Destinations
Maldives
Always Natural
- Experiencing paradise in The Maldives -
Unrivaled luxury, stunning white-sand beaches, crystal clear water and amazing underwater world make Maldives an obvious choice for the experience of a lifetime. The Maldives is perfect for beach lovers who are looking for islandic luxurious hospitality programs.
Maldivian Tourism Industry
Tourism plays a crucial role in the archipelagic country’s economy as it serves as the largest revenue generator. Retaining the concept of “one island, one resort”, Maldives has grown to the next level of tourism, starting from three hotels in 1972 to more than 130 luxurious island-resorts nowadays. Its natural environment makes Maldives tourists’ favourite water sports and honeymoon destination.
As a celebrated destination for tourism, Maldives ended the year 2018 by receiving nearly 1.4 million visitors. Although China is the leading market, Europe is the dominating region contributing to more than half of tourists to Maldives, which consists of visitors from Italy, Germany, UK and France. Other important markets are Russia, USA, Japan and Switzerland.
About The Republic of the Maldives
The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean composed of 26 ring-shaped atolls, which are made up of more than 1,000 coral islands that lie about 700 kilometres (430 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka and 400 kilometres (250 mi) south-west of India. It’s known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. The capital, Malé, has a busy fish market, restaurants and shops on the main road, Majeedhee Magu, and 17th-century Hukuru Miskiy (also known as Friday Mosque) made of carved white coral.
Expect dry season from January to March, and wet season from mid-May to November in this world’s lowest country. The hot and humid weather, approximately around 30°C throughout the year, is complemented with cooling sea breezes and periodic rain.
Maldives Culture
Due to geographical proximity, Maldivian rich and vibrant culture has been heavily influenced by the Sri Lankans and Southern Indians, also resemble customs from the Arabs and North Africans, who visited the Maldives while traversing through the trading routes of the central Indian Ocean. However, Maldivians have built and preserved an exclusive cultural identity.
Maldivians are ethnically known as Dhivedi, which is also the name of their language. Since the vast majority is Sunni Muslim, alcohol and pork are difficult to find outside tourist areas. Staple food are rice and fish, generally flavoured with spices and coconut milk, with seafood playing an important part in most people’s lives.
Fact About Maldives
The image of a safe paradise is well preserved. Crime rates are low as most visitors generally stay in the resorts that are spread across various islands. However, taking usual precautions with your belongings and valuable items is advisable as there are reports of missing things from beaches, rooms or bags occasionally.
Being an Islamic country, social harms like alcohol and drug addiction are low. Staying in well-lit areas and being street-smart in Male at night should keep one out of harm.
Cost of living in Maldives is high compared to the nearby countries like India and Sri Lanka. The remote islands are cheaper than the capital, Male. Dining out at an inexpensive restaurant costs about USD 2 to USD 4 a meal, while at a mid-range restaurant costs approximately USD 6 to USD 20. One-way ticket using a local transport in the country costs about USD 0.65, while a regular monthly pass cost USD 30.
Although the official language is Dhivehi, some people speak English, especially in Male. Thanks to the country’s decision to use it in schools, and in some cases replacing Dhivehi. English is undoubtedly used as a medium of communication in resorts and other touristic places.
Must-see
Must-visit
This island country in South Asia has been considered as one of the most ideally beautiful island paradises on the globe. Any tourist will definitely find lots of tropical adventures in the Maldives. Here are some suggestions
Scuba diving and snorkeling adventure – With exceptionally clear water and healthy marine life, the Maldives makes for a great environment for scuba diving and snorkeling. Beginner and seasoned scuba divers can enjoy dive trips around the Maldives.
Fresh seafood shopping – Maldives has one of the best seafood markets in the world. Every day, locals catch a wide variety of fresh seafoods ready for tourists to taste.
Sight-seeing in the capital, Male – Male’ is one of the world’s smallest capital cities at just 2.2 square miles, but it will never run out of things to show you. Top sights to check out in the capital city include the Republic Square.
Participants need only to arrange their arrival at Velana International Airport, also known as Malé Airport in Hulhulé Island. Transport to host company will be provided from there, either seaplane or speedboat depending on the distance. Remember that bringing alcohol and religious-related texts into Maldives is illegal, so make sure you leave them back home.
The Maldives has a non-convertible currency, Maldivian Rufiyaa, which cannot be purchased beforehand. Nevertheless, major credit cards and US Dollars are also accepted providing change in the local currency. The following international currencies can be changed easily at the airport on arrival: USD/GBP/Canadian Dollar/Euro/Danish Krone/Hong Kong Dollar/Japanese Yen/Norwegian Krone/Singapore Dollar/Swiss Franc/Swedish Krone.
