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Outbound Tours - Maldives Island Tour Packages

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Factoids

"According to the Guinness Book of Records the Maldives is the world's flattest country, with no natural land higher than 2.4m (7.9ft) above sea level. Even the palms are taller! "

"Maldives holds the record for being the flattest country in the world, with a maximum natural ground level of only 2.3 m (7½ ft), though in areas where construction exists this has been increased to several metres. "

"A tsunami in the Indian Ocean caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake caused parts of Maldives to be covered by sea water and left many people homeless. After the disaster, cartographers are planning to redraw the maps of the islands due to alterations by the tsunami."

"Maldives ranks among the top five places on Earth for watching whales and dolphins. Over 20 different species (a quarter of the world’s total) call the Maldives home. These range from the mighty Blue Whale (the largest animal alive) to the diminutive but highly acrobatic Spinner Dolphin. "

"Maruhabaa" - Welcome to Maldives Islands Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an island nation consisting of a group of Atolls (An atoll is created as a coral reef builds up around an eroding volcanic island.) in the Indian Ocean, south of Lakshadweep group of islands of India, about 700 kilometers (435 mi) south-west of Sri Lanka. The early inhabitants of Maldives were from present day Kerala and probably spoke an archaic form of Tamil, a Dravidian language. In fact people in the neighbouring Lakshadweep islands speak a form of Malayalam that is an off shoot of archaic Tamil. But by the fourth century A.D., Theravada Buddhism originating from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) became the dominant religion of the people of Maldives. Some scholars believe that the name "Maldives" derives from the Sanskrit mala-dvipa, meaning "garland of islands".   Factoid: "According to the Guinness Book of Records the Maldives is the world's flattest country, with no natural land higher than 2.4m (7.9ft) above sea level. Even the palms are taller! "

History of Maldives: The first known settlers arrived from Ceylon and southern India around 500 BC as the islands were on Indian Ocean trade routes. This introduced both Buddhist and Hindu religions, while Arab traders, many centuries later, brought Islam to the shores.

It wasn’t until the 16th Century that the Europeans got involved. First Portuguese merchants arrived, then in the 17th century, the Dutch took hold but without establishing a colonial administration. Finally in 1867, the British established a protectorate which allowed them to build defense facilities.

Economy Overview: Tourism, Maldives' largest industry, accounts for 20% of GDP and more than 60% of the Maldives' foreign exchange receipts. Over 90% of government tax revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes.

When tourism first arrived, the Moslem government was careful to contain development in a small area near the airport. In 1972 there was just one resort but as time went by tourism became a major part of the economy.

Malé - the Capital

Malé, is the capital of the Republic of Maldives. The city is located on Malé Island in the Kaafu Atoll. Although Malé is geographically located in Kaafu Atoll, administratively it is not considered part of it. A commercial harbor is located in the Island. It is the heart of all commercial activities in the country. Many government buildings and agencies are located on the waterfront. Malé International Airport is on adjacent Hulhule Island which includes a seaplane base for internal transportation. The island is heavily urbanised, the city taking up essentially its entire landmass. It is the world's most densely populated city.

When to Go

Since the Maldives has warm, tropical weather year-round it is always a good time to visit. There are particular times during the year when such things as resort prices or water clarity (for diving) change which may be of interest to you. If you visit during the dry season, which is from December to April, you get a few extra hours of sunshine and a less likely chance of rain. However, this is the most popular time to visit, and resorts can be fully booked with prices that are higher during these months. The Christmas and New Year holidays are the busiest and most expensive part of this season. During the wet season, from May to November, rain, cloudy skies and higher humidity can be more likely (though you can see many sunny days during this time). There are fewer tourists and lower prices during this period. For divers, November and April are good months to visit since the seasonal change can bring increased water clarity and better visibility.

What to Pack

We have compiled a “what to pack” list specifically made for the needs of a traveler in Maldives Island. Staying in resorts or in hotels in Male’ minimizes the list as they provide most everything. There are also shops located in resorts and in Male’ where you should find your basic needs.

• Sunscreen with high SPF (Sun Protection Factor)

• Sunglasses

• Hat or Cap for shade from the sun

• Light cotton clothing

• Insect Repellent

• Bathing Suits

• Personal diving or snorkeling equipments (resorts as well as dive shops on Male’ rent out this equipment)

• Credit Card (Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Diners Club, and Eurocard are accepted)

What to Wear

We recommend you bring light cotton clothing to wear during your stay in the Maldives. Since it is generally hot and humid, shorts and t-shirts are the best types to bring. Business dress is casual, and when visiting inhabited islands such as Male’, it is asked that visitors dress modestly. If you plan to visit during the “wet” season (May through November), we recommend you bring a light rain jacket.

*Nudism is prohibited

Health Care

Healthcare in the Maldives is limited but sufficient. All resort islands have first-aid facilities to tend to your healthcare needs while on vacation.

Food and water are safe to drink and eat on all resorts. Food is generally safe to eat on Male’ and other inhabited islands although you may want to drink bottled water or canned/bottled beverages without ice.

Most of the problems come from diving or sun related injuries. Heat stroke etc always cause problems in the tropics but team that with divers spending hours at a time on a boat wearing a wetsuit and overheating of one form or another is a real issue. As long as you know this, drink lots of water and get into the shade as much as possible it is easy to avoid.

In preparation for the certification of the Malaria Free Maldives, all incoming passengers from malaria-infected countries are screened.
For Certification of Sanitary Port an organized Medical Service, adequate staff and equipment provides in and out passengers care and attend Medical emergencies at port.

Disinfections is compulsory for Cargo aircraft and passenger aircrafts coming from Yellow Fever and Malaria endemic areas.

People of Maldives:

Maldivians are very peaceful and hospitable. In this small nation over 200,000 people live, with approximately 70,000 of them on the capital city of Male. Male is a mixture of traditional and modern culture. The older generation clings to their way of life and the younger generation embraces western trends that are evident in their dress and music. Women are not as restricted as those in other Muslim countries. They are allowed to serve in the military and hold prominent jobs. Women are not required to wear the head to toe burke; however some of the more devout women choose to wear a head covering. All natives have access to education. Most school children are taught English as well as their native language of Dhivehi.

Festivals & Culture of Maldives

Maldivians have great national pride. In all festival planning a feeling of family is sensed as women, men, and children share in the preparation of food, decoration, and entertainment programmes. Most celebrations will find a blending of tradition and modern entertainment. Folk dances and music using wooden instruments may be followed by modern jazz or pop music. People from all professions work side by side in a spirit of co-operation for these celebrations.

The Maldives are an island nation in the Indian Ocean, and its culture is an amalgamation of Malaysian, Indonesian, East African, Arab and Indian influences. Few Art forms of Maldives are:

Boduberu: This most popular form of indigenous music is performed by about 15 people, including three drummers and a lead singer. They are accompanied by a small bell and an "Onugandu" - a small piece of bamboo with horizontal grooves, from which raspy sounds are produced by scrapping. Bodu Beru is usually sung after a hard day's work. Today, Bodu Beru is an important item of entertainment at stage shows, celebrations and festivals. The costume of the performers is a sarong and a white short sleeved banian.

Thaara: Thaara is the Dhivehi word for tambourine. It is performed by about 22 people seated in two parallel rows facing each other. It is a type of music which has a semi religious touch, and is distinct to men only. The performers wear white sarongs and white shirts with a green scarf tied around their necks. Thaara was introduced to The Maldives by the Gulf Arabs who came here in the mid 17th century. A type of music similar to Thaara is still practised in the Gulf and in south Arabia.

Langiri: Langiri is a dance and music played by young men as an evening stage show. To perform Langiri each dancer holds two sticks that are about two feet long. The sticks known as "Langiri Dhandi" are decorated, each having a colourful artificial flower at the head end. In the dance the performers sit in tow rows of twelve or in six and as they sway their bodies waist up and at the same time keep clapping the Langiri Dhandi in different styles.

Bolimalaafath Neshun: This is a dance performed by women. The dance shows the old tradition of women offering gifts to the sultan, on special occasions such as Eid festival. The gifts, usually shells, are kept in a small vase or box known as the "Kurandi Malaafath". It is kept closed and is intricately decorated from outside. The vase is covered in a piece of colourful silk cloth. The women who carry the case too wear bright coloured local dresses which are fumigated by burning incense. In the dance there are about 24 people performers. Bolimalaafath Neshun is still regarded as the most important of all the dances performed by Maldivian women.

Shopping

The Maldives has great shopping. Whether you’re staying at a resort or in hotel you can find good places to shop. Resorts usually have their own souvenir shops, and nearby island villages have tourist shops, but Male’ (the capital) is known to be the best place for shopping. Also, you may bargain the price with shopkeepers on Male’.

Some of the locally made souvenirs include lacquered wooden boxes, reed mats, and items, such as journals or photo albums, made from palm trees. You can also find the more common souvenirs like, post cards, calendars, seashells, books, and t-shirts. You may find items you need, other than souvenirs, at shops in your resort or at shops in Male’.

Duty free shopping is only available in the departure terminal of the Male’ international airport. The lounge has specialized shops for electrical goods, watches, cameras, fashion, liquor, jewelry, tobacco and more.

Shopping hours on Male’ are from 8:30am to 11pm Saturday through Thursday. Shops do close for 15 minutes, 5 times a day for Muslim prayer times however this is not usually adhered to in other tourist areas or in resorts. Tourist shops accept US dollars.

Customs: The import of firearms, liquor, drugs and pornography are prohibited. An official license is required for import of alcohol. Alcohol is available in all the resorts and not sold / available in Male’. Dogs, Pigs, and pork products are prohibited. Special permission should be sought to bring the personal pets (dogs not allowed).
 

Entry Formalities:

• No prior visa is required to enter the Republic of Maldives. Entry permit will be granted to visitors on arrival at designated ports of entry, based on the immigration requirements.

• Free 30 days Visa upon arrival for all visitors

• Visitors entering the Republic of Maldives should have confirm bookings in registered tourist resort/hotels etc.

• An entry permit does not allow an visitor to take up employment, set up any business or exercise any profession whether paid or unpaid except with the consent and in conformity with the pertinent laws and regulations of the Maldives.

• Disembarkation and Embarkation card shall be filled by every passenger and submitted to the Immigration Officer on entry.