Tips for enjoying a perfect trip to the Maldives

Almost everyone relates the Maldives Islands with paradisiacal beaches of white sand, crystal clear waters, sun, diving, relax … And the truth is that we are not wrong, the Maldives is a perfect destination for all this, a true natural paradise that is more than we dream of visiting once. If you are one of those who wish to discover this spectacular destination, in this article we offer you our recommendations to make your visit to the Maldives a perfect trip.

A paradise with 1,200 islands

The Maldives (officially Republic of Maldives) is located in the Indian Ocean, southeast of Sri Lanka and 450 km. from India. It is an island country formed by around 1,200 islands of which only 203 are inhabited.

Its territory (the smallest in Asia) is organized by 26 atolls: ring-shaped coral islands that surround a lagoon. The Maldives is the country with the largest atolls in the world. You can even find a private island for sale.

When is the best time to travel to the Maldives?

The weather in the Maldives is good all year round! Thanks to the presence of the Indian Ocean, Maldives has a moderate tropical climate that is almost constant throughout the year. Temperatures rarely drop below 25º, and seawater is between 27 and 29º all year round.

Although any time is good to travel, the best months are those from November to April, when the Winter Monsoon (irruvai for Maldivians) is presented.

This dry monsoon differs from the humid monsoon (or hulhangu) of summer due to the absence of rain. The period from May to October is the rainiest, but do not panic, they are intense rains but momentary.

Do I need a visa for the trip to the Maldives?

No, if you are a resident of the USA or European Union you only need to have your passport valid for more than 6 months and a ticket to leave the country. When you arrive at the airport in Maldive, you will be given a visa valid for 30 days.

What is the official language and currency of the Maldives Islands?

If you are one of the few who speaks Dhivehi, you are in luck; this Indo-Aryan language is the official language of the country. Although it is a minimal extended language, there are quite a few differences in pronunciation between the various atolls. Do not worry if you think you will not be able to understand their local language; almost everyone speaks English.

The same thing happens with the coin. Although the official one is the rupee of Maldives (or rufiyaa), all transactions of tourists can be made with American dollars.

How do you get to the Maldives?

As you may have guessed, the options to get to the country are not many: by sea or by air, the latter being the most recommended.

Currently, there are no direct flights from the USA, so the best way to travel to the Maldives is to create a combined trip with a nearby country and enjoy different places on a dream trip.

Do you have to get vaccinated to travel to the Maldives?

No, there is no mandatory vaccine. Even so, we recommend you go to a specialized center in traveler’s medicine to be fully informed.

What to eat and drink in the Maldives

Two factors characterize Maldivian cuisine, fish and the influence of neighboring countries. The omnipresence of fish is not a surprise in a country that is entirely surrounded by water. The most symbolic dish is the mashuni salad, a tuna salad that is very common in Maldivian breakfasts.

The influence of neighboring countries is also very evident, especially from Sri Lanka, India or Arabia. Many of their dishes have the characteristic curry, yes, slightly sweeter thanks to the use of coconut, an essential ingredient in Maldivian cuisine. Other typical dishes are the Kuli Boakiva (tuna and coconut cakes), Gulha (like some fish dishes with tuna, coconut, curry, onion, ginger, lemon, turmeric, chile and salt) Bajiya (fish, coconut and onion samosa) or Garudia (fish soup).

A dream vacation in the Maldives

The Maldives has more than 100 resorts. Each of the complexes tends to occupy its own private island, which makes this country a unique tourist destination in the world. The tranquility and privacy are assured in each of Maldives resort, where you can enjoy a totally paradisiacal environment with beaches and movie sunsets.

Although all the islands have very similar characteristics, when we talk about the tourist complexes, there are big differences with regard to the dimensions, service levels and quality of accommodation.

Main attractions of Maldives

• The Maldives is the smallest and least populated country in Asia. The islands are no more than 8km long, and the most populated is the capital, Malé, with 100,000 inhabitants

• It is the country with the lowest average maximum height in the world, at 2.3m. Imagine the concern that there is in the Maldives before the rise in sea level.

• The origin of the Maldives is not clearly determined since they are the result of the fusion of several different cultures. The most widespread theory is the mixture of Indians and Sinhalese with Arab and African ethnicities.

• The coconut palms are one of its greatest symbols. They grow up to 30 meters and can reach 100 years.

• Another symbol is the dhonis the boats of the fishermen. Although many have current materials (GPS, engines) many are reluctant to do so.
• The cowrie shells, even included in the rupee coins, are found in the Maldives.
• The Maldives is a paradise for scuba divers! If swimming with sharks is your greatest wish, do not miss the opportunity to dive with the whale sharks; It is one of the few places in the world where you can do it all year round. Diving among turtles, sharks, rays or rays is also possible among its crystalline waters.
• Do you know that you can also admire the underwater world while you eat? The Maldives is the first country that caters submarine restaurant in the world. Awesome!
• The great abundance of coral favored the construction of houses with this material for years. Its use is currently prohibited for environmental reasons.
• Thanks precisely to the Parrotfish, Maldives has fine coral sand on its beaches. Those undigested corals that this fish eats makes us see so much coral on the seabed of the islands.
• And we end with a spectacular natural phenomenon. Thanks to the bioluminescent phytoplankton that water possesses, we can see how the rough sea shines at night!

Conclusion

The Maldives remains the quintessential tourist destination chosen by thousands of couples from around the world to celebrate those magical days of their honeymoon. Undoubtedly, this country has all the necessary ingredients to enjoy the best honeymoon you can imagine; Paradisiacal beaches, turquoise waters, sea beds full of life, pleasant temperatures, splendid sunsets and an unbeatable service in the tourist complexes, make this destination one of the best in the world to celebrate an event of these characteristics.