In depth · Plan your trip
Before You Go: Maldives Essentials
A few practical points make a Maldives trip go smoothly, from how you reach your island to where you can have a drink.
Updated October 2026
Arriving and transfers
Velana International Airport on Hulhulé is the gateway, with flights to more than 40 destinations. From there, Trans Maldivian Airways and Manta Air fly seaplanes to the resorts, Maldivian flies to the regional airports, and nearby resorts send speedboats.
Seaplanes fly in daylight only, so if you land late you may need a night near the airport. The Hulhulé Island Hotel is two minutes’ walk from Terminal 1, and Hulhumalé is next door.
Before you fly, every foreign traveller, children included, must submit a Traveller Declaration on the official IMUGA portal (imuga.immigration.gov.mv) within 96 hours before arrival; the government charges nothing for it. Tourist visas are granted on arrival if you have a valid passport, a confirmed onward ticket and a confirmed booking.
Getting around in depth Entry rules
Where you can have a drink
Malé, Hulhumalé and the inhabited local islands are dry. Alcohol is served at resorts, on safari boats and in licensed hotels such as the Hulhulé Island Hotel. That is why our bars and nightlife are on resort islands.
Dress and etiquette
The Maldives is a Muslim country. In Malé, on local islands and at mosques, dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered. Resorts are relaxed about swimwear.
Hospitals and diving safety
The main hospitals are in Greater Malé: IGMH and ADK Hospital (emergency 1440) in Malé, and Tree Top Hospital (ambulance 1610) and Hulhumalé Hospital (hotline 1417) in Hulhumalé. ADK opened a hyperbaric unit in 2023 that can treat decompression sickness. Make sure your insurance covers diving and medical evacuation.
The Maldives Police Service emergency number is 911. Visit Maldives notes that each atoll has at least one hospital and most resorts have their own clinic or doctor.
Hospitals and emergency numbers
Buying property
Foreigners cannot own freehold land in the Maldives. Projects for overseas buyers offer leasehold, and the terms vary, so get the tenure in writing and have a Maldivian lawyer check it.