TRAVEL INFORMATION |
Entry requirements and customs
All foreigners including Israeli citizens are welcome in Maldives. Visitors to the Maldives need a valid passport to gain entry and are given a 30-day visa on arrival. All luggage is opened and searched on arrival in the Maldives by customs officials who check for illegal items hat contravene Islamic law. Any alcohol will be removed but you will be given a receipt for it and the bottles will be returned to you on your departure from the Maldives. Magazines might be checked page by page cassette tapes might be viewed.
Language
Maldives has one official language, Dhivehi, which has its own unique form of script. Today, with the increase of tourism and foreign trade, English is gaining importance as a second language and it is taught at schools together with Arabic.
Clothes to Pack
Maldives enjoys a tropical climate. It is recommend to pack light cotton clothing rather than synthetics when visiting the Maldives. As the Maldives is a Muslim country, women must cover their shoulders and wear skirts or trousers of below knee-length when visiting local villages or the capital city. Men should wear a shirt and shorts or trousers for sightseeing tours. Sunscreen and sunglasses are essential. You may want to dress smart casual in the evenings at the up market resorts. Dress on the island Maldives is in general informal, shorts and T-shirts are the norm all year round, beachwear is appropriate at the beach and the swimming pools.
Tipping and service charge
Provided you receive satisfactory service, it is usual to tip porters, waiters, taxi drivers and room attendants in Maldives. The general rule for waiters, room attendants and boat crew is to tip US $ 1.00 per person per day while porters are tipped US $ 1.00 per piece of luggage.
Taxes
There is no VAT in the Maldives.
Time Zone
Throughout the entire year, Maldives Standard Time is five hours ahead of Greenwich Mean time, four hours ahead of European Winter Time, 10 hours ahead of the USA’s Eastern Standard Winter Time, five hours behind Sydney (Australia) and four hours behind Japan’s Standard Time.
Electricity
220/230 volts AC. 15 amp 3 pin British plugs or 2 pin European plugs are used in Maldives. Some hotel rooms feature 110-volt outlets. Not all electric shavers will fit hotel and plug points.
Water
Bottled mineral water is available everywhere in the Maldives. It is highly recommended not to drink tap water while in the Maldives.
Health Requirements
Visitors from, or passing through, a yellow fever zone must be able to produce a valid International Certificate of Vaccination. Such zones extend through most of tropical Africa and South America. Cholera and small pox certificates are not required and there is no screening for Aids. Although malaria was present in Maldives, it has been successfully eradicated and there is no need to take anti-malaria precautions.
Health Precautions
Visitors to the Maldives are responsible for their personal health arrangements; it is advisable to take out medical insurance before departure to the Maldives.
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