Useful information about your holiday trip

Pharmacy
Medicines are only available in Malé and only in a limited selection. The custom of handing over unneeded medication at the reception has therefore become established on the hotel islands. Almost every hotel has a more or less well-stocked pharmacy where you can help yourself free of charge if you are sick. Diving schools are also grateful buyers of medication and usually have a stock of the most common medications.

Doctor
There are two public and two private hospitals in Malé. Other clinics with decompression chambers and good medical care around the h are located on the hotel islands of Kuramathi, Kandima, Kuredu, Shangri La, ADK and Bandos. Dental treatment is only possible in Malé.

There are also some general practitioners on Malé and also on some hotel islands. If you have taken out international health insurance, get a receipt for all medical treatment that you submit to your insurance company in Germany. We recommend that guests without international insurance contact their health insurance company with their bill, which will usually cover part of the costs.

Alcohol
The import and export of alcohol in the Maldives is prohibited. According to the Koran, Muslims are strictly forbidden from consuming alcoholic beverages. That's why no alcoholic drinks are served in the capital Malé or on the local islands. If alcohol was taken from you when you entered the country, you can get it back when you leave the airport (counter on the left in front of the check-in counters) upon presentation of the receipt that you received upon entry. Please do not offer alcohol to locals or encourage them to drink.

Export ban
Tortoise shell, tortoiseshell and black coral in any form may not be exported. Shells belong on the beach and serve as a home for hermit crabs! Not everything that is offered to you on the street or in shops can actually be carried out.

Banks/currency exchange
The hotels take over the exchange transactions. If you need a bank, you can exchange money there at the times listed below.
Opening hours of all banks: Sunday to Thursday from 08:30 to 13:00 hours
Cash on credit card: Bank of Ceylon Orchid Magu Male
Here you can get up to 500 USD cash with Visa or MasterCard upon presentation of your passport. The reserve currency is the US dollar (USD). The local currency is the Maldivian Rufiya (MVR).
There are ATMs at the domestic terminal next to the international airport where you can withdraw cash in USD. At all other ATMs you only receive local currency.
1 USD= 15,38 MVR
1 € = 16,34 MVR (as of October 2023)
Both USD and MVR are accepted in Malé and the rest of the local islands. Exchange offices can be found everywhere in Malé. Hotel bills are generally issued in USD; Rufiya are not welcomed on the holiday islands. Payment is made with cash or standard credit cards. In some hotels, the credit card must be presented three days before the bill is paid. Paying for the extras on the islands is simple. You sign your bill for drinks, excursions, minibar or other extras and pay the evening before your departure. Weekly billing is recommended. In this case, the reception should be informed that an interim billing is desired.

Strolling and shopping
For shopping, we recommend a trip to Malé, where a visit to the large fish, fruit and vegetable market will take some time. In addition to fruits and fish specialties, you can be seduced by the scent of Asian spices. A lively hustle and bustle accompanies the event. There are shopping streets nearby, lined with clothing and electronics stores. Trading is not only permitted here, it is even encouraged. Negotiating the price helps to get to know each other better and, above all, to return home satisfied with the new goods. There is also a large selection of souvenirs in Malé. Here you will be greeted by the colorful range in many variations from the shop windows.

factories
On a few islands there are factories that produce for export and are usually run by foreigners.

Holidays
Although the Gregorian calendar is officially used in the Maldives, religious holidays follow the Islamic calendar. Their year is structured according to the phases of the moon and is shorter than our solar year, which is why the dates of the Islamic holidays change annually compared to our calendar. There is therefore only rough data for Islamic holidays. The Islamic calendar dates back approximately 580 years. Friday is considered an official holiday/rest day.

Photos/films
The Maldives offer many great motifs. Nothing is as fascinating as foreign cultures and faces. Sometimes Maldivians are very sensitive to cameras. Please ask in advance if you can take a photo. In Malé, taking photos of military installations, coast guard ships and uniformed people is prohibited. No photography or filming is allowed inside the new Friday mosque. Violations can result in high fines.

Clothing
On the holiday islands, almost only casual clothing is required. For trips to Malé and the local island, it is advisable to dress according to Islamic customs. This means: shoulders and knees should be covered and provocative clothing should be avoided!

Climate & Environment
Year-round monsoon climate with high humidity. Daytime temperatures around 30°C, night temperatures rarely below 20°C. Water temperatures between 25°C and 28°C. Rainy season from May to October.

Communication
Telephone calls to Europe can be made at all resorts directly from reception and usually from the room. Each call is billed per minute on many resorts. Instructions for use can be found in the hotel folder in your room. The charges per minute to Europe are approximately 4 to 5 USD.
Area codes:
Germany: 0049
Austria: 0043
Switzerland: 0041nd
Free Wi-Fi is available on many islands. If this is not the case, we recommend buying a cheap SIM card (costs between 30 and 50 USD, depending on the offer).

Post
Your mail to Europe takes around 10 to 14 days. You can leave your holiday greetings at reception or put them in the mailbox at the airport. Please don’t forget to note “Air Mail”!
Postage is 15 MVR for postcards and 23 MVR for letters to Europe.
Our tip: The Maldives have great and world-famous stamps - a treasure for every collector! You can get some of these collections from the post office at the airport.

Sport
The most popular sports among locals are not diving, snorkeling and swimming, but football, soccer and more soccer. Perhaps volleyball, cricket and badminton can also be included. Visitors, on the other hand, are more likely to go under or into the water. The Maldives are a water sports paradise where all divers get their money's worth. Anyone who hasn't put their nose under the water as a diver or snorkeler has missed out on the most beautiful thing. In addition to diving, snorkeling, surfing and other water sports are also offered on all islands.

Electricity
All hotel islands have generators. The voltage is 220 volts. It is advisable to carry a travel adapter with you, as type “G” plugs/sockets are predominantly used in the Maldives.

gratuities
In general, a service charge of 10% is charged. These service fees are distributed equally to all hotel employees. A tip is not necessarily expected for every service, but of course it helps everywhere. It is customary to give the porter $1 per piece of luggage. Waiters and room stewards enjoy about $5 per week. For boat crews on transfers and excursions, $1 to $5 is appropriate depending on the work performed.

Diving
International diving schools at the resorts ensure safe and unforgettable diving experiences. In the event of a diving accident, decompression chambers are available on the islands of Kuramathi, Kandima, Kuredu, Shangri La, ADK and Bandos. Please note that the costs of chamber treatments are not normally covered by health insurance.

Valuables
Please use the hotel safes, which are usually available free of charge. Neither organizers nor hotels assume liability for lost valuables.

Time
The time in the Maldives is 4 hours ahead of Central European Time (CET) - our summer time by 3 hours.