MALDIVES Currency: Maldive Rufiyaa Currency Exchange General Info Dive Services/Accommodations Travel/Tips     The Maldives are located about an hour's flight southwest of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. This country is made up of about 26 atoll formations, comprising over a thousand islands and scattered like gem stones in a north to south direction. With a population of just 238,500, only 199 islands are inhabited and 75 have been set aside exclusively for tourist resorts. Although topside wildlife is limited, the underwater world is indescribably beautiful. The Maldives are one of the most coral rich regions of the world. Over three quarters of the world's reef fish can be found in their waters. For scuba divers the Maldives are simply heaven. Diving in the Maldives can be accessed from land based resorts which use day boats that take vacationers out to the reefs, pinnacles, and channels that comprise the Maldives atolls. For the more exotic Maldives diving, you can experience the remote atolls from a live aboard dive vessel. The diving for experienced divers is excellent. There are drop offs, overhangs, cuts, pinnacles, and wrecks full of life. Aside from the pleuthra of reef fish, divers will encounter turtles, moray eels, sharks, mantas, and even whale sharks. Climate: 75 - 86F (24-30C) Water Temp: 78 - 86F (26-30C) Visibility: 70 - 150+ Ft. (21 - 45+ m) Dive Services   Blue Horizon Feeroaz Magu, Male' , 2002, Maldives. Ph. +960 321169 Fax. +960 328797 bluehrzn@dhivehinet.net.mv http://www.blue-horizon.com.mv Boats with air conditioned cabins and attached private bathroom / toilet. Kitchen, Lounge with TV, VCR and musif player. Seperate dive tender. Live-a-board dive operator offering 2 to 3 dives a day with 1 night dive per week. This also includes all meals, 1.5 liters of water per pax, 3 dives a day + 1 night dive per week, oxygen, tanks, weight and transfer from aiport to boat (in HulhuMale') and back to airport on last day. Resort stays also available.   Safariboat SHEENA Werner Lau Medhufushi booksheena@wernerlau.com www.wernerlau.com In the almost untouched and unexplored regions in the South Maldives we dive reefs and channels in the Meemu-, Laamu- and Thaa-Atolls. An alternative route, available on request travels to Felidhoo-Atoll (Hammer head sharks) and in South Ari-Atoll (whale sharks).   Sea Explorer Reethi Beach Resort Baa Atoll Rep. of Maldives Tel.: 00960 6602626 Fax.: 00960 6602727 dive@reethibeach.com.mv http://www.sea-explorer.net Sea Explorer and Reethi Beach Resort offer you a great combination for your diving holiday. We offer more than 40 dive sites to suit every diver, many within 20 minutes. Our dive school offers beginner to divemaster PADI instruction. Reethi Beach Resort offers excellent accommodations in a setting that can only be called "paradise".   Sea Explorers Dive School H. Asfaam Bodufungadu Magu Malé Maldives Tel. +960 3316172 Fax. +960 3316783 seaexplo@dhivehinet.net.mv http://www.seamaldives.com.mv Sea Explorers Dive School, located on the capital Island Malé. A PADI 5* Gold Palm center. Fun Dives and Courses from beginner to Dive Master and Specialties.   Werner Lau Filitheyo Filitheyo Island Resort Nilandhe-Atoll Republik of Maldives Tel. 00960 460025 Fax. 00960 460024 filitheyo@wernerlau.com www.wernerlau.com The only Tourist Island in the Atoll. Winner of the award from "tauchen" as the best divers hotel world wide.Splended green with a lots of comfort, but still casual. Spa! Outstanding food! Spectacular house reef canal (down to 90 metres), tank service. Nitrox and under water scooters. All dive sites are exclusive to you on the island. Sharks, Mantas, Eagle Rays!   Werner Lau Medhufushi Medufushi Island Resort Meemu-Atoll Republik of Maldives Tel. 00960 460026 Fax. 00960 460027 medhufushi@wernerlau.com www.wernerlau.com The pearl of the Meeu Atoll. Luxurios Island of your dreams with an international flair. Spa! Pristine lagoon ideal for diving courses, surfing and sailing. Lots of untouched wounderful spots, easy to diveonwith extravagant reef channels. Sharks. Mantas.Whalesharks!   Travel to Maldives Though Male’ is the capital island, it is too small to have an airport. Therefore, your flight will land on a neighboring island called Hulhule', which is the only runway in the world that begins and ends in water. Just as your flight seems about to splash into the greenish blue crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean the wheels suddenly bounce onto the asphalt. The island of Hulhule’ is less than 1 mile from Male'. Transport from Hulhule, to your next stop is mainly by ‘dhoni’ or Maldivian ferries. These are usually motor boats which could accommodate about 30-40 people and take about 10 -15 minutes to reach Male’. If you prefer faster forms of transportation, you have smaller speed boats which can accommodate about 5-7 people. Further destinations such as the atolls in Ari Atoll can also be reached by helicopter transport.       Air Travel           Airline From Arriving on     Emirates Dubai Saturdays, Tuesdays and Thursdays   Dubai via Colombo Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays   Travel Time: 2hours 50 minutes   Connections From:   DUBAI, HEATHROW, GATWICK, COLOMBO, ROME, PARIS, ISTANBUL, FRANKFURT, ZURICH, HONG KONG       Sri Lankan Airlines Colombo Daily   Travel Time: 1 hours 10 minutes   Connections From:   COLOMBO, PARIS, ROME, MILAN, FRANKFURT, ZURICH, HEATHROW, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, MUMBAI, MUNICH, DELHI, TRIVANDRUM, DUBAI, TAIPEI       Singapore Airlines Singapore Daily   Travel Time: 4 hours 10 minutes   Connections From:   SINGAPORE, PARIS, ROME, MILAN, LOS ANGLES, CALIFORNIA, FRANKFURT, ZURICH, HEATHROW, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, MUMBAI, CHENNAI, DELHI, DUBAI, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, PERTH, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, TAIPEI       Indian Airlines Trivandram Saturdays, Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays   Travel Time: 50 minutes             Malaysian Airline Kuala Lumpur Saturdays and Mondays   Travel Time: 4 hour and 35 minutes   Connections From:   KUALA LUMPUR, NEW YORK, ZURICH, HEATHROW, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, MUMBAI, MUNICH, DELHI, DUBAI, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, PERTH, JAKARTA,  TAIPEI, NEW YORK       Thai Airways Bangkok Twice a week   Travel Time: 5 hour and 35 minutes   Connections From:   BANGKOK, NEW YORK, ZURICH, HEATHROW, SINGAPORE, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, MUMBAI, MUNICH, DELHI, DUBAI, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE, PERTH, JAKARTA, KUALA LUMPUR, TAIPEI, NEW YORK       Qatar Airways Dhoha Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday       Connections From:   ABU DHABI, BANGKOK, BAHRAIN, BEIRUT, CAIRO, DHAKA, DAMASCUS, DUBAI, JAKARTA, JEDDAH, KHARTOUM, KUWAIT, LONDON, MANILA, MUNICH, MUSCAT, PARIS         Air Seychelles Seychelles Sunday   Mumbai (India) Monday         Connections From:   JOHANNESBURG     Visa Requirements No prior visa arrangements are required. A tourist visa of 30 days will be given to visitors with valid travel documents, on arrival. Visitors should be in possession of at least US$25 per day to stay in the Maldives. For those coming from yellow fever infected regions, an international certificate of inoculation is required. Customs and Rules Strict laws prohibit the importation of pornographic material, firearms, alcohol and illegal drugs into the country. Exports of coral, shells and other object removed from the marine environment is also prohibited. Tipping is discouraged in the Maldives. Unofficially, if the service is good - and it usually is - it's quite customary to tip room staff and waiters in your resort. US$10 per week is a suitable amount. A few resorts add a 10% service charge, in which case there's no need to tip. Bargaining is limited to tourist shops in and around Singapore Bazaar in Male' and at island village souvenir shops where prices are not fixed. What to wear Nudism is an offence in the Maldives and this includes bare breasts. Dress is generally casual. T-shirts and cotton clothing are most suitable. In Male', the capital island, it is recommended that women wear modest clothing without baring too much and when visiting inhabited islands, thighs and shoulders must be covered by both men and women. Language Dhivehi is the language spoken in all parts of the Maldives. English is widely spoken by the Maldivians and every visitor can make himself understood when getting around the capital island. In the resorts, a variety of languages are spoken by the staff including English, German, Italian, French and Japanese. Traveler Tips Currency The Maldivian currency is Rufiyas and Laaris. A Rufiya is equal to 100 laarees (coins). The Rufiyaa comes in the following denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500. The American Dollar is the most common foreign currency. Payments in the resorts can be made in most hard currencies in cash, traveller's cheques or credit cards. The most commonly used credit cards are American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card. Health Care facilities are continually improving. The Indhira Gandhi Memorial Hospital in Male' is the biggest hospital in the country providing sophisticated medical care. ADK Hospital is the biggest private health care facility, and follows high medical standards. Experienced European doctors work at the AMDC Clinic, and some resorts have an in-house doctor. Decompression chambers are within reach of most resorts in case of a diving emergency. The Maldives is tropical and generally a healthy environment abounds. Most will be safe here but please get advice from your doctor regarding vaccinations you may require before arrival. Business hours From Sunday to Thursday 7:30 - 14:30 in the government sector, and generally from 9:00 to 17:00 in the private sector. Weekend falls on Friday and Saturday Communication Up to date technology and international satellite links allow Maldives to have a sophisticated communications system. IDD facilities are available on all resorts, and card phone facilities are available on all islands. Dhiraagu, the Maldives telecommunications company, an affiliate of the British Cable and Wireless Company, provides mobile telephones for rental on a daily basis. Dhiraagu is also the Internet service provider. Food and Beverages Restaurants, coffee shops and well stocked bars in all resorts provide varied and delicious meals with wide choice of fresh fruit juices, punches, cocktail, wines and spirits. All resorts serve food and beverages to suite demanding palates, be it favourite international dishes and or the fresh and exotic delights of seafood. Many offer a-la-carte services that cover eastern and western flavours. Maldivian short eats served with tea or coffee are popular with most visitors as a snack in between meals while grills and barbecues are much in demand in most resorts. A few resorts have specialized restaurants each for favored cuisines as European, Indian and Chinese. Electricity 220-40V, 50 Hz Activities and Sports While in the Maldives, there are many activities to keep you busy when not diving and snorkelling. Badminton can be played at a number of resorts dotted around the Maldives. Check out the hotels offering this facility. ‘Bai Bala’ is a Maldivian tag game. Local associations compete and there are tournaments on a number of the inhabited islands. Ask at your hotel or resort for more information. Basketball can be played at a number of resorts and hotels. Beach Volleyball is a popular pastime at many resorts around the world and the same goes for the Maldives. Big Game Fishing is an upmarket option at some resorts, but there is a 'tag and release' policy, so you can't keep your catch. If you can't get your fill in the daytime, you can also go night fishing on board a dhoni (a traditional boat). Billiards is another activity well catered for by a number of hotels and resorts on the islands. Chess is available at most hotels and resorts. Carom played on Carom bole tables (without pockets) is the forerunner of the American 'Carom Billiards' game and is a very popular pastime with locals as well as being available to guests in a number of resorts. Cricket can be watched on the main island of Malé and on some of the smaller islands. Joining in though is another matter entirely and it’s best to wait until invited. Darts are usually available free of charge in many of the resort islands. Parasailing Fly over the islands, drift over the sea…look down through the clear depths of the water below and view layer upon layer of schools of fish, watch dolphins frolic below you and be thrilled by the experience that will stay with you long after your feet touch down on the soft white sands of your tropical island hideaway again. Photography Color films are available. Processing and printing of color film, including slides is locally available. Cameras and equipment should be imported. NOTE: It is quite a problem to prevent fungus from attacking cameras, projectors, lenses, binoculars, negatives and slides so bring plenty of moisture absorbent bags to store equipment in. Sailing can be done on one of the many catamarans supplied by most hotels or in a traditional dhoni (local sailing boat). This is a wonderful experience and well worth it, especially at sunset or in the early morning. It is not unusual for schools of dolphins to play around your boat or to see hundreds of flying fish taking flight as the boat passes by. Soccer is a locally supported sport and a number of matches are held on Malé that are worth watching. Ask at your hotel or pick up a copy of one of the local newspapers that will list the various games. Surfing has become more popular in the islands since there are excellent breaks accessible from resorts close to Malé almost year-round. Surfing safaris to the outer atolls can also be arranged. It's always best to book surf trips prior to arrival as the Maldives is definitely not the sort of place where a surfer can rock up with a few boards and head for the waves. The average height of waves is about 2 - 2.5 meters. Table-tennis is another sport that is catered to by most resorts and hotels on the islands. Tennis is one sport that a number of resorts cater to. Equipment can be hired at some hotels but you are advised to bring your on shoes. Lawn tennis is offered at a number of resorts and makes a pleasant change to a hard court. Traditional Performances Traditional music and dance are not everyday events, there is a contemporary Divehi culture and on public occasions, like the beginning and end of Ramadan, the celebrations always have a distinctly Maldivian touch. Bodu Beru means a big drum, and gives its name to the best known form of traditional music and dance. It's what tourist resorts put on for a local culture night, and it can be quite sophisticated and compelling. Windsurfing Skim across the crystal water, the wind in your hair with the freedom of living at your finger tips. Scoot past islands and swoosh over coral reefs, enjoy the feeling of nature around you as you glide in a ‘world of your own’ on one of the many colourful windsurfing boards available at most resorts. Waterskiing is available at a number of resorts and is a popular activity. Jetskiing For those with speed in mind this is one activity that will certainly thrill you. Please remember though that there may be divers below you and be aware, so as to not injure anyone in passing. Shopping Male' is the best place for shopping if you are interested in buying imported goods. Most of the shops that specialize in tourists do sell a lot of local handicrafts and souvenirs. It is always best to browse through some shops before making a choice. The shops that are recommended by guides or shop assistants volunteering to be guides are not necessarily the best places for shopping. Duty Free If you are looking for duty free shops, there are some located at the Male' International Airport. They offer a pretty good range of goods from cameras, cosmetics, electrical and electronic equipment, cigarettes and other merchandise. Souvenirs It is not difficult to find your way around Male’, especially if you carry a map with you. After all it is only two square kilometres. The main street Majeedhee Magu, runs right across the island from east to west. Chaandhanee Magu on the other hand runs from north to south. Most souvenir shops line the northern end of Chaandanee Magu, earlier known as the Singapore Bazaar for its many imports from Singapore. Guides and vendors speaking in English and other foreign languages patiently wait to serve the visitors. These shops are stocked with an ample supply of gifts and souvenir items. Best buys include the ‘thudu kuna’ the Maldivian mat woven with local natural fibres. Attractive too are the wooden miniature ‘dhonis’. When shopping for souvenirs, do keep in mind that export of products made of turtle shell, black coral, pearl oyster shell and red coral is prohibited. Garments to Electronics Shopping is the favorite activity for the locals especially in the evenings, when it is cooler. The Majeedhee Magu, which is the main road on the island, has along its sides various shops selling goods from the smallest commodities to virtually everything you could think of. The shops are well stocked with garments, perfumes and cosmetics, jewellery, watches or electronics, to name just a few. Many find it a pleasant experience to join the throngs of shoppers on the main shopping streets in the evenings. All shops are open until 11.00 in the night, except for prayer times, when they are closed for 15 minutes. Local Handicrafts Traditional Maldivian handicraft includes mat weaving, embroidery for traditional dresses, coir making and lacquer work. Dining Male’ has a wide variety of cafés and restaurants, most offering a range of hot and spicy local snacks and meals. The majority of the food outlets in Male’ are cafés or teashops which dot many of the streets. In these you would find the atmosphere busy and hectic, as well as a high noise level to match. These are the ideal places to sample the local fare. A range of ‘short eats’-local sweets and savouries are displayed inside glass food cases. Teashops are of the self-service type. You may find the norms here quite different from those at restaurants you have seen elsewhere in the world or even in Male’. Most dining though is done in within the resorts as they are often isolated and the only options available are the restaurants within the resort complexes. Other than that, there are a few restaurants in the capital city and on the other inhabited islands though to a lesser extent than on Male'.   Indian Ocean Menu Worldwide Destinations Menu | SYP Main Page © 1994-2009 Operators' Rates/Services Subject to Change