Maldives is formerly a Sultanate under Dutch and British protection, the
Maldives are now a republic. Under international pressure, free and fair elections were finally held in 2008.
The Tsunami of December 26, 2004 caused extensive damage to the
Maldives - of a population of only 290,000, over a third was directly affected by the tsunami and more than 15,000 people were left homeless. The economic damage alone was over 62% of the GDP or US$470 million.
The immediate response from international donors and agencies mobilized more than US$400 million in aid after the disaster, much of which was used to help misplaced persons rebuild their homes and infrastructure damaged by the waves. As of December 24, 2010, six years after the tsunami, the number of persons living in temporary shelters had fallen from 15,000 to only 1,600 people.
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. Over 600,000 tourists visited the islands in 2006. Fishing is a second leading sector. The
Maldivian Government began an economic reform program in 1989 initially by lifting import quotas and opening some exports to the private sector. Subsequently, it has liberalized regulations to allow more foreign investment. Agriculture and manufacturing continue to play a minor role in the economy, constrained by the limited availability of cultivable land and the shortage of domestic labor. Most staple foods must be imported. Industry, which consists mainly of garment production, boat building, and handicrafts, accounts for about 18% of GDP.
Maldivian authorities worry about the impact of erosion and global warming on their low-lying country; 80% of the area is one meter or less above sea level.
Note that the weekend in the
Maldives runs from Friday to Saturday, during which banks, government offices and many shops are closed. You will
NOT notice this at the resorts though, except that lunch hours may be shifted for Friday prayers.
The
Maldives are tropical, with plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 30°C throughout the year. However, rainfall increases considerably during the April-October southwest monsoon, particularly from June to August.
The
Maldives are formed of 26 atolls, or
atholhu in Dhivehi — the source of the English word. These are not single islands, but giant ringlike coral formations hundreds of kilometers wide that have fragmented into countless islands.
The
Maldives have a remarkably easy visa policy --
Everybody gets a free 30-day visa on arrival, provided that they have a valid travel document, a ticket out and proof of sufficient funds, defined as either a confirmed reservation in any resort or US$100 + $50/day in cash. This can be extended up to 90 days at Male, the capital of the
Maldives, but you will need to indicate where you're staying for that long.
Importing alcohol, pork or pornography (very broadly defined) into the
Maldives is forbidden and all luggage is X-rayed on arrival. On the way out, note that exporting sand, seashells or coral is also forbidden.
Practically all visitors arrive at
Malé International Airport located on Hulhulé Island right next to the capital
Male. The airport is served by a wide array of flights to
China,
India,
Sri Lanka,
Dubai and major airports in
South-East Asia, as well as an increasing number of charters from Europe. Many flights stop in
Colombo (Sri Lanka) on the way.
Gan Airport which is on the southern atoll of
Addu, also serves an international flight to
Milan several times a week.
Departure taxes are included in your ticket.
British Airways now flies directly from London Gatwick to Male 3 times a week (Sunday, Tuesday and Friday)
Cathay Pacific Airlines flies 4 times a week from Hong Kong (Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun)
Singapore Airlines flies daily direct from Singapore to Male, with late night timings.
Turkish Airlines flies directly from Istanbul Ataturk to Male 5 times in a week.
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Male', twice a day.
Austrian Airlines flies between Vienna and Male once a week.
There are no regular passenger boats to the
Maldives. Even yachts usually steer clear, as navigating around the reefs is hazardous and permits are expensive.
Getting around in the
Maldives takes three forms: boats, sea planes (air taxis) and private yachts. The boats are the
Maldivian equivalent of a car, while planes and private yachts are mainly reserved for tourists.
Air taxis and boats prefer not to operate at night, so if you arrive at the airport after dark and are going to a distant resort, you may have to spend the night in Male or at the airport hotel in Hulhule. Private transfers, though expensive can be opted for resort transfers, instead of spending the whole night at Male. Private transfers could cost anywhere between US$500-800. On the way back, there may also be a significant gap between the time your transfer arrives and your flight departure. Check with your resort or travel agent.
Public ferries and cargo boats are available for more independent-minded and budget-conscious travelers.
Independent travel to inhabited islands other than Male requires an Inter Atoll Traveling Permit, and receiving one requires Rf.10, a copy of your passport and — the hard part — an invitation from a resident of the island you wish to visit. Permits are not necessary for the organized island-hopping tours arranged by resorts and liveaboards.
No point in the
Maldives is more than 90 minutes away by plane from Male, and visitors to the more far-flung resorts use air taxi services. There are two main operators:
Maldivian Air Taxi, with red and white planes, and
Trans Maldivian Airways, with yellow and blue planes. The services are largely identical and take around 15 passengers.
The taxi boats generally take tourists to and from the islands in the North and South Male atolls. They come in all different shapes and sizes depending on the quality of the resort you stay in — the Four Seasons has a large enclosed motor cruiser with drinks and food, while the lesser resorts have open sided
dhoni fishing boats.Online trafer booking can be made on Atolltransfer.
Maldivian Dhivehi, a close relative of
Sinhala (spoken in Sri Lanka) but with borrowings from Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and many other languages, is the official language. It is written in a remarkable hybrid script called
Thaana, which uses Arabic and Indic numbers as the base of the alphabet, written from right to left with Arabic vowel signs. The script is thought to have originated as a secret code for writing magical formulas so that outsiders can
NOT read them, which would also explain why the ordering of the alphabet is, as far as linguists can tell, completely random!
English is widely spoken, particularly by government officials and those working in the tourism industry. English is the language of instruction in schools, which means that you will be able to communicate with the locals with varying degrees of difficulty.
