Travel into and within Maldives
Male, the capital city, has an international airport. As is usually the case with many islands around the world, the landing area is located almost next to the sea and until few seconds before touchdown, the flight is over the sea and you don’t see the land at all. Looks lovely if you have a window seat.
There are 2 other international airports in Maldives but with a handful of flights. There are ~10 domestic airports which are connected to Male by domestic flights- propeller based planes operated by Maldivian Air.
Seaplane terminal
Male Airport also hosts the seaplane terminal which is considered the biggest in the world for sea plane operations. There are regular ferries to Male City from the ferry terminal. Best to take the ferry to Male City although with the new bridge, you can also drive. If you are going to one of the islands directly, you have to take the seaplane, a domestic flight or speedboat.
In Male city, either walk or commute by a taxi which the hotel can arrange.
When to visit
Maldives in located close to the equator and hence there is really no winter season. It can be visited throughout the year but November to March is the high season and rooms/villas can be very expensive.
Mid April to Mid October is a good time when resorts rooms/villas are available at a more reasonable price. It does rain during this season but it is light rain.
Throughout the year, the temperatures range between mid 20s to early 30s. It can get little hot in the afternoons and that to many means siesta time!
Accommodation
Resorts
In the peak tourist season, in 4/5 star resorts, rooms/villas can cost north of USD 500 per couple per night, with all-inclusive packages costing even more. Rest of the year, accommodation is more reasonable but be prepared to spend ~USD350 per night per couple in a 4/5 star resort for an all-inclusive package. All inclusive package would include all meals and select beverages plus some activities such as snorkeling, kayaks, one sunset cruise, use of swimming pool, fitness center, games such as tennis/badminton/putting green and so on.
Remember you are on an island and hence you will have no choice but to eat in the resort. If you opt for only breakfast, cost of meals per person at the resort will be higher than when you opt for a package. And there are no 7-11s or grocery shops for you to buy anything!
Additional activities such as scuba diving, visit to nearby islands, picnic to an uninhabited island, fishing trips, etc. have to paid for separately. Transfers from Male airport too has to be paid together with the booking (options will be provided if available) and will be in addition to the above tariff.
At the minimum, for a 4/5 star resort with seaplane transfers, you will have to budget atleast USD2,500 for 4 nights per couple though eventually, with one night stay near airport, you will easily get closer to USD3,000. And this excludes international airfare.
Not easy to choose a resort
Given the number of resorts, it can be difficult to choose. Most 4/5 star rated resorts offer similar activities. So whether you head North or South will depend on your interests-just a casual visit or specifically for diving/snorkeling, seaplane ride and above all, your budget. Best to shortlist 3-4 resorts and check the prices on the respective websites and couple of online booking portals. Pay specific attention to the inclusions and exclusions.
Male
Variety of accommodations is available. You can get a room for ~INR5,000 per night. You will not find international hotels here. Maybe choose a hotel close to the ferry terminal. Do ensure your hotel arranges for the pick up and drop.
Visa
Visa on arrival is provided to Indian passport holders for a period not exceeding 30 days (I think it applies to all nationalities). The immigration authorities sometimes do not ask for any supporting documents but do carry copies of your accommodation and return ticket.
Currency
The local currency is Maldivian Rufiyaa. You may not really need to convert your dollars/foreign currency as payments at the islands/resort can be done with your credit card or USD. In Male, USD is accepted in many places but you may be given change in local currency.
Other matters to note
Exercise caution in the islands
On an island, while indulging in some water based activities, say Kayaking or snorkelling, I realised that some portions of the island can be lonely. Most of the activities are not supervised. So do exercise caution because if something were to go wrong, help may not be available immediately.
Plan to return a day prior to return flight
Note that Seaplane flights are not scheduled flights and hence there is no timetable per se. Hence, on the return journey, plan to return a day or two in advance, spending the last night in Male/Hulhumale island. Or the Hulhule Island hotel near the airport, which however is more expensive.
