One cannot but agree that among all the variety of tourist routes, one of the most idyllic vacation spots is geographically located where the Maldives Islands are located.

About Maldives

The Maldives combines everything that a vacationer wants to get in full measure from a vacation - relaxation on a sandy beach, an even tan in the rays of the gentle sun, emotions from the opportunity to feel like a surfer or diver, impressions from getting to know the local culture. The Maldives is a place where the maximum temperature is maintained throughout the season, many coral islands are connected in an ideal representation of paradise on Earth, and where the feeling of unity with the surrounding nature is very subtle. What is known about this unique country to an ordinary tourist?

Maldives

Location of the republic

The Republic of Maldives, being an island state, is recognized as a democratic republic with its own local flavor and traditions.

Everyone has heard about the best place for a beach holiday, but few people know where the Maldives is. But it is the location that allows the Maldivian resorts to remain in the top tourist sales both in 2018 and earlier. It is not so easy to find answers to questions about where the Maldives are located, in which country, on which mainland, since the islands are so small and so scattered that they cannot be immediately found on a geographical map. But if you look at South Asia near the equator, a whole range of islands will open up to the eye of a tourist in the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean. They are united under the common name of the Maldives, where initially it was the foot of the volcanic mountains-islands that formed the coral islands.

The volcanic past of the islands has given the whole world amazingly beautiful blue lagoons, endless beaches, unique vegetation and a rich underwater world. The opportunity to feel a sense of unity with nature, find out what kind of sea is in the Maldives, and also look at the endless and majestic ocean, all this gives every tourist a trip to the Maldives.

National features of the Maldives

The Maldives is a country of strict rules, even with all its relaxing tourist atmosphere. The local population is always ready to help, show care, provide the proper level of service, express peacefulness in the best traditions of island hospitality. But the peculiarities of religious traditions require guests to follow certain rules.

The Muslim religion imposes a mandatory ban on the consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially in public places. In addition, before setting off on a journey, you should carefully consider the fact that it is forbidden to import alcohol into the Maldives.

Important! Very serious attention should be paid to clothing issues - adhering to local rules, do not unnecessarily expose yourself, showing off your body.

Respect is also required for their national symbols. The Maldivians are especially reverent about the flag and coat of arms, as well as the national flower - the rose. They consider the coconut palm to be the national tree, and the national animal, tuna, is under state protection.

The locals keep unique national characteristics, speaking among themselves in a mixture of different languages, including Arabic. The national language also includes Divehi, which is close to the Indo-Aryan group.

Note! Locals prefer to speak English with tourists.

The subtleties of tourism in the Maldives

A huge number of islands offer tourists the opportunity to have a good rest. Hotels, villas, bungalows offer vacationers everything they need for comfort. Even such a frequent travel problem as the issue of sockets will not disturb the tourist here, because everything is thought out in advance.

Each resort region of the Maldives can show tourists the perfect beach holiday, but you should not rely on a variety of attractions. In the Maldives, the beaches are considered a national treasure, their cleanliness and beauty are unrivaled. Among the Maldivian cities that can somehow diversify a lazy holiday on snow-white pristine beaches with walks along the promenade, excursion routes to iconic places, only the capital Male stands out. Often, travel agencies initially enter her visit into the itinerary.

Note! Maafushi Island, which belongs to the budget destination, is very popular among Russian tourists.

It is also called the Russian Maldives. Here you can get a good rest, learn local traditions and life in the Maldives from the inside, bring home memories of the tastes and preferences of the Maldivians. You can feel the authenticity of the Maldivians with the help of local cuisine. Both large hotels and ordinary catering places will give you the opportunity to get acquainted with local delicacies, and even to the sound of their own music. A variety of fruits will help to feel the sweetness of the rest: from well-known coconuts and bananas to exotic papaya, mango and guava.

It is also important for every tourist to have the opportunity to bring something memorable from their vacation. The Maldives, what a country - sunny, open and hospitable, so are the souvenirs filled with light and island color. Usually they bring brightly painted clothes, water equipment, jewelry, teas and delicacies for themselves or as a gift. Under a strict ban, the export of corals and any items made from them, as well as turtle shells.

Important! Since the danger in the Maldives can only come from the depths of the sea, tourists do not have to worry about their safety.

Undersea world

The main rule here is the observance of elementary rules. When diving, it is important to remember that you should not touch anything. This will help you avoid many problems. Widespread in the coastal waters of the Maldives, whale sharks are completely safe for vacationers. Being the largest fish on the planet, they do not pose a danger to people, because they feed only on plankton. You should be extremely careful when swimming on wild beaches. This is especially true for swimming among dangerous marine life. These include stone fish, whose poison poses a serious threat to human life, sea urchins and rays. Swimming on coral beaches should definitely be done in special shoes that can protect your feet from injuries that can easily be obtained from coral fragments.

Note! As an island nation, the Maldives is prone to tsunamis.

The worst tsunami happened in 2004. But at the moment, this natural disaster does not disturb the Maldives. The state fully cares about the protection of its vacationers and local residents, and creates programs to protect coral reefs that save the territory of the islands from sea currents.

Additional Information! When going on a trip to the Maldives, especially on your own, it is important to know the time zone in which they are located, and what time it will be in the Maldives upon arrival at the country's airport. Time in the Maldives is counted according to a single time zone, which refers to GMT +05:00. In the Maldives, time is not converted to summer and winter. The difference with Moscow is +2 hours.

Another important issue for tourists is the currency. The national currency in the Maldives is the rufiyaa. The current exchange rate of the rufiyaa against the ruble is 4.35, and against the dollar 0.065*.

This is interesting:

• It is important to remember that the Maldives is a Muslim country with a special attitude towards wealth. Demonstrating it for show is considered bad form, so there is an opinion that the simpler a person is dressed, the richer he is.
• In the Maldives, there is something like a morality police, which stands to protect religious preferences, namely Sunni Islam. Other religious propaganda is subject to penalties up to a real prison term.
• Pigs are not bred on the territory of the country; moreover, dogs are also classified as “unclean animals”. An exception are shepherd dogs that serve in the police. Bringing a pet to the Maldives is strictly prohibited. Anyone who violates this rule can face not only a serious fine, but also placement in a sanitary zone at the airport.
• Unlike our generally accepted working week, the Maldivian differs in that weekdays are the period from Sunday to Thursday. The Maldivians rest on Friday and Saturday, these days are considered official days off.
• Since the supply of fresh water in the Maldives is negligible, even wealthy residents collect it in any free dish during the rain.
• It is interesting that the Maldivian airport is located in the middle of the Indian Ocean on an artificially filled island.
• On the territory of the islands, it is forbidden to swim naked, not only for local residents, but also for guests. The only exception where you can do this is the island of Kuramachi.

Kuramati Island

When organizing an independent trip to the Maldives, it is important to remember that it is not possible to rent a car here, it is even problematic to use a bicycle. Local transport will also not help you get to your destination, as it is not particularly developed. Some of the islands are so small that you can walk around them. To help tourists, only speedboats and boats that organize communication between the islands.

The most important issue when organizing a tour to the Maldives is, of course, air travel. If the trip is not organized through an agency, then the purchase of tickets should not be delayed for months. On services for organizing flights, it is very rare, but still there are sales for popular destinations. The number of tickets is strictly limited, you should not hope for luck. Subscribing to the mailing list of services that offer discounts and early booking of flights helps to save money. The most expensive flight to the Maldives for two will be from December to April - this is the most popular time when everyone goes on vacation to the islands en masse. To reduce the price for this period, you can find a suitable ticket for the cost six months before departure. There are no direct flights, transfers are often carried out through the Turkish direction, but there are many other options. You can fly not only from Moscow, the flight takes an average of 11 hours.

Despite the long flight, the Maldives is a fairy tale that is worth plunging into from our reality, at least for a while.

* The prices indicated in the article are current as of January 2018.

Are you endless romantics, madly in love with each other, or have you recently got married? Or maybe you are a diver from birth and are ready to explore the underwater world around the clock? Or do you prefer a relaxing holiday in a tropical paradise to luxurious hotels?
Welcome to the Maldives!

Geography of the Maldives

Republic of Maldives located in the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean, about 700 km southwest of Sri Lanka. The Maldives is an archipelago of 26 natural atolls, consisting of 1192 coral islets: 198 inhabited and 991 uninhabited islands. The length of the archipelago from north to south is 820 km, from east to west - 120 km. The total area is 90 thousand km², the land area is 298 km². Of the more than 1000 islands, only a few have an area of ​​​​more than 1 km. The islands do not rise much above the ocean level: the highest point of the archipelago is on the southern Addu (Siena) atoll - 2.4 m. There are no rivers or mountains on them, each island is surrounded by a shallow lagoon. Atolls are formed by reefs, among which there are many corals. The reefs, the natural protection of the islands from the violence of the sea, amaze with their beauty. In addition, they serve as a refuge for numerous tropical fish. The depth of the sea under the reefs reaches 365 m. On the islands you can see typical tropical landscapes, with tall coconut trees, white sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons. The largest atoll - Huvadhoo, located in the south, with a lagoon area of ​​​​2240 km, is one of the largest atolls in the world. The smallest atolls are Kaashidhu, north of Male Atoll, and Thoddhu, both less than 2 km in diameter.

The nearest neighbors of the Maldives in the north and east are India, located at a distance of about 600 km, and Sri Lanka, at a distance of about 670 km. In the west are the shores of the African Republic of Somalia, in the east are Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. The nearest neighbor of the Maldives in the southwest is the Seychelles, and a little further - Madagascar.

Climate in the Maldives

Maldives are located almost on the equator, and therefore the temperature in the Maldives does not fall below +27 ° C all year round. The climate is subequatorial monsoon. Under the influence of the northeast monsoons, dry from November to March and under the influence of the southwest monsoons, rainy from June to August. The air temperature never drops below +17 °C in January-February and never rises above +32 °C in April-May. The water temperature all year round is 28-30 degrees, humidity is 75-80%, although it changes under the influence of cold ocean breezes. May and November are considered the wettest months. In June, the sun is the least (6.5 hours a day). However, even on cloudy days, the sun exposure is so intense that it can harm sensitive fair skin even with indirect exposure.

Language in the Maldives

Official language - Dhivehi, close to Sinhalese, with borrowings from Arabic and English. The educated part of the population speaks Arabic and English. In tourist areas, staff speak many languages, including English, German, French, Italian and Japanese.

History and culture of the Maldives

The first inhabitants appeared on the islands three and a half thousand years ago. Aryan settlers settled here around 500 BC, however, reliable historical evidence appears only from the moment the inhabitants of the island converted to Islam in 1153. Sultans of various dynasties ruled the islands for centuries, although there was a fifteen-year period of Portuguese rule that ended in 1573 1887 to 1965 the period of the British protectorate continued, after which the islands returned to full independence. Three years later, the sultanate was abolished, in effect for the second time, and replaced by republican rule.

Despite foreign influences ranging from Indian films and martial arts to Michael Jackson and Muslim fundamentalism, the Dhivehi culture lives on in the Maldives. Western fashion is clearly felt in the capital of the country, pop music plays everywhere and many video salons are open. But, as soon as any religious event comes (for example, the holy holiday of Ramadan), the Maldivian traditions take precedence.

Several daily newspapers and magazines are published in the native language of the inhabitants of the country (divehi). There are several rock bands known throughout the country that sing lyrical Dhivehi songs. Multi-storey houses on the islands are designed in an architectural style that is an echo of the architecture of the first houses in the Maldives. Popular is "Bodu Beru" - a local big drum. This is the name he gave to the traditional music and dance rhythms of the Maldives. This art form can be seen in the resorts during the local culture night. Modern local rock bands, often performing at the resorts, perform well-known songs and music. When performing songs for the locals, they use some elements of bodu beru, percussion and drum solo inserts. Cassettes with recordings of local artists are sold in music stores in Male.

Customs and traditions of the Maldives

Religion leaves a certain imprint on the life and traditions of the Maldivians. For example:
- residents of the Maldives are not allowed to sell alcohol, alcoholic beverages can only be bought in the tourist area in a designated place, the use of alcoholic beverages in public places (outside the tourist area) is prohibited;
- in mosques one should behave with restraint. entering the mosque, you must take off your shoes and wash your feet in a special ritual pool, clothes should be closed, cover your legs, arms and shoulders, women should also cover their heads;
- it is forbidden by law to visit the capital of Male and the islands where the local population lives in open beach clothes, you must have light clothes that cover your shoulders, arms and legs, cotton clothing is considered the best option;
- nudism and topless on the beaches of the country are prohibited by law (with the exception of the island of Kuramati);
- it is customary to greet with a handshake, the official greeting is “salamu alaikum”, the greeting for an informal setting is “kihenen”;
- illegal fishing near the islands and spearfishing are prohibited;
- it is forbidden to litter
- In mosques and in places of religious shrines, photography is not allowed.
- you should not try to make contact with unfamiliar women in the Maldives, this is not accepted in Muslim countries.

Violation of the rules can result in a fine, imprisonment and even deportation from the country.

National cuisine in the Maldives

Cuisine of the Maldives based on Arabic and Indian cuisines. Most often there are various types of fish products, rice, spices, sauces. The favorite dish of the Maldivians is tuna with rice. Desserts - coconut in any form, areca nut, lots of fruits, fruit salads, pastries. Popular drinks are milk tea and Arabic coffee. Almost all fruits are imported, only coconuts and bananas are our own. Also, the Maldivians love a concentrated tuna paste called riha-akuru. It is mixed with boiled rice, chili and onions or spread on hot roshi. Many people prefer to eat rihaakura with grated green mango and chili. Packed in small bags, rihaakuru is sold in stores and shops - you can buy it and try it at home, for example, spread it on a sandwich. A Maldivian meal usually ends with a dish of thinly sliced ​​betel nut (areca), betel leaves and lime paste meant to be chewed. These remedies are believed to improve digestion.

Bringing alcohol to the Maldives is prohibited. You can drink only in specially designated places - in bars and restaurants of hotels where visitors from Sri Lanka and India serve (citizens of the Maldives are prohibited from selling alcohol).

The cost of food and drinks in the resorts is much higher than in Male, since all products have to be brought to the islands. On average, a bottle of mineral water with a volume of 1.5 liters. costs 5 US dollars, a glass of wine - 6 US dollars, 1 buffet lunch - 35-40 US dollars. Prices vary by hotel category.

Monetary unit in the Maldives

Maldivian currency are rufiya and laari. 1 Maldivian rufiyaa is equal to 100 laari. 1 US dollar is approximately equal to 12 rufiyaa. In the Maldives, there are banknotes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyaas and coins of 2 and 1 rufiyaa, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 laari. In the Maldives, US dollars and major credit cards (American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club and Euro Card) are almost universally accepted for payment. Therefore, it is not at all necessary to exchange dollars for local currency.

Shopping in the Maldives

The most famous souvenirs from the Maldives are undoubtedly "thudu kuna" - Maldivian mats woven from local natural palm fiber. Another souvenir is miniature wooden "doni" - traditional fishing boats that can be found everywhere in the Maldives. Shark jaws, coconut oil, shells, sarongs, handicrafts made of wood, most of which are handmade, coconut monkeys are also brought from the islands. In Male, buy high-quality foreign-made diving equipment and equipment at attractive prices.

Most shops are open from 9.00 to 22.00 with a few short breaks for prayer. On Fridays shops open after 14.00. Almost all salespeople speak English, some German and French. You can bargain, and even need to, the price can be reduced to 30%.

Maldivian Customs

When crossing the border with the Maldives, all baggage undergoes strict customs control.
It is allowed to import duty-free: foreign and national currency in any amount; cigarettes, no more than 200 pieces; perfumes up to 125 ml; goods for personal use in non-commercial quantities (no more than one item of each product per person)
It is allowed to export duty-free: national or foreign currency in unlimited quantities; previously imported goods for personal use and souvenirs
It is forbidden to import and export: alcoholic products; salami sausages; items of a pornographic nature (cassettes, publications); narcotic substances; items found at the bottom of the sea.
Export prohibited turtle shells and corals. The exception is objects, the decorative pattern of which is made using these materials, and souvenirs.

Attempting to smuggle alcoholic beverages is subject to a $500 fine. Alcohol left at customs will be returned when you leave the country.

reference Information

Tipping in the Maldives- not officially accepted, but with decent service, it does not hurt to reward the attendants with a small amount ($ 10 for a hotel employee, and a waiter - 5% of the bill). At some resorts, the service fee is immediately charged to the bill (as a rule, this is 10% of the total cost), then tipping is no longer necessary.

Electricity in the Maldives- voltage in the networks of the Maldives: 220-240 V, 50 Hz (voltage surges are possible).

Time in the Maldives- ahead of Moscow by 1 hour.

Visa to the Maldives- Citizens of the Russian Federation do not need a visa to enter the Maldives.

Phones in the Maldives- for calls to the Maldives to landline numbers, dial: 8 - 10 - 960 - (area code) - (phone number). To make calls to Russia, dial: 007 (Russian code) - (area code) - (phone number). The telephone code of the Maldives is 960.

The territory of the islands is divided into several telephone zones. The cost of calls within each zone is approximately the same, calls between zones are more expensive. You can call from pay phones, from hotels, or from a mobile phone. Most major Russian mobile operators provide roaming services in the Maldives. The cost of the service depends on the tariff rates of a particular operator.

Transport in the Maldives- There are no regular transport links on the islands. The main means of transport are sailing and motor boats. Most of the transportation is carried out by seaplanes, helicopters and boats. There is no public transport as such. The most common form of water transport in the Maldives is the wooden dhoni boat with a flat roof. Large Vedis boats are used for long journeys to distant atolls. By land they move mainly on bicycles and motorcycles. Car taxis (and roads) exist only in the capital Male and on the island of Gan.

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Precautionary measures

Basic moments

The Maldives is all about bountiful sunshine, glamorous sieve-sand beaches, turquoise bounty-style lagoons and fantastic diving 365 days a year. And it is also a delightful atmosphere of complete relaxation, respectable laziness and detachment from everyday problems. No matter what economic cataclysms shake the planet, this Asian resort continues to live in its relaxed and land-independent rhythm. The classical Islamic state, with its traditional taboo on everything that contradicts religious canons, managed to adapt to the free mores of the tourist elite, while not compromising its own traditions at all. The Maldives is the very place where the roads of visitors and indigenous people (unless they are employees of hotels) hardly intersect, and a bank account, no matter how solid they may be, can be reset to zero in a matter of days. It is in the Maldives that you can arrange the most romantic wedding, improve your diving skills, and, finally, just feel like the last person on the planet by renting a secluded bungalow with a private beach and stunning ocean views.

History of the Maldives

According to rough estimates, the history of the Maldives began more than 2000 years ago, when the atolls lost in the Indian Ocean were settled by people from neighboring India and Sri Lanka. It was the first settlers who brought Buddhism to the islands, which in the 12th century replaced Islam, which was actively promoted by the Arabs who arrived here.

Starting from the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese and Dutch began to claim the territory of the Maldives. But the locals were in no hurry to turn their country into a raw material appendage of insatiable Europe, actively resisting the attacks of foreigners.

In 1887, England still managed to establish a protectorate over the Maldives. But in 1967, the islanders rebelled, demanding complete independence from Britain, which was granted to them a year later. The country was immediately declared a republic and a new president was elected.

Weather and climate

You can go to the Maldives at any time of the year: thanks to the subequatorial monsoon climate, it is always warm here. Even in the coldest months (January-February), the thermometer never drops below +17 °C, and the average air temperature often fluctuates between +24...+33 °C. The main climatic differences depend on the two monsoonal seasons. The winter northeast monsoon, which blows from January to March, is at the peak of the season, it brings dry weather and coincides with the European winter. The southwest monsoon from May to December brings wet weather, but the rain rarely lasts very long. The rainiest months in the Maldives are May and November, while the sunniest months are March, as well as before and after it.

Geography

The Republic of Maldives is an Asian state in the equatorial Indian Ocean. It is 700 km to Sri Lanka, and only 430 to India. By the way, the Maldives is considered the lowest state on the planet: almost all local land areas are only a meter or two above sea level, so in the distant future the fashionable resort risks repeating the fate of Atlantis.

The Maldives Islands are mostly small, and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe individual ones is completely tiny. Almost each of these pieces of land has its own coral "shield", so the main feature of the local beaches is that they almost never storm, and the water off the coast retains amazing transparency.

The main resort area of ​​the country is formed by the northern atolls, which guarantee their guests top-notch service and complete privacy. The southern atolls are a little behind in terms of tourism development, but it is easy to predict that they will catch up in the foreseeable future, given that their lagoons are full of suitable dive sites.

But tour operators have reached the far southern atolls relatively recently, so for now, these islands continue to be inhabited by the Maldivians themselves. This, of course, does not mean that the foot of the ubiquitous backpacker has not set foot here - quite the opposite, given the fact that the distant atolls are perhaps the only place in the country where a tourist thirsty for national color can freely contact with the locals. In other parts of the resort, it will not work so freely to roam the village streets.

Flora and fauna

The natural world of the equatorial paradise is surprisingly poor. The main inhabitants of the land are hermit crabs, giant Achatina (snails), flying foxes (relatives of our bats) and gray herons. With vegetation in the Maldives, things are even worse. Basically, the tourist will have to admire the coconut palms and bananas, which are cultivated in large quantities on the islands. True, one has only to leave the shore and plunge into the azure ocean waves, as completely different Maldives will appear before you - bizarre, full of life and the most incredible colors. The reefs surrounding the resort are home to more than 1100 species of fish, 400 species of molluscs, 187 species of corals, 21 species of mammals (whales, dolphins) and 145 species of crabs.

Capital

The classic rule: “The capital is the face of the state” does not work in the Maldives. Male is a small but incredibly densely populated city on the southern coast of the atoll of the same name. Its area is 5.8 km². It is in Male that ¼ of the total population of the republic lives.

It is a paradox, but the capital of an elite world resort is not much different from the provincial cities of the same India. Narrow streets, high-rise buildings close to each other, a littered port and an invariable symbol of any Islamic country - a mosque. There are almost no significant sights in the city, so tourists arriving in the Maldives do not linger in Male. Unless they go to the local market to stare at the abundance of fish rows, or, in case of urgent need, take a walk to the hospital.

Local people and national traditions

As in any Islamic state, religious traditions are strong in the Maldives. Indigenous people do not drink alcohol and never sell it, or rather, they try to pretend that it disgusts them, and they also hide their women under shapeless robes. Of course, such a way of life is not imposed on visitors. Moreover, many Maldivians work as bartenders in hotels, masterfully mixing cocktails and filling guests' glasses with drinks that they would never try themselves.

The bulk of the country's population is employed in the tourism business, but those for whom the stars shine a little less brightly have to earn a living by fishing, repairing boats and other not the most highly paid occupations.

Since not all islands have regular transport links with other parts of the land, the majority of the Maldivians live in extreme isolation. For ordinary islanders, life is monotonous and measured: going out to sea in the morning, lazy swaying in a hammock chair and idle contemplation of the surrounding reality in the afternoon, and fishing again at sunset.

Etiquette and rules of conduct at the resort

There are a lot of restrictions in the Maldives, non-compliance with which entails serious problems. For example, on the most beautiful beaches of the planet it is forbidden to sunbathe topless, and even more so to be completely naked. Walking around cities and towns in ultra-short tops and shorts is also not recommended, as well as breaking off branches of local corals as a keepsake of the trip. Fans of fishing off the coast and spearfishing should not talk about their passion at all: such types of fishing in the Maldives are equated with poaching. And for throwing garbage and drinking alcohol outside the hotel, solid monetary fines are due.

Video: Maldives from above

The beaches of the Maldives

Listing the beaches of the resort, which consists of almost 2,000 islands, is a thankless task, so it’s easier to name the most popular and well-groomed of them. On North Male Atoll, these are Banyan Tree and Naladu. Do not suffer from a lack of swimmers Niko and San, belonging to the Ari atoll. You can swim in the company of Maldivian turtles on the beaches of Laviani Atoll, and the shores of Maafushi are better suited for observing the habits of dolphins. The islands of Kunfadu and Hadahaa are occupied by the owners of fat wallets, while incorrigible romantics flock to the coast of Vaadu, dreaming of meeting the dawn on a luminous beach. Surfers and other wave-catchers hang out at Kunuhura Island, where their unofficial headquarters, the Pasta Point resort, is located.

Attractions and entertainment in the Maldives

Once you get to know the amazing beaches of the Maldives and discover all the delights of the all inclusive system, you will hardly want to go anywhere else. Well, if such a desire still appears, then take a ride to the Sultan Park on the island of Male, where the National Museum is also located. In the capital, you can also stare at the Presidential Palace - a rather modest building by modern standards, where all official receptions are held, and at the Great Friday Mosque, erected from coral blocks. If possible, book a table at Ithaa Underwater Restaurant, one of the ten most unusual restaurants on the planet. The queue to this pretentious establishment is endless, and for the exclusive entourage, visitors are required to pay an inadequate amount, but, according to the lucky ones who managed to appreciate the local service, it's worth it.

Certainly, it is difficult to find a more comfortable place than a tropical island with upscale hotels, great food and impeccable, friendly staff. But if you come to the Maldives for at least a couple of weeks, then most likely you will want to see what is hidden behind the borders of a cozy hotel. Traveling around the Maldives is not easy, especially if you try to do it on your own, but it is possible to join an organized tour. It can be as aimless boating in search of a suitable angle for a selfie against the backdrop of sunset, as well as visiting a Maldivian village and getting to know the life of the islanders. You can relieve the burden of worries (and extra money) by ordering an air trip on a seaplane, or by renting a real submarine with a crew to explore the ocean floor. Well, lovers of picturesque ruins should go to Ari Atoll, where the ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple are still preserved.

Travel around the area

Of course, what places you can visit and what kind of trips you can take is entirely determined by the location of the resort where you are. True, here you will find little variety, because one island is not much different from another. Perhaps only a trip to Male will give new impressions. Most resorts located near the capital can organize a day trip for their guests. And although all the sights of Male are collected in one place and can be seen in just a couple of hours, it is worth staying here for the night to get a taste of the capital and find out how its inhabitants have fun after the sun goes down below the horizon and the heat subsides. This can be done by taking a day boat trip to the capital, having previously booked a hotel room, and returning the next day on a day trip. You can also take a boat or seaplane that hotels send to pick up tourists from the airport.

Boat trips

Another popular type of acquaintance with the Maldives is boat tours. These can be short sunset trips around the island where your hotel is located, or long trips when you charter a boat or go on a safari (passengers live on their boat on the open ocean). The conditions of the trip completely depend on the size of your wallet. On most boats, passengers are provided not with private cabins, but with beds separated by curtains, and it is assumed that the tourists themselves will also perform the routine daily work.

A higher degree of comfort is offered by boats such as the Atoll Explorer, which have air-conditioned cabins and a pool on the upper deck. Private yachts are for the very rich, the famous, the powerful, and the oligarchs who avoid resort accommodations.

If these prices are a little out of your budget, you can charter a speedboat from the resort with your crew for the day. It will cost no more than $200. An order for a pier in Male will be cheaper due to competition. To further reduce the price, it is possible to charter a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat, but then you will not be able to travel long distances.

If you want to get a taste of the dolce vita and ride a luxury yacht, day cruises on yachts are offered in Kuredu on Laviani Atoll, and night trips can be booked privately. The yacht is also available at W Retreat & Spa on Ari Atoll.

uninhabited islands

Paradoxically, the uninhabited islands may be the busiest after Male. Often they are "adopted" by certain resorts, which build various amenities, cafes and send their guests there on a day trip to have a picnic, swim with a mask and snorkel and just swim. And since several groups of tourists go ashore at once, it would be somewhat wrong to call these islands "uninhabited".

There are tourists who want to visit the uninhabited islands of the Maldives in a less massive manner. Some resorts organize private dinners on the sand for two or more guests, and even offer overnight stays. Visitors are given a flag to raise in case of danger.

If money is no problem for you, you can rent an entire resort: many small islands can become a safe haven for rich people. For example, the boat-only part of Soneva Gili can be rented entirely.

village islands

In the Maldives, excursions to nearby villages are very popular among tourists. Some resorts have a close relationship with the islands where the villages are located and regularly take guests back and forth. If there is no such island near the resort, then, as a rule, a visit to the village is included in the program of a one-day excursion, which involves a check-in to a desert island.

The Maldivian villages that you will visit during an organized tour will not give a complete picture of the life of the local population. There you will see crowds of tourists hanging around and a market that has arisen with the special purpose of satisfying their needs, and not at all the needs of local residents. But schools, mosques and houses will be real, and the natural spontaneous development of these villages will allow your eye to rest from the strict regularity of the resorts.

To visit a "real village" in the Maldives, somewhere off the beaten track, will have to make a lot of effort. First, it won't be cheap (you have to rent a separate boat, because transport going to the inner atolls doesn't take foreigners on board). Secondly, there are many bureaucratic hurdles to overcome, such as obtaining permission to visit the inland atolls from the administration of the ministry located in Male. And in order to get it, you need confirmation from a person living on the island you are going to visit. All this, of course, deprives acquaintance with the real life of the archipelago of spontaneity. If your determination is unwavering, a travel agent in Male will help you overcome bureaucratic obstacles.

Diving

Masters of scuba gear and action cameras in the Maldives are waiting for perfectly warm water (average +27 ° C), excellent visibility even at a depth of 40 m and an incredibly rich underwater world. The only danger is the currents that are gaining strength just outside the reefs, so it is better for beginners to wallow inside the atolls.

It is better to go in search of bottom riches from September to May: the sea during this period is calm, it does not have that abundance of plankton that happens with the advent of monsoons. Coral slides, sunken ships (wrecks), inter-island straits - all these are the traditional routes of heroes in wetsuits.

This or that type of diving can be done in almost all resorts, but the conditions vary significantly. On some islands, scuba diving is not at the top of the list of sports offered. This means that both diving sites and scuba training courses will be quite limited, which is more suitable for beginners or ordinary scuba divers.

However, true fans of diving in the Maldives can claim something more. The resorts most popular among the scuba diving fraternity offer a wide range of courses such as VIT, CMAS, SSI, PADI, NAUI, ANDI and RAB where you can improve your skills. They also provide additional and safety-guaranteing equipment, such as underwater video cameras. The choice can also be influenced by the presence of nitrox and a decompression chamber, as well as the proximity to the resort of places suitable for diving.

Most of the local diving centers are located on the basis of hotels (Sun Diving School PADI Golden Palm 5, Ocean Dive Center, TGI Maldives, Euro Divers, etc.). Well, for the most restless, there is the possibility of a dive safari, for participation in which a group of divers with the same experience is recruited. The advantages of such a cruise are obvious: you can get acquainted with almost all the atolls and look at uninhabited islands, it is much cheaper than diving with hotel accommodation and, finally, a trip on a yacht is an almost guaranteed opportunity to meet local sharks, which are just chased by those who come to Maldives scuba divers.

Video: Diving in the Maldives

Rating of the best diving spots in the Maldives

Male atoll

• banana reef;
• Lions Head;
• Manta Point;
• Old Shark Point;
• the wreckage of the ship "Victoria";
• Poodle Place;
• Rainbow Reef;
• Hans Place.

South Male Atoll

• Vadu cave;
• Strait of Guraidhoo.

• sunken ship "Fesdu";
• Maaafushi-Thila;
• reef fish head.

northern atolls

The northern atolls are one of the main areas of the Maldives intended for tourism. Now the number of resorts has barely passed the double digits, but this figure will steadily increase. It is planned to develop virgin atolls, which will provide visitors with even more peace and privacy. Since there are far fewer cruise ships than on the more populated atolls close to the capital, the air in the northern resorts is cleaner and the water is clearer than anywhere else in the archipelago.

New tour operators are forced to compete with hundreds of competitors, so they try to stand out by offering more brilliant conditions and interesting entertainment. One such idea is embodied on an island called Hideaway. This is a relatively new resort that boasts the first marina in the Maldives. It is designed to attract as many customers as possible. People accustomed to relaxing on yachts, such as, for example, Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, are already regularly spending time on the Northern Atolls. Perhaps they are trying to avoid the busier islands near the capital. In high-end hotels, guests are waiting for the appropriate service: this is the help of the butler, and massage.

Guests who do not have their own yachts can be taken to hotels located on the northern islands by high-speed boats. The journey will take just over two hours. A seaplane flight is much more likely, and the most remote resorts sometimes organize their own commercial flights.

Beaches

In this part of the country, you can see the same fantastic beaches covered with white sand, illuminated by the golden rays of the sun and washed by azure waves, as in other Maldivian atolls. But their seclusion guarantees you even greater purity and pristineness than in the central regions of the archipelago.

Diving

The relatively recent development of tourism in the Maldives, which began in the 1990s, as well as the small number of boats and ships plying around the atolls, keep these places pristine and thus provide excellent diving conditions. Both kailu (straits, channels between reefs) and thila (seamount, reef shoal, the top of which is not visible from the surface) offer many opportunities for scuba diving. Diving in the Raa and Baa atolls, west of the southern group of islands, includes the protected water area of ​​Horubadu Thila, inhabited by oceanic fish, gray reef sharks and eagle rays can sometimes swim there. Other thilas in the area include the busiest Dharavandhoo, as well as Beriyan Faro, Kottefaru Kouda and Vaadu, each of which promises a lot to true diving enthusiasts. The southwest monsoon blowing from May to June brings manta rays and whale sharks to the coast. Strong currents in these areas mean that they are more suitable for experienced divers and few areas are suitable for beginners.

To the east of Raa and Baa, near Laviani Atoll, divers will encounter the wrecks of the fishing boats Skipjack II and Gaafaru, which have become part of underwater life in two decades spent on the ocean floor. The place of their flooding is easy to find: the bow of the Skipjack II rises above the surface of the water. In addition, there are two excellent sites for diving giri (accumulation of corals a few meters from the surface of the ocean): Narkola, south of Khuravali, rich in ledges and faults, and Maa, southwest of Kanuhuraa, where undercurrents create a fantastic variety of marine flora and fauna. Another protected ocean area called Kuredu Express offers enjoyable scuba diving, while Fushifaru Thila, 250m long with strong currents, is a great place for "advanced" divers.

southern atolls

Given the proximity to Male, part of the Southern Atolls remains relatively undeveloped in terms of resorts, perhaps because here the atolls are not as close to each other as in the north of the Maldives. The slow pace of development has made the area popular for safari boats that cruise the archipelago in search of privacy and peace for their passengers.

If not for tourism, this zone would not be called active at all, especially on the islands, where they are engaged in fishing and agriculture. As in the Northern Atolls, the number of resorts here has barely passed the double digits, along with those that developers are still working on. From Male to your resort you can fly by seaplane in 35 or 45 minutes.

Beaches

The lack of busy boat traffic guarantees crystal clear waters, and some even claim that the local beaches are among the best in the Maldives. And although it is almost impossible to rank the countless coastlines walking on the sands of Filitheyo or Vilu Reef Resort, I really want to agree with them.

Diving

Just below South Male Atoll, at Vaavu, is the longest pristine reef ridge in the country, stretching for 55 km. It stretches from Hurahu Kandu to the southernmost point of the atoll. The main type of scuba diving in this area is kayla drift diving, for which there are many excellent sites, including Wattaru-Kanda, a protected area and a reef. Thila (underwater coral reefs) are also popular, in particular Fotteyo, which is considered by many to be one of the best diving spots in the Maldives. An amazing life of various underwater inhabitants takes place here, and some corals are simply dazzling.

Water sports

All the usual water sports are available in the Southern Atolls, and centers that focus on this type of recreation include Alimatha Aquatic, Medhufushi and Vilu Reef.

Far south atolls

The Maldivian southern atolls, some of which are located on the other side of the equator, are rare islands where tourists freely mix with the local population. The equatorial village is located on the island of Gan, which belongs to the southernmost atoll of Sinu, on which traces of the British presence have been preserved. There used to be two bases of the Royal Air Force, which were liquidated in 1976, but English lawns and reconstructed barracks still remind of them.

Another unique feature of this part of the country is that here you can walk in a straight line for 17 km without reaching the water. This was made possible thanks to the dam that the British built, connecting Gan with three islands - Feidu, Marada and the main atoll of Hitadhoo - to the northeast of it. No special permit is required to visit these islands inhabited by locals, so independent tourists who are curious to see the real life of the Maldivians love to come here. A relatively inexpensive (by Maldivian standards, of course) stay at the resort attracts a whole crowd of backpackers here.

Until recently, Gan was a rather sleepy island, but that should change in the near future. The fact is that the local airport was brought into line with international standards, and now it can receive more tourists seeking to visit resorts, the number of which is steadily increasing. The geographical isolation of Ghana has resulted in differences in culture and language, as well as flora and fauna, so travelers can experience a very different experience from this island than from the rest of the Maldives. For many years, Gan was the only island in the group of far southern atolls on which a resort was built, but now it is beginning to experience competition from its neighbors.

Beaches

If you prefer immaculately manicured beaches, then it is better to settle somewhere else in the archipelago. The beauty of Gan Island is that you can freely roam its beaches, which are not monitored by strict resort management, and mingle with the locals. You can swim at Koattey Beach, which is on the northern tip of Hitadhoo.

Diving

Due to the almost complete absence of tourist infrastructure, ocean life in these places flourishes. Particularly attractive in this sense is Sinu Atoll, where divers will not find a crowd of their like-minded people. This atoll has escaped the coral efflorescence that has engulfed most of the archipelago, which makes it especially attractive. Perhaps the most famous place for divers is the multi-ton tanker British Loyalty, torpedoed by the Japanese during World War II. Experienced divers are allowed to swim into the remains of the hull itself, where a dazzling variety of underwater life awaits them. Another point of attraction for the scuba diving community is Shark Point, or Shark Point, located northeast of Hulumidu, so named because of the abundance of white and gray reef sharks.

Getting to know local life

A rare chance to experience a real Maldivian village is not to be missed. Go to the islands by motorbike, bike or on foot (there are tours to the equatorial village). There you will see mosques, schools and remnants of the British sojourn. At the far end of the dam is the prettiest part of the atoll, the capital of Hitadhoo. In the center there are many tea houses and a stadium where you can even see the competition. And on the lake with fresh water Eidigali-Kili you can admire the birds.

A wedding in the Maldives is no longer a fashionable trend, but rather a pretentious tradition that stubbornly does not give up its positions, demonstrating the level of wealth of the couple. You can order a ceremony in the best traditions of soap operas, including a spa visit, a romantic walk, a wedding ceremony and a wedding picnic, smoothly turning into a wedding night in a secluded bungalow, right at the hotel. For a spectacular theatrical production and a wedding certificate, you will have to pay 2,833 rufiyaas (11,000 rubles). Fans of extreme sports and non-trivial experiences in the Maldives are offered an underwater version of the solemn event. Prices for a wedding at the bottom of the sea in the company of experienced dive instructors are already more serious - in the region of 3993 rufiyaas (15500 rubles).

The reverse side of the Maldivian paradise

In the most fashionable resort in the world, there are practically no natural sources of fresh water. Life-giving moisture here is either collected during the rainy season, or pumped from wells. The water extracted from the atoll bowels contains a large amount of salts, so it is subjected to demineralization. However, it is still of little use for drinking, as it has a meager shelf life, in connection with which most tourists, and even indigenous people, prefer to buy bottled water.

Own power plants in the Maldives are a luxury item, so on a number of islands they are replaced by fuel generators. And if on relatively populated atolls electricity is supplied around the clock, then where there are fewer people, light is supplied only in the evenings and then for a couple of hours.

The problem of garbage in the island state was solved ingeniously and simply - they took a separate island for household waste. But since official landfills are not able to accommodate the entire amount of accumulated waste, in some parts of the Maldives this issue is being approached with a great deal of creativity. For example, on some atolls, sewer water is used to feed green spaces and enrich the soil with fertilizer from fish offal; in other parts of the resort, tourists are provided with special waste bags, which the guest must take with him after rest. However, with all the efforts to completely get rid of garbage, it has not yet been possible, therefore, from time to time, plastic thrown by passengers of yachts and boats is nailed to the shores of the Maldives.

Food and drink

In search of national Maldivian dishes, it is better to go to Male, as the staff from Sri Lanka work in the hotel kitchens, adapting the food to their own culinary traditions. In the capital's eateries, mostly islanders work, so the food in them is the most authentic.

Oddly enough, but in a tropical paradise, culinary preferences are nowhere more modest. True, such unpretentiousness is a forced measure: little grows in the Maldives, except for bananas and coconuts. The products here are imported and, therefore, expensive, so local chefs always have 1000 and one way to cook rice with fish in stock.

A frequenter of the Maldivian table is tuna: fried, boiled, dried, smoked, boiled to the state of soufflé (mas huni), canned ... They also love curry on the islands, which is much less spicy here than in neighboring India. From the first courses, the Maldivians prepare fish broth (garudia). This tropical soup is cooked for several hours, flavored with lime and chili and served with the same rice. Meat on the local tables is a rare guest, since pork is banned in an Islamic country, and there is simply nothing to feed cattle on the atolls.

The average Maldivian can season his “daily rice” with coconut or lime juice, onions and chili peppers. Bread for the islanders is replaced by unleavened roshi (a local variation on the theme of Armenian lavash), and green tea with milk (masala) is considered the main drink here. The Maldivians do not drink alcohol, but they get their portion of alcoholic euphoria from raa - fermented palm juice. As for desserts, almost all of them are based on coconut. The most striking representative of sweet dishes is the bondi stick - a pressed and somewhat sugary delicacy made from coconut flakes, wrapped according to the principle of a Havana cigar.

Most all inclusive hotels offer international cuisine. Of course, they also host weeks of local delicacies, but on other days there are also French croissants and every Maldivian's nightmare - juicy pork steaks.

Money

The official currency of the country is the Maldivian rufiyaa ($0.06). The rufiyaa is artificially supported against the dollar, and its exchange rate against other currencies is based on this, so it makes no sense to look for a place where you can make a more profitable exchange. In circulation there are banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 rufiyaas and coins in 1 and 2 rufiyaas. Foreign currency exchange is carried out at the airport or at any of the banks, just keep in mind that the latter do not work on Friday and Saturday. In all places where there are tourists, American dollars and euros are accepted, they are also in circulation at all resorts. If you wish, you can not deal with cash at all, but ask for all expenses to be included in the hotel bill and pay at the end of the stay with a credit card.

Fun fact: The Maldives print their rufiyaas on the same paper as America's dollars.

Tips

Tipping, which is very popular in nearby territories such as India, does not have such a strong tradition in the Maldives. But low wages and foreign visitors with a habit of tipping began to change the situation. In most resorts, a specific table is immediately assigned to the guest, so that the same waiter will serve him throughout the rest. If you have no desire to deal with cash change, then you can thank the attendants on the last day. Some tour operators charge $10 per week. No need to tip taxi drivers or cafes. If you want to thank a local resident for taking a picture with you, he may be offended.

shopping

Shopping in a country where almost nothing is produced is like a kind of quest. Although for an unpretentious tourist in the Maldives, of course, there is something authentic or skillfully imitating this very authenticity. It is worth noting that most of the trinkets with supposedly Maldivian flavor, which are sold in the shops of the capital, in fact, are not. All these are, as a rule, Sri Lankan variations on the theme of "a truly Maldivian souvenir."

For authentic creations of Maldivian handicraftsmen, it is better to go to the islands of Mahibadhu, Maafushi, Khuura, Rasdhu, where, for not the most modest amount, local craftsmen will gladly give you wooden caskets, miniature dhoni, palm fiber rugs, colorful shells and funny coconut monkeys. Hunters “for something like that” will definitely be persuaded to buy the Maldivian hookah gudu-guda, which local grandmothers love to blow into for the coming dream. If it didn’t work out with a hookah, magnets and T-shirts will no longer surprise you, but you still want to bring a material reminder of your vacation with you, take a closer look at the badu-beru ritual drums.

By the way, about T-shirts and magnets - you don’t have to go far for them: all the souvenir shops in Male are littered with this stuff. In them, you can also get the notorious shark teeth, which have long turned into the main resort trophy.

Opening hours

Business life in the Maldives freezes on Friday, as well as five times a day for 15 minutes during prayer. Shops can start their work at 6.00, but most often they open at 8.00 or 9.00. They usually close at 20.00, but some can work until 23.00. Government offices and banks open at 7.30 or 8.00 and work until 13.30 from Sunday to Thursday.

Difference in time

The time difference with Moscow in the Maldives is +1 hour in the summer (when it is 11.00 in Moscow, it is already 12.00 in the Maldives) and +2 hours in the winter.

• Birthdays are not celebrated in the Maldives. Moreover, this date does not even try to remember.
• Only a Muslim who has lived in the country for several years can obtain citizenship of the country.
• The Maldives is in the top 10 countries in terms of the number of divorces (about 50%). At the same time, citizens are criminally liable for adultery. Walkers to the left here are publicly "treated" with a whip.
• The working week in the country starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday.
• Entry to the Maldives with a dog is strictly prohibited: according to the Koran, this animal is considered unclean.
• The motto of the resort is No news, no shoes! (No news, no shoes!).
• There is no tax free system in the Maldives.
• Male International Airport is located on an artificially created island.
• In the Maldives, not only the celebration of Halloween is officially prohibited, but also the mention of it out loud.
• The largest fish in the world, the whale shark, is found in the Maldives. Its size varies from 5.5 to 10 meters, and people can admire how this giant cuts through the crystal clear waters of the Maldives.

Where to stay

The Maldives is not the place where you can go with a hundred dollars clenched in your fist, party all weekend and still bring change. On the one hand, there are several hostels and guest houses in the country, but even in such places, tourists will be required to pay a far from modest amount. You can, of course, try to negotiate with the locals and settle with them, but this is rather an extreme option for backpackers and experienced adventurers. On the other hand, people come to a tropical paradise not to count every bill and cut themselves in everything, so why not relax on a grand scale.

The classics of local housing are water bungalows (wooden houses on stilts, standing right in the sea). For the waves splashing right under your feet and the exclusive opportunity to snorkel at your own porch, you will have to pay an average of 5,153 to 20,6611 rufiyaas (20,000-80,000 rubles). An excellent chance to combine comfortable living conditions and acquaintance with the most picturesque Maldivian atolls - yachts, where renting a cabin is equal in price to an excellent hotel room.

There are relatively few budget three-ruble hotels in the Maldives, and even those are mostly settled by divers. More often than others, Booking.com recommends Gunbaru Inn, Rihiveli by Castaway and Sun Tan Beach. There is a wide range of prices here: you can find a room for 902 rufiyaas (about 3,500 rubles), or you can get a room for 3,865 (15,000 rubles).

Safety

In the Maldives, they are madly afraid of yellow fever, so they scrupulously check the vaccination against this disease for all travelers arriving from South America and Africa. For some reason, all other infectious agents are not of interest to local doctors, but, just in case, it is better to pre-vaccinate against rubella, measles, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B, and typhoid fever. If you do not come from an infected area, then vaccinations are not required.

You should not leave without a strategic stock of basic medications - normal pharmacies in the resort can only be found in Male, while on most other islands the choice of medicines is extremely poor, and hospitalization in this country costs decent money. Without a good sunscreen, repellent and a bottle of water on the Maldivian beaches, it is also better not to show up. Due to the high concentration of solar radiation, you can earn a sunburn at the equator not just wallowing under a palm tree, but also sitting up to your neck in the water.

Despite the fact that the local beaches give the impression of calm and "lazy" places, do not rush to demonstrate your own prowess and swim beyond the line of red flags that mark safe areas for swimming. Of course, in most hotels on the shore, security is on duty, but the underwater ocean currents, which cannot be dealt with, have not yet been canceled.

Crime in the republic is minimized, so the Maldives can be safely called one of the safest resorts. In force majeure situations, when you can not do without the help of law enforcement agencies, it is better to contact the hotel security, which itself will establish contact with the police station.

Connection

Cellular services in the resort are provided by operators Dhiraagu and Ooredoo, whose SIM cards can be purchased at the airport or in specialized shops in Male. The call quality is quite good, unless you are too far out to sea. It is customary to replenish the balance of the phone with the help of special cards, which are usually sold in hotels. A call to Russia from a Dhiraagu SIM card will cost around 4.9 rufiyaas / minute (about 19 rubles). For calls within the country, it is better to use local payphones, the services of which are also paid for by card (easy to find in hotels and street vendors). For wealthy tourists, there is such an exclusive option as landline calls from a hotel room. So, if you are a happy owner of a couple of oil wells, you can calmly resolve business issues right from the comfort of your bed.

Free Wi-Fi in the Maldives is a rare beast that lives exclusively in hotels. Those who are unlucky with a hotel can go to the Internet cafes of the capital, dropping from 45 to 150 rufiyaas (175-582 rubles) per hour of online surfing, or connect the necessary service from one of the local mobile operators, thereby having robbed himself of at least 290 rufiyaas (1125 rubles).

How to call to Maldives

To call from Russia to the Maldives, dial:

• from a landline phone: 8-10-960 (Maldives code) - code of the desired city - subscriber number;
• from a mobile phone: 8-10-960 - mobile operator code - subscriber's mobile phone number.

There are no area codes in the Maldives. All numbers are now seven digits.

How to call abroad

To call from the Maldives to Russia, dial:

• from a landline phone: 00 - 7 - code of the desired city - subscriber number in Russia (00 - access code to the international line; 7 - telephone code of Russia);
• from a mobile phone: +7 - subscriber's number. International operator - 190; reference - 11.

Transport

There is no land transport in the Maldives as such, since the vast majority of the local islands can be bypassed on foot. And only in Male can a tourist afford the luxury of a ride for 27 rufiyaas (97 rubles) by taxi or 4.70 (18 rubles) by bus.

For those who plan to travel from island to island, there are three main modes of transport:

• hydroplane;
• boat / boat;
• ferry.

The first option is ideal for travelers with an unlimited budget - the pleasure costs from 2400 to 3000 rufiyaas (9316-11645 rubles), but it provides a unique opportunity to look at the atoll chain from a bird's eye view. A trip on a speedboat or a national boat "doni", depending on the remoteness of the destination, will cost 470-860 rufiyaas (1824-3380 rubles). Well, a trip on the ferry will be affordable even for a budget tourist, since the final amount of the crossing will be from 31 to 46 rufiyaas (approximately 120-179 rubles). The main airport of the Republic of Maldives is located next to the capital, on the small island of Hulhule. This is where all international flights arrive.

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you take out insurance, especially if you are going to spend time on the island; transport to the hospital in case of danger can cost a tidy sum. The purchase of insurance in no case will ruin you: a two-week trip will cost about one euro per day. If you travel frequently, it is more profitable to buy an annual policy. Packages may not include risk for outdoor activities such as scuba diving. Be sure to keep this in mind when choosing a policy.

Visa Information

When entering the Maldives, Russian citizens get a tourist visa in their passport for free, for a period of 30 days. A foreign guest will need a passport with a validity period of at least six months, return tickets, a receipt confirming tourist services, and a cash amount of at least $ 30 for each day of stay.

customs control

There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency in the Maldives. In addition, cigarettes (no more than 200 pieces) and perfumes in quantities not exceeding 125 ml can be brought into the resort duty-free. But goods worth more than $ 200 (about 12,000 rubles) will have to be declared.

Save money and nerves by once and for all giving up trying to smuggle alcohol into the Maldives (even bought in Duty free stores). Alcohol will still be taken away from you and disposed of. The same fate will befall pork delicacies and pornographic magazines. You should also be more careful with local souvenirs: with pearl oysters, corals and tortoise shell products (unless they are certified products), no one will be released from the equatorial paradise. It is allowed to carry a certain amount of presents and tobacco. The most serious offense is the transport of weapons or drugs. The punishment could be life imprisonment.

Airports

For those who travel a lot around the countries of the Indian subcontinent, the international airport in Male will seem like a breath of fresh air. Here, unlike other airports in this region, civilized calm reigns, passengers are not overwhelmed by crowds of barkers, porters and taxi drivers. The airport is located on a separate island called Hulhule, which is not far from the capital. As soon as you reach the terminal, you will immediately see two rows of counters that belong to various resorts and tour operators. Find the one you need and a representative will tell you in detail about the transfer. If your resort is nearby, a speedboat will suffice, if it is far away, then you may need to get there by seaplane. In any case, you will receive precise instructions and leave the airport smoothly, as planned. When you return to the reception at the hotel, you will also be explained in detail all the details.

If you belong to a rare species of independent travelers, then most likely you should go to Male. Ferries run around the clock between the capital and the island on which the airport is located. They depart from the main jetty in Hulhul and land at jetties 9 and 10 in Male. Boats start every 15 minutes or when they fill up with people, the trip costs 10 rufiyaas or 1 dollar. For about $10, you can rent a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat, which is now equipped with a motor.

For flight information, call Male International Airport: 333-8800.

In the Maldives, you have the opportunity to visit another, very unusual airport. Hydroplanes that transport passengers from Male to resorts land on the water and only then taxi out onto a small floating platform just a few meters long and about the same wide. From here you will be taken by boat to the desired island. The diminutive size of these "airports" is the subject of jokes by resort companies. On one of the floating platforms, there is a sign that reads: "Welcome to Soneva Fushi International Airport."

How to get there

Regular flights to the Maldives from Moscow are carried out by the following airlines:

• Aeroflot - direct flights from Sheremetyevo twice a week.
• Turkish Airlines - flights from Vnukovo with a transfer in Istanbul.
• Qatar Airways - flights from Domodedovo with a connection in Doha.
• Emirates - with a transfer in Dubai.

You can go to the most expensive resort on the planet from St. Petersburg with Turkish Airlines, Aeroflot, Rossiya and Emirates. All flights are connecting. Another option is charters that fly in the direction of the Maldives both from St. Petersburg and from other cities of Russia. Delivery to the hotel usually falls on the shoulders of tour operators, whose representatives meet their clients already at the exit from the plane.

Republic of Maldives.

Country Summary

Capital Male. Founded 5 centuries BC. Political system Full name - Republic of Maldives. The state system is a presidential republic, divided into 19 administrative regions (alotts) and 1 district (Male). The independence of the Maldives was proclaimed on July 26, 1965 (formerly a protectorate of Great Britain), in 1968 the Maldives was declared a republic by referendum. The unicameral parliament is the main legislative body headed by the speaker. The head of state, head of government and executive power is the president. Maumoon Abdul Gayoum has been the President of the Republic of Maldives since 1978, very popular and revered among the local population. All citizens over the age of 21 have the opportunity to elect the president and other members of the government. Parliament appoints the president, but for this choice to be valid, he must be supported in a national referendum. The administration of the atolls is appointed by the government itself. There is not a single political party in the country, although this is not prohibited at all. Also there are no armed forces. The office of prime minister has not existed since 1975. The Republic of Maldives is a peaceful country that devotes a lot of energy to cooperation with world countries. She has close relations with Great Britain and Japan, and diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation. Location The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India and Sri Lanka on both sides of the Equator. In total, there are 1190 islands of coral origin, forming 26 atolls, stretching in a double chain perpendicular to the equator. The local population lives on 201 islands, 88 islands are used as tourist resorts. They have a variety of sizes and are designed to receive a different number of tourists. The length of the Maldivian archipelago from north to south is 820 kilometers, from east to west - 120. The Maldives are washed by the Indian Ocean. The largest cities Male is the capital of the Maldives, as well as the commercial and administrative center. This is the only settlement that can be called a city. Time zone UTC+5. Flight time from Moscow Flight time to the Maldives from Moscow (direct flight Moscow - Male) is 8 hours 30 minutes. Territory The total area of ​​the Maldives is 298 sq. km. Population There are only 339.3 thousand people in the Maldives: Maldivians (Singhalese, Indians) - 90%, Arabs - 9%. Language The official language is Maldivian (Dhivehi). It originated about 1500 years ago, belongs to the Indo-Aryan languages, has its own script called tana, read from right to left. English is widely used in Male and in the resorts. Major Religions The state religion is Sunni Islam. In 1153 AD e. The Buddhist king Kalaminia, who ruled the Maldives at that time, converted to Islam, which remains the main religion to this day. Any other sects and religions are prohibited on the islands. Islam in the Maldives is liberal in nature, similar to that practiced in India and Indonesia.

There are unusually beautiful mosques on the islands, and if you stay a little on the islands, you can immediately feel how important religion is here. On all the islands, residents pray several times a day.

When visiting the mosque, you can see what interesting ancient paintings cover their walls. They depict scenes from history and are designed to strengthen the spirit of the inhabitants of the archipelago, to control their upbringing and thoughts. Mosques also host important official meetings and events.

But religion peacefully coexists with modernity. For example, the minaret of the famous Islamic Center, built more than twenty years ago, peacefully coexists with the post office building. The Islamic center is included in the list of the most beautiful Asian mosques. The authorities took special care of its erection in order to strengthen the nation in this way.

Official currency Rufiyaa (Maldive rupee) = 100 lari, 1 USD = 12 rufiyaa. In circulation there are banknotes of 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 rufiyaas and coins of 50, 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 lari. Mains voltage Mains voltage - 220 V. Climate The climate is tropical, warm, even due to the proximity of the equator, without significant temperature fluctuations throughout the year. The best weather conditions are from November to the end of April (northeast monsoon): the sea is calm, the weather is sunny, hot and dry. Sometimes in June-July there are short rains, but they are not so long - 20-25 minutes, and the sun shines again. From May to October - the monsoon season: heavy rains, high humidity, storms. The average daily maximum is +30.4°С. The average night minimum is +25.4°С. The water temperature is +24–27°C all year round.

During the monsoon cycle (spring and autumn), intense tropical storms and thunderstorms have recently become more frequent.

Finance

What money to take with you Dollars. Dollars are accepted everywhere, there is no need to change them to rufiyaa, because even in souvenir shops on local islands, purchases can be paid in dollars. Euros are accepted only in resorts, as well as in some souvenir shops.

Where to change US dollars are accepted almost everywhere. Therefore, it is not at all necessary to exchange dollars for local currency upon arrival.

The American dollar is preferred especially by banks, where only dollars are exchanged for you. Exchange offices sometimes accept other world currencies, but this is not the rule.

In resort areas, you can find exchange offices on almost every corner. Money can be exchanged in large hotels. The exchange rate is almost the same everywhere, a little more favorable in Male than in hotels.

Credit Cards Most hotels, shops, gas stations, car rentals, large shopping malls and restaurants accept payment cards, especially American Express, VISA, MasterCard and EuroCard. There is only one ATM in the Maldives from which you can draw from the account of foreign banks. You will find it in Male in front of the HSBC bank building. Shopping Souvenir products can be purchased in special shops in the resorts, which are open until late evening hours, souvenir shops in fishing villages and Male (Chandani Magu Street).

The diverse craft hobbies of the locals will give you a rich selection of all kinds of knick-knacks and really beautiful rare items.

Typical souvenirs are usually beautiful sea shells, shark jaws (a favorite souvenir of tourists), coconut oil, original silk clothes, sculptures carved from coconut wood, beautiful wooden utensils, painted souvenir plates, colorful fish figurines, paintings by local artists, coral jewelry, sarongs, wood crafts (hand-sawn red and black figurines), coconut monkeys.

On one of the islands, lovely painted boxes and jewelry are produced. They are made from a tree called funa.

On another island, you will find another original souvenir - wicker rugs, which are very light and pretty, they are made, like hand-made cane boxes.

Tourists very often buy wooden miniatures of Dhoni ships or sailboats. Usually Sri Lanka or Indian teas, smoking pipes, fans or sets are brought from the Maldives. You can also buy a CD with local traditional or contemporary music.

Things made from various stones will please you. This is not surprising, since the carving tradition here is very old, carefully passed on to the younger generations.

In Male, you can profitably buy high-quality foreign-made diving equipment and equipment.

Export from the country of black corals, products from a tortoise shell is prohibited.

Tipping Tipping is not officially accepted in the Maldives. But if the service was worth it, then unofficially, no one forbids to thank the attendants with a small amount: a hotel employee - $ 10, a waiter - 5%.

Some resorts add a service charge to the bill (usually 10%), in which case tipping is not necessary.
Taxi Services Classic auto taxis are available only in the capital Male, Gan and Addu atolls. The trip is paid at the rate of 15Rf plus 5Rf for luggage during the day and 20Rf after 24:00. Any stop, even for a minute, automatically ends the trip, which must be paid immediately. If you want to continue the trip, you will have to pay all over again.

There are several taxi services (work around the clock), all cars are equipped with air conditioning. Taxis can be stopped on the street or called by phone (in this case, the trip will cost 10Rf).

Public transport There is no public transport as such. Because most of the islands are so small that transportation is simply not needed there. There is no spectacle familiar to us - a large accumulation of cars, the most common types of land transport are bicycles and motorcycles.

Basically, they use the services of water transport here - a local taxi can be called a wooden boat with a flat roof - dhoni. This is a traditional multi-purpose vessel, now upgraded with diesel engines. On this modest boat, you can swim to the island you need. As a rule, as a sign of greeting, tourists are immediately put on a wreath of pink or white flowers around their necks, offered refreshing, fragrant napkins and coconut milk. Large boats are called Vedis and are used for long journeys to distant atolls.

You can safely bargain with private carriers. There is no timetable, ships sail as they fill with passengers.

Car rental In Male and other major islands you can rent a car.

Road traffic is practically not regulated, there are no markings and road signs, or they have long been destroyed, there are also no traffic lights. The traffic speed is low, but drivers never give way to pedestrians, so you should be extremely careful on the few Maldivian roads.

customs control

To pass customs control at the airport in Male, you must present all things for inspection, including hand luggage. It must be remembered that:

Import prohibited:

Any narcotic substances, including psychotropic
- pornographic materials recorded for viewing video cassettes with films, etc. Only sealed cassettes are allowed
- anti-Islamic literature
- military paraphernalia
- any pork products
- alcohol
- animals
- gunpowder / explosives / firearms / piercing, cutting objects and - - weapons for spearfishing.

As for "objects of religious worship", this can mean anything that can harm the official religion of the Maldives - Islam. A small decorative cross around the neck is unlikely to be considered dangerous, but a large cross with a conspicuous figure of the crucified Christ may be banned from importation. The same applies to images of the Buddha: a small table figurine may not cause objections from customs officers, unlike a large and noticeable one. Surely they will seize the Bible, although they do not specifically search for this item. In any case, it is better to respect the feelings of Muslims

If the above items are present in your baggage, when passing through customs control, they will be confiscated from you and placed in a special compartment at Male airport in exchange for a receipt describing the confiscated item. Upon departure from the country, you can get the seized back by presenting this receipt.

Allowed to import into the country:
- goods for personal consumption within reason (no more than one item per person);
- goods 200 cigarettes;
- 125 ml of perfumes.

It is forbidden to export from the country:

Black coral and products from it (except for souvenirs made by officially certified by the government manufacturers);
- objects and things found at the bottom of the sea.

Allowed to export from the country:

Gifts and souvenirs (shells; shark jaws; postcards, posters, shorts, T-shirts with local symbols, etc.);
- household items: thin-woven reed mats; wooden boxes; baskets woven from palm leaves;
- Coconut oil;
- jewelry.

Transport

The Maldives is a network of islands, both inhabited and uninhabited, completely surrounded by water. There are no regular transport links on the islands.

Transport in the Maldives is a boat. The only human invention capable of moving tourists, and even local residents, to a certain island. Tourists upon arrival in the Maldives can rent boats for independent movement, but before you rent a boat, do not forget to agree on a price in advance so as not to get into a conflict situation. The islands are scattered very close to each other, so the trip will not be tiring.

Almost all tourists visiting the islands come here by plane. Male International Airport is located on the island of Hulule, at a distance of 1 km (10 minutes by national boat "dhoni") from the capital of the Maldives - Male.

Due to the geography of the archipelago, most of the transportation is carried out by seaplanes, helicopters and boats. The seaplane is possible only during daylight hours according to the schedule (from 07:00 to 16:00). It should be remembered that hydroaviation does not fly to all atolls. The deHavilland Twin Otter seaplane, notable for its robust construction and high maneuverability, also known as the DHC-6, is capable of descending smoothly and carrying up to 20 passengers. The plane sits on the water, and a boat delivers you to the pier (jet).

There are 2 air carriers in the country - Maldivian Air Taxi and Hummingbird Island Airways. The prices are quite high, it is somewhat cheaper to order a plane through the hotel administration or a travel agency. In addition, the companies offer sightseeing flights and day trips with picnics to uninhabited islands for 250 USD. (approximately). You can take up to 20 kg of luggage with you free of charge plus 5 kg of hand luggage.

Any Maldivian island can be crossed in 1.5 - 2 hours. However, tourism in the Maldives is regulated and independent movement within the islands is not encouraged, as this may have a negative impact on traditional island communities.

If you decide to have a full vacation, and are not constrained by money, then a rather expensive helicopter is at your service, but you will not only quickly arrive at the required place, but also admire the Maldives from above.

You can make a trip to the outer islands, but it is impossible to see everything at once. A travel permit between the atolls is required to visit islands located outside the tourist area; permits are issued by the Ministry of Atoll Management only to people who are invited by the inhabitants of those islands and atolls.

Telecommunications

Telephone communication The entire territory of the Maldives is divided into several telephone zones. The cost of a call within one zone is approximately 0.25 rufiyaa per minute, between different zones - from 0.55 to 3 rufiyaa per minute.

For local and international calls, it is recommended to buy Dhiraagu calling cards (cost 30, 50, 100, 200 and 500 rufiyaas). You can buy cards in a special store "Dhiiraagu Teleshop" in Male, as well as from card sellers on any of the major islands.

There are no public telephones on a number of islands, and communication is carried out from call centers (they usually work from Sunday to Thursday from 7.30 to 20.00, on Fridays - from 14.00 to 18.00, on Saturdays - from 9.00 to 18.00), serviced by telephone operators. The cost of a call depends on the distance and is somewhat higher than from a pay phone. From 24.00 to 06.00 the cost of a call is 20% cheaper.

The Maldives also has a mobile connection of the GSM-900 standard. Mobile phones of most standards do not work in the Maldives, but you can rent a phone at the office of the local operator "Dhiraagu". More detailed advice can be obtained from the office of your mobile operator.

Calls to Russia To call to Russia: +7 - area code - subscriber's number. Calls from Russia To call the Maldives, dial: 8 - 10 - 960 - subscriber's number. Area Codes The phone code for the Maldives is 960. Useful Phones Useful Phones

Reference phones:
Reference telephone network - 110.
International telephone operator - 190.
The operator of communication between the atolls is 188.
Meteorological Service - 317-171.
Male Airport Information - 332-211.
Maldives Tourism Development Bureau - 323-228.
Customs Department - 322-001, 310-045.

Emergency services:
Police (rescue service) - 119.
National Security Service - 313-281.
Fire department - 118.
Ambulance - 102.

National cuisine

The cuisine is based on two fundamental ones: Arabic and Indian. Local cuisine usually includes rice, fish curry cooked with coconut milk. Limes, chili and small onions add piquancy to dishes. No dish is unthinkable without spices. An important place in cooking is occupied by sauces, their preparation is akin to the sacrament of a cook in the Maldives.

Rice is used in cooking in all variations - boiled in coconut milk, with various vegetables, peppers, the same fish or marine arthropods, as well as with bananas, papaya, mangoes, pumpkins, sweet potatoes or breadfruit.

The local roshi bread is very popular and is usually eaten with mashuni, a fish cocktail flavored with coconut, onion, chili and lime.

The main and favorite dish for the islands - tuna with rice - may not be the same, because this time it can be seasoned with a completely different sauce.

Dishes in which fish appears as the main ingredient are very diverse, from simple boiled fish, meatballs and soups, to fish cocktails and fish pies.

Popular hikimas - dried and smoked fish. Also good is a pie with fish, coconut and onion bajiya, the most delicate fish pie coolie borkihaa (kulhi borkihaa). Also traditional fish soup and garudia rice, tuna patties with gulu coconut, baked fish with chili paste fihunu mas (fihunu mas), fried keemia fish rolls, rihaukuru fish pate, fried fish with pepper and garlic teluli mae and others

You can finish your lunch with suji, a very tasty local drink. The locals brew raa, a sweet and delicious palm juice extracted from the top of a palm tree trunk. In the heat, juices are very good, local sweet milk kiru sarbat, sweet palm juice raa, suji drink and low-alcohol drink gaa from fermented palm milk. Alcoholic drinks can only be bought in hotels, and it is advisable to drink them only indoors, otherwise you risk getting into trouble.

Dessert dish, most likely, will be coconut in any form. Areca nut (an oval nut with betel leaves, cloves and lime) is eaten in the afternoon. If you want to taste local sweets, try bondi (bondi) - white coconut sticks - very tasty! Coconut milk, various puddings, vegetable and fruit salads and pastries are widely used.

A popular drink in the Maldives is tea, which is served with milk. Another drink that you can see more often than others is coffee brewed in Arabic.

In addition to coconuts and bananas, few vegetables and fruits grow on the islands, so most of the products offered at tourist resorts are imported by the Maldives.

Institutional work

Store hours are variable. Most, especially on the larger islands, are open from 07.00-08.00 to 21.00-23.00, but in the summer many shops are open from 13.00-15.00 to 18.00-20.00.

In Male, banks and exchange offices are concentrated on Marine Drive. They are open from 8.00 to 13.30, from Sunday to Thursday (as in many other Muslim countries, Friday and Saturday are days off in the Maldives).

Holidays and non-working days

Holidays in the Maldives are based on the Islamic lunar calendar. This means that every year the holidays are on different days. You will feel the festive atmosphere mainly in the capital, as on this day most shops will be closed. In other cities or regions, you will hardly feel the full grandeur of the holiday.

Usually families gather on holidays, everyone cooks food for the festive table together, decorates and organizes fun. Traditional music is playing, people are dancing, you can hear the wooden instruments and modern jazz and pop music.

Holidays:

January 1 - New Year.
January 8-10 - Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
March 15-18 - Eid al Kebir (Day of Sacrifice).
April 6 - Islamic New Year.
June 4-5 - National holiday.
June 15 - Mulud (Birthday of the Prophet).
July 26-27 - Independence Day.
November 11-12 - Republic Day.
September 1 - Huravi Day.
October 28 - Martyrs' Day.
November 3 - Victory Day.

customs and practices

Despite the fact that the Maldives, as an Islamic state, is relatively liberal, visitors to the country must carefully abide by the laws.

Rightfully considered one of the oldest states in the world, the Maldives today can tell you a lot and surprise you a lot. Here you need to constantly remember that the main religion is Islam. And so you need to adhere to the established etiquette.

The usual form of greeting for the Maldivians is a handshake, they officially greet "salaam alaikum", the word "kihenen" greet each other in an informal setting. A carefree and simple existence in harmony with nature is the Maldivian way of life.

In the Maldives, musical traditions that arose in the old days are alive. This applies to music, crafts, dances. Musically, the Maldives are unique and inimitable. You will learn that three styles of song performance have been preserved here, each of which is individual and has its own name.

You will no doubt hear about Bodu Beru. This is both a song and a dance that is performed during the holidays. Once upon a time it was brought from the African continent. Dances are also performed according to tradition, there are several different popular national dances that you will be recommended to watch. For example, Bodu Beru, a costumed dance, is danced by fifteen people, in addition, there is a singer and three drummers play.

There are dances both for women and purely for men - this is what tradition prescribes. The male-only dance, Dhandi Jehun, lasts about an hour and is performed without regard to any event. But the female dance - Boaymalaafas Neshun, reflecting a tradition that has long disappeared, but existed - bringing gifts to the Sultan. This dance is considered one of the most important and interesting dances in the Maldives.

Artistic Maldivians complement the natural beauty of exotic coral islands. Fishing for them is both leisure and profession at the same time. Especially striking is the local hospitality. This trait is passed down from generation to generation among the Maldivians. The Maldives is a place where a tourist is always a welcome guest.

Precautionary measures

Precautionary measures:

Buy water in plastic bottles.
- The Maldives is a Muslim country, therefore the laws, therefore, are appropriate, therefore, for those who like to drink, the road here is either simply closed or they must refrain from this unprofitable pleasure.
- collecting corals and, moreover, taking them out of the country is a criminal offense
- it is forbidden to break, tear live and dead corals in the ocean and near the coast, damage the shells and raise them to the surface, fish near the islands, throw any garbage on the islands, for this it is necessary to use dustbins to avoid problems
- you can not visit the capital Male and the islands where the locals live, and are in beachwear
- it is also forbidden to wear things that do not cover the body from the shoulder to the knee
If you are going to the beach, regular beachwear will do. But if you suddenly want to visit the fishing villages and the capital Male, then you should respect local laws and wear modest clothes.
- while diving and swimming, you should pay attention to the sharp edges of coral reefs, and also do not touch marine life, they can be poisonous

Penalties apply for violations!

The Maldives is a scattering of picturesque atolls in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Everything here is conducive to bliss: kilometers of secluded beaches, high-class hotels and very beautiful nature. All about the Maldives: diving and surfing, photos, prices, weather and tours.

• Hot tours to the Maldives
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The Maldives, the famous "residents" of the equatorial waters of the Indian Ocean, are rightfully considered one of the best exotic destinations. There are 1190 islands (or rather, atolls) and all of them are like a selection: with blue lagoons, sandy beaches and unique vegetation. There is everything for rest: peace and quiet, beautiful nature, rich underwater world. And one more thing, without which any advantages of any resort immediately fade in the eyes of modern tourists - good hotels and a high level of service.

Prices, I must say, in the Maldives are also quite “at the level”: vacations here can be afforded mainly by travelers whose income level is defined by marketers as “above average”. Having paid a significant amount for the trip, the following categories of vacationers will be 100% satisfied with their vacation. Maniac divers who dive three times a day. This is the most trouble-free subtype of tourists: they will still be delighted, diving like ducklings from morning to night. Happy married (or out of it) couples who need no one but each other. They can pick up a hotel with the appropriate environment - there are plenty of those on the islands. And, of course, seekers of an absolutely relaxed holiday in the entourage of a tropical paradise.

Time difference with Moscow

2 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

History and legend

According to legend, once life in the Maldives was not at all as cloudless as glossy catalogs inspire us. The sea genie Rannamaari, to the misfortune of the local residents, settled in their territorial waters, demanded regular human sacrifices every full moon, and only in the form of virgins from the island of Male. The poor fellow was taken to a certain temple, and the next morning they were found dead.

But not everything is Shrove Tuesday for the cat: once a traveler from the distant Maghreb, Abdul-Barakat ul-Barbari, arrived on the atoll. The stranger took pity on the girls (whom his compatriots apparently did not care about) and on the full moon he himself sat down in the temple in the place of the sacrifice. All night he read the Koran, and in the morning it turned out that the genie had fled, unable to withstand the power of the holy book. So the women were saved, and the Maldivians converted to Islam to celebrate - so now there are mosques everywhere, a ban on the import of alcohol and no topless (presumably, they are afraid that the genie would not return). However, this did not affect the amazing nature of the archipelago - and hence its attractiveness for tourists.

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Climate

The climate of the Maldives is warm and humid. Air temperature during the day is about +30 °C, at night +26 °C, water +26 °C. Due to its proximity to the equator, seasonal changes associated with the monsoons are almost imperceptible. During the southwest monsoon (May to October) it rains more often and the weather is more windy. The northeast monsoon season (November to February) is considered less humid.

Maps of Maldives

Visa and customs

Police: 119, fire department: 118, ambulance: 102.

Beaches in the Maldives

In the Maldives, all roads lead to the beach: fine white sand, perfectly blue waves, tall palm trees - wherever you look, pictures from advertising posters come to life everywhere. The coast is almost everywhere wide, spacious, equipped with amenities and umbrellas that save from the scorching sun. Most of the beaches belong to hotels, and the areas accountable to the modest "three rubles" are not much inferior in terms of grooming and comfort to the fashionable five-star zones.

On the Maldivian beaches it is strictly forbidden to sunbathe topless and drink alcohol.

The list of the most famous beaches of the archipelago includes Naladu and Banyan Tree on Male Atoll, San and Nika on Ari Atoll. Turtles nest on the banks of the Laviani, and dolphins splash around the coast of Maafushi. A wealthy public relaxes on the islands of Hadahaa (Gaafu Alif Atoll), Kunfunadu (Baa Atoll) and Veligandu (Ari Atoll). There is an equipped beach even in the capital: of course, it is not as spectacular as the recreation areas in luxury resorts, but it is quite suitable for surfing and sunbathing. And the most vivid impressions will be given by night swimming on the “glowing” beach: underwater microorganisms and luminescent algae on the coast of Vaadu (South Male) shimmer in the dark with blue lights, creating the effect of a starry sky descending to earth.

Diving in the Maldives

The Maldives... how much this word has merged for the diver's heart: comfortable water temperature (+27 °C at a depth of up to 40 m), excellent visibility up to 30 m and, of course, professional dive centers. The disadvantages of the direction include strong currents outside the reefs. The best season for scuba diving in the archipelago is from January to April, when the weather is sunny and the water is clear. Giraavaru Island Resort, on the North Atoll, has over 20 sites known to divers from all over the world.

For beginners, diving on reefs is ideal: on their inner slopes or inside the atoll. Advanced divers will be interested in the outer surface of the reef (there are amazing ocean fish living in caves with ledges and terraces), but do not forget about strong currents and breaking waves. The underwater coral slides are very interesting - their tops are at a depth of 5 to 25 m, and the base is up to 40 m.

In addition, there are several interesting wrecks in the Maldives, for example, the Victoria cargo ship with the remains of goods brought to the islands or the Chaika steamer, which sank at the end of the 19th century - its hull is completely split in two. Some of the popular sites are: Embudu National Reserve with a stunning variety of underwater life, Feliwaru and Halaveli wrecks (giant rays can be seen here), Maaya Reef, a cozy channel between the reefs of Fushi, teeming with many inhabitants, a secluded dive site Rakido, Guraidhoo Marine Protected Area , Miyaru's "shark" site.

Read more about local diving in the article by our permanent expert charming Veronica Birman "Diving without lyrics - 13. The soul of the Maldives".

Surfing

Board riding on the waves is a relatively recent entertainment in the Maldives: only in the late 80s. the first surfers came here. Today, the islands are considered one of the most popular surf spots in the world: they are never crowded (the number of people going out to sea is regulated by a special service), and the waves are just a feast for the eyes: high, stable, and ideally shaped. Lohifushi Island regularly hosts the prestigious O'Neill Deep Blue Open international tournament.

There are 7 popular surf spots in the Maldives, including Sultans, Pasta Point (with the exclusive right to “hire” waves by the Atoll Adventures club) and the so-called “Police Island”. The most wonderful surfing is from June to September, the height of local waves is from 1 to 2.5 m.

Surfing can also be practiced in the capital Male: there is a sandy bottom, and there is no risk of cutting yourself on corals at low tide. True, the landscapes are not as picturesque as in the atoll resorts.

Wedding in the Maldives

Entertainment and attractions

All the main beauties of the Maldives are located below sea level; there are no special sights on land. There is the little-remarkable capital Male (excursion from 40 USD), many uninhabited islands similar to each other, where they like to have picnics (from 35 USD), as well as a kind of "action" - a fishing excursion. Perhaps the only notable surface excursion is the Photo Flight, a seaplane flight over the islands. It costs a lot: for 15-20 minutes in the air you will have to pay about 150-250 USD. Other popular excursions are a yacht cruise (from 80-90 USD) or a submarine dive (from 45-50 USD).

Do you know how an atoll differs from "just an island"? Just in case, we give a certificate: an atoll is a coral island in the form of a continuous or discontinuous ring surrounding the lagoon. If you look from under the water, the atoll will most likely turn out to be a long-extinct volcano, on the slopes of which a coral reef once began to grow - and grew so much that it gradually appeared on the surface. But the top of the volcano, on the contrary, over the long centuries collapsed and sank under water. You know the rest: people came from somewhere to the formed ring, built hotels with restaurants and spas, and opened diving centers.

If the soul still requires a cultural program, we recommend visiting the National Museum on the territory of the picturesque Sultan Park, the Islamic Center under the golden dome and the Presidential Palace in Male. The country's oldest Old Friday Mosque with a unique minaret (1656) and the tomb of Mohammed Takurufanu, legends of national resistance, are also located here. There are ruins of a Buddhist temple from 90 BC on Ari Atoll. e., on the island of Matirah (Haa Alif atoll) - a mausoleum with a sacred tomb, a place of pilgrimage for Muslims.

Holidays and events

The main holidays in the Maldives are patriotic and religious in nature. The most magnificent celebrations take place on Independence Day, July 26: the islanders have fun in honor of the long-awaited exit from the protectorate of Britain and the declaration of sovereignty. On the first day of the month of Rabi al-awwal, the Day of the Nation is celebrated in honor of the liberation from the Portuguese invaders by the troops of Mohammed Takurufanu. On the 12th day of the same month, the birth of the Prophet Muhammad is celebrated.

The end of the holy Ramadan marks Eid al-Fitr: three days of plentiful meals, visits and other amusements. After 70 days, Eid al-Adha arrives with traditional worship and sacrifices. November 3 - Victory Day in honor of the coup d'état prevented in 1988. In the first month of the Muslim calendar, Muharram, religious celebrations are held to celebrate the Islamic New Year.

December 10 is one of the most colorful local holidays: Fisherman's Day with folk festivals and noisy fairs. On New Year's Eve (January 1) and Christmas (December 25) adored by foreign tourists, bright celebrations are held in hotels and on city streets: the degree of fun depends only on the thickness of the wallet.