Area: 298 sq km
Capital: Male
Country Code: 960
Population: 5,30,000
Population Density: +977 14511001 people per square kilometer
Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR), 1 USD = 12.85 MVR
Departure Tax: US$10.00
Drives on the: Left
Location: The Maldives stand in the Laccadive Sea, about 700 kilometre south-west of Sri Lanka (flying time is 45 minutes) and 400 kilometres south-west of India. You can easily access Male (the international airport) from India, Dubai, or Sri Lanka.
Official Language: Maldivian (Divehi) and English is widely spoken
Religion: Islam
Time Zone: GMT+5
Getting a Visa for Maldives
Tourist visa is granted for all nationalities on arrival to Maldives. As such, a foreigner travelling to Maldives as a tourist does not require pre-approval for the visa. However, the person must satisfy the basic entry requirements to get immigration clearance upon arrival.
The basic entry requirements are as follows;
1. A passport or a travel document with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) with at least 6 months validity.
2. A pre-paid hotel booking/accommodation.
3. Sufficient funds to last for the intended period of stay in Maldives.
4. Confirmed onward/return tickets to home country or to country of residence (not applicable for valid resident permit holders).
5. Entry facilities to their onward destinations; for example, the visa.
6. Completed Disembarkation Card.
7. Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, if applicable.
Climate
Despite having two distinct seasons (wet and dry), the temperatures in Maldives rarely changes throughout the year. The average daily temperature is 30˚C (86˚F) making Maldives a true tropical paradise.
Although the humidity is relatively high, the constant sea breeze helps to keep the air moving. The average sea temperature is around 26˚C (79˚F). The dry season from December to April follows the Northeast monsoon season while the wet season from May to November follows the Southwest monsoon season. The wet season can experience torrential rains, however since Maldives is located on the equatorial belt, severe rainstorms are rare. Maldives experiences a great deal of sunshine, averaging at least 8 hours of sunshine each day.
Currency of Maldives
The Maldivian Rufiyaa is the currency of Maldives. Although as a tourist you really do not need to take much of any local currency. The best currency to take to the Maldives is either the Euro or the Dollar. Although many island allow and some prefer you to pay by card.
You can convert your local currency in the Maldives and a better exchange rate is normally obtained in the main banks in Male rather than through your hotel or resort, although this will either doing the exchange at the airport when you arrive or making a special trip to the capital.
Best Time to Visit Maldives
Perfect for sunbathers, a period from December to April is a tourist season with room rates at their peak. Yet, it never gets overcrowded in the Maldives. Winter is also your chance to witness an extraordinary spectacle of baby islands’ birth. Low season from May through September could be considered the best time to visit the Maldives. Crowds thin out, prices drop, and conditions for scuba diving and surfing are optimal. Rainfalls are possible, but storms usually move quickly. Besides, summer is a high time to see magic bio-luminescent plankton. Visiting the Maldives in this period will also introduce you to Ramadan traditions.