Male

As you may already see by the number of pictures, we have not been to the Maldives for very long. More precisely, only a few hours. But even during our little stopover, we did not want to wait at the small but cute airport and took the ship a few minutes to Male. Btw, the airport is a separate island.

In Male arrived, we were a bit disappointed. Apart from a market with various fruits and flowers, there was not much to discover and we could not leave the port for time reasons. So we only had the turquoise sea during the cruise and probably the smallest airport we have ever been to.

You can enter the Maldives with a valid passport. This should be valid for at least six months. If you travel for a maximum of 30 days you will need a visa. This can be extended for up to 90 days. But you need a permit for that. The import of medicines is strictly controlled, alcohol is not allowed to be imported.

If you travel to the Maldives, you must definitely be vaccinated against measles. WHO has declared that omitting the vaccine as a „threat to global health“. However, no vaccinations are required when entering from Germany. If you come from countries with a yellow fever risk you have to be vaccinated against it. The standard vaccinations are definitely always recommended. It is also recommended to vaccinate against hepatitis A and B, rabies and typhoid. The Maldives are warning about the Zika virus and dengue fever.

You should wear mostly light colored clothing to protect you from mosquitoes. At night you should sleep under a mosquito net. If you need medication, bring it with you from your hometown, as they are usually very expensive abroad. Watch out for water from the faucet. You should also be careful with food. The medical care is very limited. In severe illnesses or accidents, patients are often flown out to Singapore or Dubai. During your trip you should take out a travel health insurance and consult your doctor before the trip.

Thanks to the sea, there are a lot of fish dishes on the islands. Generally, the cuisine in the Maldives is a mix of Indian and Arabic. The resorts also serve international cuisine. In addition to fish, coconuts are also a big part of everyday cooking. As well as fresh fruits.

Between the islands you can only travel by boat or seaplane. Only on a few islands there is road traffic. But most of the time you can even walk here. Since there is not much to see on Malé, no taxi is necessary, you can walk a lot. Often your onward journey to the desired island is organized by your organizer.

The climate is tropical and humid. The temperature is relatively constant throughout the year. The ocean is also pleasantly warm year-round. Between March and April there is the hottest time. It can be very humid in April. Rainy season is between May and October, so the best time to travel to the Maldives is in winter.

In the Maldives you pay with Rufiyaa. Resorts usually accept credit cards, and cash can be withdrawn or changed at the airport. No money can be withdrawn on the individual islands. It is advisable to always have some cash with you.