Maldives Best Beach for your Vacation

Maldives (Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ Dhivehi Raajje) are an archipelago of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls (200 inhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts) in the Indian Ocean. They lie south-southwest of India and are considered part of Southern Asia.

Maldives islands are home to its 300,000 inhabitants. The other islands are used entirely for economic functions, of that tourism and agriculture are dominant.

Maldivians are almost entirely Sunni Muslim, and the local culture is a mixture of South Indian, Sinhalese and Arab influences. While alcohol, pork, drugs and public observance of non-Muslim religions are banned on the inhabited islands, the resort islands are allowed to exist in a bubble where almost anything goes.

The weekend in the Maldives runs from Friday to Saturday, during which banks, government offices and many shops are closed.

The Maldives a romantic place for couples, best for honeymoons, anniversaries, or once-in-a-lifetime milestone trips.

The Maldives are dotted with beautiful resorts across the region. While they may look similar, each are unique with something for everyone.

Maldives, famous for its luxurious resort islands, crystal clear waters and abundant tropical reefs, may seem such a luxury to get lost into. Just need P30,000 or less for Maldives budget travel.

Best for Maldives:
Mother Nature
No crowds
Friendly Activities
Culinary Experience
Maldivian cuisine
Visit multiple islands
See a whale shark
Dine underwater
Diving and snorkelling
Surfing

Vacation during the dry season - December through April is the dry season, and the most popular time to visit the Maldives. This can make hotels slightly more expensive, but it’s also when you can enjoy a guaranteed streak of gorgeous, storm-free days. Moreover, dry season makes for better visibility for crystal-clear snorkeling and underwater diving.

Popular Destinations in Maldives
#1 Male
#2 Hulhumale
#3 Maafushi Island
#4 Rasdhoo
#5 Thulusdhoo Island
#6 Ukulhas
#7 Thoddoo
#8 Huraa Island
#9 Dhiffushi Island
#10 Fuvahmulah
#11 Guraidhoo
#12 Dhaalu Atoll
#13 Gulhi Island
#14 Dhigurah Island
#15 Dharavandhoo
#16 Thinadhoo Island

How to Get in Maldives
The Maldives have a remarkably easy visa policy -- Everybody gets a free 30-day visa on arrival, provided that they have a valid travel document, a ticket out and proof of sufficient funds, defined as either a confirmed reservation in any resort or USD100 + USD50/day [26] in cash. This can be extended up to 90 days at Male, but you'll need to indicate where you're staying for that long. See Maldives Immigration website [27] for details.

Importing alcohol, pork or pornography (very broadly defined) into the Maldives is forbidden and all luggage is X-rayed on arrival. On the way out, note that exporting sand, seashells or coral is also forbidden.

By plane - All visitors arrive at Malé International Airport (IATA: MLE, ICAO: VRMM), located on Hulhulé Island right next to the capital Male. The airport is served by a wide array of flights to China, India, Sri Lanka, Dubai and major airports in South-East Asia.

Gan Airport (IATA: GAN, ICAO: VRMG), on the southern atoll of Addu, also serves an international flight to Colombo

British Airways now flies directly from London Gatwick to Male 3 times a week (Sunday, Tuesday and Friday)

Cathay Pacific Airlines flies 4 times a week from Hong Kong (Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun)

Singapore Airlines flies daily direct from Singapore to Male, with late night timings.

Turkish Airlines flies directly from Istanbul Ataturk to Male 5 times in a week.

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Male', twice a day.

Austrian Airlines flies between Vienna and Male once a week (outbound Vienna on Wednesday, inbound on Thursday morning)

Condor flies direct from Frankfurt to Male', twice a week (Wednesday & Sunday).

By boat - There are no regular passenger boats to the Maldives. Even yachts usually steer clear, as navigating around the reefs is hazardous and permits are expensive.

Keep things in your mind:

• Maldives can only use Rufiyaa (local currency in Maldives). It’s basically useless in other countries. All conversions must be done within Maldives.(you can’t convert this back if you don’t have a receipt)
• You can change your money to rufiyaa in Male airport (Bank of Maldives). Keep the receipt because you’ll need it to convert back to your currency. This is done after checking in for your return flight.
• Establishments accept both MVR and USD, but sometimes if you pay in dollars you will still receive rufiyaa in change. Again, you can’t convert this back if you don’t have a receipt. I suggest changing a small note (such as $50) and paying the rest of your purchases in dollars.