Have you made your travel plans to the Maldives ? Have a read at these interesting facts we found out during our trip to the Maldives.
1. Male Airport is actually an Island
The airport of the Maldives is just a tiny island which is man-made and only exist out of a runway and a terminal. There are seaplanes and boats to bring you to the other Maldives Islands ( Atolls )
Google ‘Male Airport ‘ and you will find lots of air photos from Male Airport. It is a real joy to fly in at Male Airport, so make sure you get yourself a window seat on the plane when you fly to the Maldives.
2. The Maldives is the flattest land on earth
The Maldives were badly hit by the Tsunami at the 26th of December 2014 and the Tourism Industry went down big time because people were afraid for another Tsunami.
When we were on the Island of Maafushi, the locals where still talking about the Tsunami. Luckily the tourists came back, but with being the flattest country on earth (their tropical palm trees are their highest point) the ongoing climate change and rise of sea levels, the Maldives will eventually lose ground if global warming and environmental issues will continue like this.
This is one of the many reasons why we have to protect our beautiful world by reducing our plastic waste, eating less meat and be more conscious.
3. The Maldives in the sixties
In the sixties, only the islands around Male where accessible for tourists, most of the other islands where only accessible when you got an invitation from one of the locals.
4. Snorkeling and Diving heaven
The unique underwater world beauty of the Maldives is known by its high visibility (sometimes even at depths of around 50 meters) the wide range of exotic flora & fauna and the warm temperature of around 25 degrees. But even if you are not a that keen on diving, snorkelling is also amazing as the clearest water on earth surrounds the beautiful atolls and sandbanks.
5. Respect the Islamic Culture
Be ( as on all destinations) respectful to the locals. They are very friendly and welcoming. Keep in mind that the Maldives is an Islamic country, so there are certain restrictions you must adhere to.
For example, alcohol and pork are forbidden and the only places we could drink alcohol was in a few hotels. Also, on the tiny and only beach in the Capital City Male , it’s not allowed to wear bikinis or bathing suits, only in the resorts and designated area`s.
6. Best time to travel to the Maldives
The best time to travel to the Maldives is in general between December – April for the best weather ( dry season ) but also for your best chance of seeing whale sharks and manta rays.
Note that this period will also be the busiest and more expensive period. If you are keen on surfing, the best place and time to go is to the North Male Atoll between June and August with the biggest chance of good waves.
7. Get a window seat
If you don’t want to, or have the money to spent on a seaplane for your local transport ( believe us they are very expensive, think about 300 AUD p.p one way ) make sure you get yourself a window seat during your international flight to and from the Maldives.
During take off and landing, you will have stunning views over all the little atolls and with a bit of luck you will have a clear view of Male Airport sitting on his own little island.
8. Take the local ferries
Take the local ferries as they are so much cheaper than any other form of transport in the Maldives. Yes, okay, they are also much slower, but keep in mind that a speedboat from Male to your atoll will have a price tag from about $120 USD p.p one way depending on which island you are located.
We paid only $3 USD to go to Maafushi from Male which took us around 2 hours. Bring a little blanket or a hoody where you can sit on, as the benches on the local ferries are quite hard.
9. Save money and stay on Maafushi
It’s really possible to travel to the Maldives on a budget. We did it and we had the best time! Read our article Travel the Maldives on a budget here
Liked this article about 9 Things you need to know before travelling to the Maldives? Share it with your friends 🙂
Thank you 🙂 I am glad you liked it ! Let us know if you need any more info. I also wrote a few other post about the Maldives and how to travel on a budget to the Maldives, which might also become handy 🙂
Jo
Thank you for this post! I’ve been wanting to visit Maldives and good thing I’ve read this. I was not aware that it is a Islamic country. I’ll take note of this! Thanks!