Learn everything you need to know before coming to Maldives.
What are requirements, formalities and useful piece of advice?
Getting There
Visas, passports and immigration
Visas are not required in advance but are issued on arrival.
Most travellers are issued with 30 day visas.
If you wish to extend your stay, we can apply for a visa extension on your behalf.
All tourists are required to have a passport with a minimum of thirty days validity from the date of departure, onward or return airline tickets or funds to purchase tickets and sufficient funds to cover their expenses during their stay.
How to get there
Most passengers arrive into the Maldives by air and Male International Airport on Hulhule Island is served by a small number of International scheduled and charter airlines.
From North America, there are no direct services and passengers would need to fly to Singapore for daily flights to the Maldives or to the UK to connect from there - please contact us for information.
As an indication, the flight time is four hours from Singapore, three hours from Dubai, thirteen hours from London and forty five minutes from Columbo. The airport island, called Hulhule, is just ten minutes boat ride from the capital, Male.
On Arrival in Male
Customs formalities are usually quick and trouble free in the Maldives. There are strict laws forbidding the import of pornography of any kind, alcohol, pork and all products containing pork, narcotic drugs, poisons and hazardous chemicals, firearms and explosives.
Once you have collected your luggage, you will be met at the airport by a representative of the crew who will help you to find the transfer to your” live-aboard Ocean Divine”.
Our team will transfer you by Dhoni directly to the boat (15 to 20 minutes) .
Money
The Maldivian currency is called Rufiyaa and it is divided into 100 laari but it is rarely used on tourist resorts. Most transactions for tourists on the resorts, fishing islands and in Male take place in US dollars. Ocean Divine will cash travellers cheques and will accept only master and visa cards.
There are a number of banks in Male where you can cash your travellers cheques into US Dollars and also purchase Rufiyaa using US Dollars.
Telecommunications and Mail
The telephone system in the Maldives is very efficient with international telephone communications available from the boat. Mail can be sent also from the boat .
Electricity
The Ocean Divine use 220/240volt AC at 50 cycles but there is no standard socket type and it is worth carrying an international adapter . Plugs are usually the two pin European style. If you are used to a 110 volt supply you will need a small transformer to convert from 240V to 110V.
On departure from the Maldives
Departure tax is paid when you purchase your airline ticket and is no longer payable on your departure.