Overview
The luxurious escapes you'll find in the Maldives (pronounced MAHL-deeves) are not merely an accident of geography, but a matter of deliberate design. Overwhelmed by an influx of tourists during the 1970s, government leaders created a master plan for the tourist industry, with the aim of emphasizing quality over quantity and minimizing the impact of tourism on the natural—and human—environment. The result was the development of a series of high-quality island resorts that have been cited as models for sustainable tourism development.
This model remained more or less the same for decades until a change of Government in 2008. The first democratically elected president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, encouraged the development of inter-island and inter-atoll public ferry services at affordable prices, which means that Maldivians and tourists alike can now travel more freely around the Maldives. Foreigners are no longer required to obtain permits or special permission to visit inhabited islands.
A new master plan to encourage the growth of guesthouse tourism alongside the existing luxury resorts was drawn up, and in 2010 legislation was changed to allow Maldivians to open guesthouses on inhabited islands. The aim was to diversify the market and encourage more entrepreneurship amongst Maldivians, helping to direct the flow of tourism revenue back into the local economy. As a result, a spate of new guesthouses and associated services such as independent watersports centers and dive centers have sprung up across the country. The guesthouses vary greatly in their offerings; from very basic rooms to boutique, hotel-style accommodation.
The liveaboard yacht industry has also greatly expanded, with around 170 vessels now operating in the Maldives, offering diving and surfing charters throughout the year.
Climate change remains a pressing issue in the Maldives. The latest research suggests that although sea levels are rising internationally, the low-lying Maldives is not likely to encounter serious problems until 2100. However, rising sea surface temperatures and acidity in the ocean have caused widespread damage to the surrounding coral. Not only are the coral reefs natural barriers against erosion and tsunamis, but they are also an integral part of the appeal to tourists, as diving and snorkeling are the top activities in the Maldives. Although some of the damaged areas have spontaneously begun to recover, many areas still suffer from widespread coral bleaching.
Location
The Maldives make up a total of twenty six atolls, with many (otherwise uninhabited) islands being occupied by a single resort hotel. Vacationers usually spend much of their time on hotel premises, so picking the right island is a matter of relative importance.
The concept of "one island, one resort" was originally put in place by the government to spatially separate tourists from the local Maldivian population and culture, initially with the aim of preventing cultural "pollution."
The archipelago of 1,190 coral islands and atolls stretches some 575 mi/925 km north to south in the Indian Ocean. Of that number, only 202 are inhabited, and 120 are exclusive island resorts.
The atolls are barely higher than sea level, and their sandy soil does not allow for the kind of lush vegetation usually associated with island paradises, but coconut trees, sea cabbage and pandans grow in abundance. Some of the vegetation that decorates and surrounds the resorts is imported.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit the Maldives largely depends on whether your priority is the best possible weather or better value/fewer crowds.
The Maldives has a tropical climate year-round with consistent warm temperatures (highs around 29°C to 31°C or 84°F to 88°F). The main difference is the distinct dry season and wet season.
The best time to visit the Maldives for ideal weather is during the dry season, which runs from November to April, with January through March being the driest and sunniest months. During this peak season, you can expect clear blue skies, low humidity, and calm seas, which are perfect for sunbathing, snorkeling, and diving, but be prepared for the highest resort and flight prices.
If you are traveling on a budget, the wet season from May to October offers the best value with significant discounts on resorts. Although you should expect more rainfall and higher humidity, the showers are usually brief, allowing for plenty of sunshine in between, and this period is also ideal for surfing due to larger swells. The monsoon season runs during this time with the worst storms in June.
Did You Know?
Learn your constellations or download a star-viewing app on your smartphone. You'll be able to see plenty of stars from this far-flung country, and the Maldives is close enough to the equator to even see the Southern Cross.
The Maldives is known in Sanskrit as "Malodheep", which means "a garland of islands."
The word "atoll" (an island of uplifted coral) comes from the Maldivian language. In fact, this country has the world's largest. Suvadiva has a lagoon almost 45 mi/72 km wide.
None of the islands in the Maldives is higher than 10 ft/3 m above sea level.
The Maldives is the world's biggest seaplane operator, with more than 500 Twin Otter flights per week during high season and more than 75,000 passengers per year.
The beautiful white sand found on Maldivian beaches is actually made from coralline material, produced largely by parrotfish, rather than the more common quartz found elsewhere.
There are no dogs in the Maldives, by law. In fact, there are very few creatures to be found anywhere on the land aside from cats and bats. However, the sea is home to a wealth of creatures, including whale sharks, reef sharks and dolphins.
Most resorts you'll have to pay extra for just about everything except breakfast, unless you book a full board or all-inclusive package.
Make sure to book an excursion to see manta rays or whale sharks—swimming with them is a magical experience that you'll never forget.
Be sure to spend or exchange all your local currency (rufiyaa) before you depart as you won't be able to exchange it outside of the Maldives. The airport currency exchange only exchanges rufiyaa if you have a receipt to prove that you obtained your rufiyaa from them.
The official religion is Sunni Islam. By law, only Muslims can be citizens, and alcohol is generally prohibited outside of the private resort islands.
Sample ItierarIES
The Maldives is designed strictly for those who want to get away from it all, lie on some fabulous beaches, snorkel, dive, sail, fish and not have to worry about anything. If you're going all that way to relax, it seems foolish to rush things by staying less than a week. Plus, it takes a long time to get there so you might as well spend enough time to enjoy it!
Since most travelers don't island hop, the itineraries are fairly straightforward. Many times, people will combine The Maldives with another nearby country like Singapore, Sri Lanka or India. There are even ways to combine it with your layover city like Dubai as their flights often come with a stopover program.
Here are just a few examples I put together for you to review and keep in mind that these are often starting places to fully customize your own travels.
