll is the best for unique diving experiences. If you’re looking for something more novel, the unexplored Komandoo is still full of mysteries that are waiting to be discovered, with new dive sites being uncovered and over fifteen species of shark found in these waters.
- To fully immerse yourself in the unique environment of the Maldives, make sure to visit Baa Atoll. This UNESCO-protected biosphere reserve is home to the largest gathering of manta rays found anywhere in the world. Hanifaru Bay is perfect for some manta ray sightings, especially between June and November when zooplankton is abundant.
We Love
The Maldives have incredible experiences for you to discover all over the island, including under the crystal clear waters around the land. Not only is it one of the only places you can experience things such as underwater dining, but it also offers a wide range of choices and opportunities for you to explore the culture of Maldives in this unique setting.
- Your adventures don’t need to be limited to one island either. The ease of transport between the islands makes it possible for you to explore many little islands during one trip, allowing you to experience different sides of the Maldives while helping the local communities and preserving the local biosphere by opting for more traditional, sustainable transport options.
- While you’re helping the local communities thrive and preserve the island biosphere, you can also take yourself to a well-deserved spa day with the high-quality, professional spa and wellness specialists in the Maldives. The world-class treatment will surely help your body relax, while the stunning ocean views and the tranquil air all around you will feel like a holiday for your mind and soul.
At a Glance
- The average flight time from the UK to Maldives is 10 hours.
- You can fly from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted directly to Malé.
- Maldives offer a tropical weather that is warm all year round.
travel advice
Get advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings on the
FCDO website.