Southern Asia · UN member
Maldives: Travel Guide & Requirements
Republic of the Maldives · ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ
The Maldives is a country in Southern Asia with its capital in Malé. It has a population of 529,676 (#171 in the world) and covers 298 km². The official language is Maldivian. The currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR, .ރ).
Where is the Maldives? Map of the Maldives
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India.
- Region
- Southern Asia
- Coordinates
- 3.25° N, 73° E
- Neighbours
- none (no land borders)
- Coastline
- 644 km
- Maldives
- Capital
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to the Maldives
- Passport
Maldives Immigration says you need a passport or travel document with a machine-readable zone and at least 1 month's validity; the UK Foreign Office says your passport must have an expiry date at least one month after t…
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 197 get a visa on arrival. Check yours or see The Maldives entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
Maldives Immigration lists a complete travel itinerary including confirmed return journey tickets among the entry requirements for tourists.
- Proof of funds
Maldives Immigration lists sufficient funds to cover the stay among the entry requirements, together with confirmed return journey tickets and a prepaid confirmed booking at a registered facility, or a sponsorship it ha…
- Travel insurance
No official requirement.
- Vaccinations
Maldives Immigration says you must present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate if arriving from, or having recently travelled through, a country with risk of yellow fever transmission; children under one year o…
- Arrival card
Maldives Immigration says all travellers must submit the Traveller Declaration within 96 hours before their flight time for arrival, free of charge; the IMUGA home page lists it as a mandatory declaration within 96 hour…
- Travel advice
Some caution needed — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
9 things to know before you travel to the Maldives
- Safety: the Maldives is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates the Maldives Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
- Best time to go: January to March — when daytime highs in Malé are around 28°C.
- Money: the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR) — 1 US dollar is about 15.4590 MVR.
- Plugs: type D, G, J, K and L, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 911, Ambulance 911, Fire 911.
- Language: Maldivian is official; English is also spoken.
- Driving: on the left — speed limits are 30 km/h in built-up areas and 30 km/h outside built-up areas.
- Time zone: UTC+5 in Malé.
- Capital: Malé. About 529,676 people live in the Maldives.
Key facts
Maldives at a glance
Languages spoken: Dhivehi (official, closely related to Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)
Geography & history
About the Maldives
A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. In 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever…
Read the full history
A sultanate since the 12th century, the Maldives became a British protectorate in 1887 and a republic in 1968, three years after independence. President Maumoon Abdul GAYOOM dominated Maldives' political scene for 30 years, elected to six successive terms by single-party referendums. After political demonstrations in the capital Male in 2003, GAYOOM and his government pledged to embark upon a process of liberalization and democratic reforms, including a more representative political system and expanded political freedoms. Political parties were legalized in 2005. In 2008, a constituent assembly -- termed the "Special Majlis" -- finalized a new constitution ratified by GAYOOM. The first-ever presidential elections under a multi-candidate, multi-party system were held later that year. GAYOOM was defeated in a runoff by Mohamed NASHEED, a political activist whom the regime had jailed several years earlier. In 2012, after several weeks of street protests in response to a top judge's arrest, NASHEED resigned the presidency and handed over power to Vice President Mohammed WAHEED Hassan Maniku. A government-appointed Commission of National Inquiry concluded that there was no evidence of a coup, but NASHEED contended that police and military personnel forced him to resign. NASHEED, WAHEED, and Abdulla YAMEEN Abdul Gayoom ran in the 2013 elections with YAMEEN ultimately winning the presidency after three rounds of voting. In 2018, YAMEEN lost his reelection bid to parliamentarian Ibrahim Mohamed SOLIH. YAMEEN was arrested and jailed in 2022 on corruption charges. Maldives' fourth democratic election was held in September 2023. The winner, Male City Mayor Dr. Mohamed MUIZZU, campaigned on a platform of Maldivian sovereignty, vowing to remove Indian military personnel from the country. MUIZZU represents a joint Progressive Pary of Maldives and People's National Congress (PPM/PNC) coalition.
Location
Southern Asia, group of atolls in the Indian Ocean, south-southwest of India
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; dry, northeast monsoon (November to March); rainy, southwest monsoon (June to August)
Terrain
flat coral atolls, with white sandy beaches; sits atop the submarine volcanic Chagos-Laccadive Ridge
Highest point
8th tee, golf course, Villingi Island 5 m
Natural resources
fish
Natural hazards
tsunamis; low elevation of islands makes them sensitive to sea level rise
National symbols
coconut palm, yellowfin tuna
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in the Maldives
The default speed limits in the Maldives are 30 km/h in built-up areas and 30 km/h outside built-up areas. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 3030 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and citiesWHO data (2017)
- 3030 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roadsWHO data (2017)
- International Driving PermitNot a party to the IDP conventionsCheck with the embassy whether your licence is accepted
- Driving sideDrive on the leftOvertake on the right
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsNo national child-restraint law
- Motorcycle helmetsNo nationwide law
- Road deaths (2021)1.3 per 100,000 peopleSafer than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0) and WHO. Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is the Maldives safe to visit?
the Maldives is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates the Maldives Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office has no warnings against travel there.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: Updated information about swimming safety ( 'Safety and security’ page).
Updated 12 Aug 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit the Maldives
The best time to visit the Maldives is January to March, when daytime highs in Malé are around 28°C. April, June and December are also a good time to go. May is the warmest month (29°C by day), January the coldest (27°C at night), and November the wettest with about 233 mm of rain.
- Jan28°C27°C
- Feb28°C27°C
- Mar28°C28°C
- Apr29°C28°C
- May29°C28°C
- Jun29°C28°C
- Jul28°C28°C
- Aug28°C28°C
- Sep28°C27°C
- Oct28°C27°C
- Nov28°C27°C
- Dec28°C27°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in the Maldives
Plugs & sockets
- Type Dthree large round pins in a triangle
- Type Gthree rectangular pins in a triangle
- Type Jthree round pins
- Type Ktwo round pins and a half-round earth pin
- Type Lthree round pins in a row
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Currency · 26 October 2026
Maldivian rufiyaa exchange rates today
The Maldives uses the Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR, .ރ). One US dollar buys 15.4590 MVR; over the last 30 days the MVR has lost 0.0% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in MVR
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where the Maldives ranks
How the Maldives compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in the Maldives
31 airports and airfields — 3 large, 4 medium and 13 small, plus 0 heliports. 15 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
No land borders
The Maldives has no land borders with other countries. Coastline: 644 km.
People
Population & society
Largest cities: Male (177,000)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
tourism, fish processing, shipping, boat building, coconut processing, woven mats, rope, handicrafts, coral and sand mining
Export partners
Thailand 32%, India 21%, Singapore 9%, UK 7%, Germany 5% (2023)
Top exports
fish, aircraft, refined petroleum, scrap iron, natural gas (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to the Maldives
Next public holiday
Victory Day — Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Then Republic Day (11 Nov).
Maldivian passport
Ranked #102: 54 countries visa-free, 29 with visa on arrival, 5 with an eTA and 33 with an eVisa.
Maldivian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for the Maldives's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling the Maldives
Dial +960 before the local number. Internet domain .mv.
Climate footprint
2.3 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 4.37 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting the Maldives: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about the Maldives
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Frequently asked questions about the Maldives
What do I need to travel to the Maldives?
How long must my passport be valid for the Maldives?
Where is the Maldives?
What is the capital of the Maldives?
What language is spoken in the Maldives?
What currency does the Maldives use?
What is the calling code of the Maldives?
Does the Maldives have land borders?
How strong is the Maldivian passport?
What is the speed limit in the Maldives?
Is the Maldives safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit the Maldives?
What plug type does the Maldives use?
How many airports does the Maldives have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.