Maldives Travel Guide: Everything Indians Need to Know

The Maldives is a chain of about 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean, and for Indian travellers it is one of the easiest international trips: short flights, a visa on arrival, and a choice between private resort islands and budget guesthouses. This guide covers the practical side of planning. Travelling as a couple? Our Maldives honeymoon guide covers resorts, costs and romantic extras.

How do you get to the Maldives from India?

Fly into Velana International Airport in Malé. There are direct flights from Bangalore, taking a little over two hours, and from Chennai, taking about an hour and a half, as well as from cities including Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi. From Coimbatore you connect through Chennai, Bangalore or Colombo, usually six to nine hours in total.

Return fares for a couple typically run ₹25,000–45,000 from Bangalore, ₹22,000–40,000 from Chennai and ₹30,000–55,000 from Coimbatore. Fares change constantly, so treat these as planning ranges. More important than the fare is the landing time: if your resort uses seaplanes, aim to land in Malé by early afternoon (see transfers below). City-specific details are on our pages for Bangalore, Chennai and Coimbatore.

Do Indians need a visa for the Maldives?

No advance visa is needed. Maldives Immigration grants tourists a visa on arrival without pre-approval. You need a passport with a machine-readable zone and at least one month's validity, a confirmed return ticket, a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered resort or guesthouse, and enough funds for your stay.

Every traveller, children included, must also submit a Traveller Declaration on the IMUGA portal within 96 hours before arrival. Submission is free. Children need their own passport, and entry is decided by the immigration officer on arrival. Rules can change, so check the official Maldives Immigration tourist visa page a week before you fly.

For the entry checks at Malé airport and how to file the IMUGA declaration, read our Maldives visa guide for Indians.

Should you stay on a resort island or a local island?

Stay on a resort island if you want privacy, overwater villas, all-inclusive dining and alcohol. Choose a guesthouse on a local island to save money: the sea and reefs are the same, but there is no alcohol, swimwear belongs on the designated bikini beach, and you eat at local cafés. Many travellers combine both in one trip.

A resort island holds one resort and nothing else, so once you arrive you stay there, and every meal, drink and excursion is bought from the resort. Local islands are inhabited Muslim communities with guesthouses, cafés and dive schools. Maafushi, 45 minutes by speedboat from Malé, is the most developed for visitors. Dress modestly in the village and in Malé.

A popular middle path is four nights on a local island and one night at a resort at the end. Our Maldives budget guide explains how to plan it, and our luxury Maldives resorts guide covers the top end.

Two more guides help with the planning: our water villa vs beach villa comparison explains which room type suits which kind of trip, and our list of things to do in the Maldives for couples covers what to book once you are there.

How do transfers from Malé airport work?

Your resort or guesthouse arranges the transfer from the airport. Islands near Malé are reached by speedboat, usually in under an hour; distant atolls by seaplane, or by a domestic flight and then a speedboat. Seaplanes fly only in daylight, so a late landing can mean an unplanned night near the airport. Check this before you book flights.

• Speedboat: most North Malé Atoll resorts are 20–45 minutes away, and South Malé Atoll 40–60 minutes. No seaplane cost and no daylight limit.
• Seaplane: used for atolls such as Ari (about 25 minutes by air) and most of Baa. Budget USD 400–600 per person return.
• Domestic flight plus speedboat: used for remote atolls. For local islands it adds roughly ₹3,000–8,000 per person.
• Local-island options: a shared speedboat costs ₹1,500–3,500 per person and takes 30–60 minutes; the public ferry costs ₹250–500 per person but takes two to four hours and runs only on fixed days.

How much does a Maldives trip cost from India?

Excluding flights, five nights for two costs roughly ₹1,00,000–1,40,000 on a local island with day trips, ₹2,20,000–3,20,000 at a mid-range all-inclusive resort and ₹4,50,000–8,00,000 in a 5-star overwater villa. Return flights for two add about ₹22,000–55,000 from South Indian cities. Our honeymoon guide breaks these bands down.

What money should you carry to the Maldives?

The local currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa, but resorts price and bill in US dollars and accept international cards. Carry some US dollars in small notes for tips and local-island spending, and tell your bank you are travelling so your card is not blocked. At a resort you will rarely need rufiyaa.

When comparing quotes, check what is included. Resort bills normally add service charge and taxes, and the Maldives charges tourists a Green Tax for each night. A good quote shows transfers, meal plan and Green Tax clearly; ours do.

When is the best time to visit the Maldives?

January to March is the driest and sunniest period, with 10 to 11 hours of sunshine a day on average, according to the Maldives Meteorological Service. December and April are transition months. The south-west monsoon, from mid-May to November, brings more rain, usually in short showers. Temperatures stay between about 25°C and 32°C all year.

Prices follow the weather. Late December and early January are the most expensive weeks, while May and October can be 20–30 per cent cheaper with mostly good weather. The wet months have their own reward: whale sharks in South Ari Atoll from May to November and manta rays in Baa Atoll from June to November. See our month-by-month best time to visit guide.

What should you pack for the Maldives?

Pack light: cotton clothes, swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, your own snorkel mask, a waterproof phone pouch and one smarter outfit for dinner. If you will visit Malé or a local island, bring clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. Resorts supply most other essentials.

Keep your passport, return ticket, hotel confirmation and Traveller Declaration together in your hand luggage, with copies on your phone. Reef-safe sunscreen is required at some eco-resorts, and bringing your own mask saves rental fees on a local island.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many days are enough for a Maldives trip?

Four to five nights suits most first trips. With direct flights from Bangalore and Chennai you can usually reach a speedboat resort on the day you land, so even four nights gives you four full days on the island. Add a night or two if you plan to split your stay between two islands.

Can you drink alcohol in the Maldives?

Yes, on resort islands, which serve alcohol in their bars and restaurants. Local inhabited islands do not sell alcohol, so a guesthouse stay is dry. Some guesthouses arrange boat trips to a nearby floating bar if you want a drink.

Is the Maldives good for families with children?

Yes. Resort islands are compact and easy to manage with children, and many have kids' clubs and shallow lagoons. Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, for example, has a water park. Children need their own passport and their own Traveller Declaration to enter the Maldives.

Do you need travel insurance for the Maldives?

Travel insurance is not listed among the entry requirements on Maldives Immigration's tourist visa page, but we strongly recommend it. The main hospitals are in and around Malé, so a medical problem on a distant atoll can mean a costly boat or seaplane transfer.

Is the Andaman a cheaper alternative to the Maldives?

Usually, yes. A couple can do five nights in the Andaman Islands with water sports and island-hopping for about ₹70,000–1,00,000 in total, while a comparable 4-star resort-island trip in the Maldives costs ₹2,00,000–3,00,000. Maldives guesthouses narrow the gap.

Can you visit more than one island on one Maldives trip?

Yes. Many travellers split a stay between a local island and a resort, or between two resorts. Each move needs its own boat or seaplane leg, so plan the whole route as one booking. Booked separately, the transfers can eat up the saving.

Planning dates already? WhatsApp our team on 99940 42247 or call our Bangalore office on 99455 34012 for a quote with named resorts, transfers and meal plan included.