Practical Information

Visa

Maldives

Travellers from most countries normally receive a tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives, provided they meet the entry requirements, which can be found at www.immigration.gov.mv/tourist-visa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/maldives
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/maldives
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/maldives/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Maldives.html

Vaccinations and Health

Maldives

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies (bat lyssavirus), tuberculosis and typhoid.

You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of polio vaccination may also be needed for some travellers. Please confirm all the above with your doctor or travel clinic.

We are advised that there is no risk of malaria on this trip.

Dengue fever and/or Chikungunya are known risks in places visited on this trip. Both are tropical viral diseases spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for either, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Local Time

Maldives's time zone: Indian/Maldives (UTC +05:00)

Electricity

Maldives's electricity: Plug types D (three round pins) and G (three rectangular pins) – 230V, 50Hz

Money

Maldives's currency: Maldivian rufiyaa (MVR)

ATM Availability

Most banks represented in Malé provide ATM and credit card services at several key points in Malé and Hulhumalé. Only local currency is dispensed. There are no ATMs on the islands visited. All major credit cards can be used at resorts, hotels and many shops in Malé. Most restaurants and shops in Malé accept US dollars in payment providing change in local currency.

Extra Expenses & Spending Money

The Maldivian rufiyaa is a non-convertible currency and cannot be purchased beforehand. Major international currencies can be changed easily at the airport on arrival. It is advised not to exchange currency in Malé where the waiting time can be lengthy.

The US dollar is accepted as legal tender but on smaller islands it is often easier to use rufiyaa. On the boat, all transactions are cash only (either US dollars or rufiyaa).

It is impossible to say exactly what you need during your trip as this varies depending on personal preferences, the number of extra optional activities and souvenirs you may like to purchase. While on board, additional expenses may include alcohol and diving.

Approximate costs related to diving (payable at the end of the cruise):

• US$65 per dive including equipment
• US$75 for a night dive including equipment
• Alcoholic beverages: From US$4

While on the islands, approximate prices are as follows:

• Snacks: US$1-US$5
• Meal in guesthouse or local restaurant: US$10-US$20
• Tea/coffee: US$1-US$5
• Soft drinks: US$1
• Large water: US$0.50

Optional excursions:

Diving

While this is a snorkeling cruise, there may be an opportunity to offer a single dive on some of the trip days.

As with all diving, it is subject to weather and current conditions as well as cruising time and length of group activities. Please be advised that diving is offered only as an optional excursion at times of non group activities and cannot be 100% guaranteed.

There are several recommended dive sites for the tour, which offer some great dive opportunities, subject to certification level and ability. The links below provide further detail on the sites and diving in general in these two atolls.. There may be the possibility of optional diving on days 2, 3, 4 and 5. Interested guests should highlight at the time of booking and again once on board with tour leader.

South Malé Atoll: www.dive-the-world.com/diving-sites-maldives-south-malé-atoll.php

• Embudhoo Kandu (protected marine area)
• Kuda Giri Wreck
• Kandooma Thila
• Guraidhoo Kandu (protected marine area)

South Ari Atoll: www.dive-the-world.com/diving-sites-maldives-ari-atoll.php

• Broken Rock
• Kudarah Thila (protected marine area)
• Dhangethi Thila (Five Rocks)

Approximate prices:

• US$65 per dive including equipment (payable at end of cruise)
• US$75 for a night dive including equipment (payable at end of cruise)
• US$100 per person for a Discover Scuba Dive including equipment

If you intend to participate in scuba diving (other than the Discover Scuba Dive), you must be a qualified diver in possession of a dive certification card and logbook.

Please note, we usually only carry four full sets of equipment on board; therefore, unless divers are recorded at time of booking to allow us to increase equipment requirement, the maximum number of divers is four at any time.

For us to best accommodate all divers, please advise your sales representative if you are interested in the diving option on this trip.

Sea plane photo flight

• Booked locally, subject to availability and minimum number of 10 participants: Approximately US$95 per person

Tipping

Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work. You may feel your leader has performed well over the course of your time in the Maldives and want to show your appreciation of their services. If you would like to tip your leader, we suggest a figure of approximately US$2-US$3 per person per day as a reasonable starting point.

The appropriate amount to tip the staff and crew is a personal matter but it is customary to provide an end-of-cruise gratuity (as a rough guide approximately US$10 per day per passenger would be appreciated).

Note that any services provided in restaurants or cafes on local islands visited include a standard 10 percent service charge.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers are well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
• Our local operator in the Maldives only uses locally owned and operated guesthouses, dive schools and excursion providers, ensuring profits go to the local community. They also support businesses indirectly through associated services and activities. These include laundry services, the local fishing industry, speedboat operators, cafes and supermarkets.
• Although this trip is largely nature and water based, we make time to stop at inhabited islands to explore Maldivian culture and support the local economy.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• “A treasure trove of marine life” is perhaps the best way to describe the Maldives; however, this ecosystem is fragile. A single touch can kill coral or infect marine life. Our local operator encourages safe and responsible snorkelling and diving practices, and guests can expect information and demonstrations on correct snorkelling/diving practices throughout the trip. For example, they do not touch underwater creatures (including coral) or pollute the water with litter.
• On this trip, the main organisation the local operator supports is the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP). The MWSRP is a research-based conservation charity dedicated to studying whale sharks and fostering community-focused conservation initiatives in the Maldives and greater Indian Ocean. We spend time with a representative of the MWSRP team or a local marine biologist to learn about these magnificent creatures and how identification can be made before heading out on our own whale shark safari.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste. Currently in the Maldives, bottled water is the only option on liveaboards. Tap water is desalinated but not suitable for drinking. Therefore, plastic bottle consumption has been an ongoing issue. Our local partner uses larger bottles to minimise the number of plastic bottles they need to use. They do not throw away any used bottles and ensure they are collected and handed back to the distributor for recycling in conjunction with recycling firms such as Taza. The MV Felicity remains only one of a half a dozen vessels that operate in this environmentally focused way.
• While local islands are not always as pristine as resort islands, they are catching up and are still beautiful. However, there are still some growing pains and some room for improvement in terms of waste management. Our local partner works closely with NGO Save the Beach to increase awareness of both waste management and coral reef protection, and recently sponsored and supported waste-management presentations in local schools. They are also heavily involved in monthly beach or city clean ups in Hulhumalé and are dedicated to growing awareness and encouraging youth involvement.
• The Exodus Travels Foundation launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In the Maldives, we’ve contributed to the whale shark-conservation initiative, more details can be found here.

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about Exodus Travels’ Planet Promise here, including our rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
• While some produce has to be imported, locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances is used as much as possible.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available on board the MV Felicity.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable

Cultural respect

• The Maldives is a predominantly Muslim country so modest dress is required on this trip when visiting islands and sites (ie legs, shoulders and upper arms covered).
• When eating on islands, it is worth noting that Maldivians traditionally eat with their fingers and therefore food is not always served ‘piping hot’.

Important Information

Water safety

This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.