Your complete pre-trip checklist — visa, flights, money, health, and what to pack.
Indian citizens — like all nationalities — receive a free 30-day visa on arrival in the Maldives. There is no advance visa and no visa fee. You simply complete the free online IMUGA Traveller Declaration before you fly and get the visa stamped at Velana International Airport.
Important: Complete your free IMUGA Traveller Declaration only on the official portal — imuga.immigration.gov.mv. The Maldives has no paid e-visa, so ignore any website that charges a visa fee.
Check your passport & bookings
Make sure your passport is valid 6+ months and you have a confirmed resort/hotel booking and a return ticket.
Submit the IMUGA Traveller Declaration
Within 96 hours before departure, complete the free online form at imuga.immigration.gov.mv with your passport, flight and accommodation details.
Save your QR code
On submission you receive a QR code. Keep it on your phone or printed to show at immigration on arrival.
Get your free visa stamped
At Velana International Airport, immigration stamps your free 30-day visa — no fee, no queue at an application desk.
Repeat IMUGA before departure
Complete the IMUGA declaration again within 96 hours before you fly home — it is required for departure too.
Pro tip: Submit your IMUGA declaration within the 96-hour window before each flight. When you book a package with us, we provide all confirmed booking documents so your arrival at Velana International Airport is quick and stress-free.
The Maldives sits on the Equator, so temperatures stay warm year-round (about 26–31°C) with sea temperatures of 27–30°C. There are no typhoons. Instead, the weather follows two monsoons — a dry season and a wetter season.
Best & peak: Dec–Apr brings sunny skies, calm seas, low humidity and the best visibility. Christmas, New Year and Easter are the busiest and priciest.
Value & marine life: May–Nov is humid with short showers and lower prices. It is prime time for manta rays at Hanifaru Bay, and South Ari Atoll has whale sharks year-round.
Always warm: Air temperatures hold at 26–31°C and the sea at 27–30°C all year — so swimming, snorkelling and diving are excellent in every month.
The dry north-east monsoon (Iruvai) is the sunniest, calmest season with the clearest water — ideal for beaches, snorkelling and diving. It is also the peak season, so book early.
The south-west monsoon (Hulhangu) brings lower rates and fewer crowds, with short showers between plenty of sunshine — and the best manta and whale-shark action.
Plankton blooms draw manta rays (and sometimes whale sharks) to Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, while South Ari Atoll offers whale sharks all year. Time your trip for the wildlife you most want to see.
The Maldives is wonderfully close to India. Direct flights to Malé (Velana International Airport, MLE) operate from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Cochin, Chennai and Hyderabad, taking roughly 3.5–4.5 hours — one of the easiest international beach escapes from India.
For peak season (December–April) and school holidays, prices surge. Book 3+ months ahead for the best fares and to avoid sold-out flights.
Seaplanes operate only in daylight, so for far atolls aim to land in Malé by early afternoon. We coordinate your flight times with your resort transfer so nothing is missed.
Maldivian and Manta Air run domestic flights from Malé to regional airports (such as Dharavandhoo for Baa Atoll or Gan for Addu Atoll), usually combined with a seaplane or speedboat to your island. We arrange these as part of your package.
The local currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR), pegged at about 15.4 to the US dollar — but the whole tourism industry prices and bills in US dollars (USD). For a resort or liveaboard holiday you barely touch cash; cards and a little USD cover everything.
Quick reference: USD 1 ≈ 15.4 Rufiyaa and USD 1 ≈ ₹83–85. Since the Maldives prices in USD, budget your trip in dollars and convert to rupees for reference.
Budget
Local Island
$60–110 / day
Guesthouse on a local island (e.g. Maafushi), local cafés, shared snorkelling and sandbank excursions, public ferries.
Mid-Range
4★ Resort
$250–450 / day
4-star resort on half-board, speedboat transfer, guided dives or excursions, à la carte dining.
Premium
Overwater Villa
$700–1,500+ / day
Luxury overwater villa, seaplane transfer, all-inclusive dining, private excursions and spa.
Maldives is generally safe for Indian travellers. A few sensible precautions before and during your trip go a long way in keeping you healthy throughout.
No vaccinations are mandatory for entering Maldives from India. However, these are recommended by most travel doctors:
See a travel doctor or your GP at least 4–6 weeks before departure to allow time for any vaccine courses to complete.
ORS sachets / electrolyte powder · Antidiarrheal (Loperamide/Imodium) · Antihistamine (Cetirizine) · Paracetamol · Seasickness tablets (for boat & seaplane transfers) · Antacid · Reef-safe sunscreen & after-sun · Band-aids and antiseptic cream · Personal prescription medicines (a few days’ buffer beyond your trip)
The Maldives is warm and sunny year-round, so pack light, breathable beachwear. Remember that inhabited local islands are conservative, so carry modest cover-up clothing for those visits. Resort islands have no dress restrictions.
Souvenirs to look out for: hand-woven thundu kunaa mats, lacquered wooden boxes (liyelaa jehun), miniature dhonis, coconut-shell crafts and local snacks. Most can be packed flat and brought home easily.
The Maldives is a nation of islands, so you travel almost entirely by boat and plane. Your transfer from Velana International Airport depends on how far your island is — and we arrange every step in advance so it's seamless.
For resorts and islands near Malé (North & South Malé Atoll), a speedboat from the airport jetty takes roughly 15–90 minutes. Fast, frequent and operating day or night.
For far-flung atolls, a scenic seaplane (Trans Maldivian or Manta Air) flies you straight to your resort lagoon. Seaplanes operate in daylight only, so flight timing matters — we coordinate it for you.
For southern atolls such as Addu (Gan) or Baa (Dharavandhoo), a short domestic flight from Malé with Maldivian or Manta Air is followed by a speedboat or seaplane to your island.
Government and private ferries link Malé with inhabited local islands such as Maafushi. They are very cheap but slow and run to a fixed schedule — great for budget local-island travel.
The traditional Maldivian dhoni boat is used for island-hopping, snorkelling trips, dolphin cruises and sandbank picnics. Your resort or liveaboard runs these throughout your stay.
For families and luxury travellers we pre-book private speedboat or seaplane transfers with luggage handling and meet-and-greet at Velana — everything confirmed before you arrive.
The Maldives is a Muslim country with warm, hospitable people. On private resort islands the atmosphere is relaxed and international, but on inhabited local islands a few simple courtesies go a long way.
Islam is the national religion. On inhabited islands you'll hear the call to prayer and see mosques; dress modestly and behave respectfully. Resort islands are private and have no such restrictions, so you can fully relax there.
The local language is Dhivehi, but English is very widely spoken in tourism. A few words go a long way: "Assalaamu alaikum" (a respectful greeting), "Shukuriyaa" (thank you) and "Baajjaveri dhuvahakah" (have a nice day).
Alcohol is served only on resort islands and liveaboards, not on inhabited local islands. Local-island cafés serve soft drinks, fresh juices and coffee. Pork is generally unavailable except at some resorts catering to international guests.
Staying connected in the Maldives is easy. Pick up a tourist SIM on arrival at Velana International Airport, or buy an eSIM before you fly — far cheaper than Indian international roaming.
SIM and eSIM tourist data packs are sold at the Dhiraagu and Ooredoo counters in the arrivals hall at Velana International Airport (MLE), and at shops in Malé and Hulhumalé. There are just two networks, both with good coverage.
The largest network with the widest coverage across the atolls and resort islands. Reliable 4G/5G in populated areas and good tourist data packs. eSIM available.
The other main operator, with competitive tourist data bundles and strong coverage around Malé, Hulhumalé and the central atolls. eSIM available.
Most resorts and liveaboards include Wi-Fi, so many guests skip a SIM altogether. A tourist SIM is handy mainly for transfers and local-island days.
Save these numbers before you travel. In a genuine emergency, the first call should be to your travel insurer's 24-hour emergency line — they coordinate medical evacuation, hospitalisation, and translation.
Police (Maldives)
Emergency Police
119
Ambulance (Maldives)
Medical Emergency
102
Fire (Maldives)
Fire & Rescue
118
Coast Guard (Maldives)
Marine Emergency
191
Indian High Commission — Malé
High Commission of India
+960 332 3015
Book Maldives Holiday
24/7 Traveller Support
+91 79062 01939
Travel insurance emergency line: Save your insurer's 24-hour international emergency number in your phone before you board. This is your most important contact for medical emergencies — they coordinate everything.
Carry physical copies: Keep a printed copy of your passport, visa, and insurance details separately from your originals (e.g. hotel safe vs wallet). Email copies to yourself and a family member in India.
We handle everything — visa guidance, flights coordination, hotels, transfers, and ground support throughout Maldives.
