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Reaching the Maldives | Visit Maldives | Maldives Travel | Maldives Tourism

The one and only way to reach the Maldives is by air, although a few private cruises and ships frequent the shores of the country occasionally. Maldives is served by a number of national airlines and charter airlines that originating from Russia, Italy, Seychelles, Austria, Germany, UAE, Sri Lanka, Spain, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, Qatar, France, UK, Switzerland, Belgium and more other countries.


Male’ international airport is the international airport of the country, that is located on the island of Hulhule. This island 1.77 km2 wide and solely for the use of airport authorities and lies at a 10-minutes-boat-ride (1 km) distance from the capital, Male. Maldives‘ other international airport, Gan, is located on the island of Gan in Addu atoll.



For travelers from India

From India, Sri Lankan Airlines (via Colombo) has regular connections from the cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi etc. Indian Airlines conducts daily flights from Trivandrum to Male and vice versa. It also flies from Bangalore to Male and vice versa 5 days a week


Customs

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


Port Health

Maldives being free from certain diseases that are of public health concern as well as of international importance, implementing continuous vigilance activities at ports of entry at sea and air, to ensure that appropriate surveillance activities are carried out effectively in safe guarding against any threat of introducing diseases, are of primary importance. Intensified surveillance for incoming passengers and continuous inspection of food items and animals that were imported into the country is being carried out at all ports of the country.


In the preparation for certification of 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. Disinfection is compulsory for cargo aircraft and passenger aircrafts coming from Yellow Fever and Malaria endemic areas.


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


Internal transportation

Ferry Service to the Capital – A ferry service is available from the airport island to the capital around the clock. A special dhoni ferry leaves from the airport jetty to the capital every 15 minutes which changes to one every 30 minutes after midnight.


Since the airport island is geographically separate from the capital, the only means of transport to the capital is by sea.



Between the airport and the resort islands, transfers are done by speed boats, dhonis, sea planes or helicopters depending on the island you are visiting. The time it takes to reach by boat depends entirely on conditions at sea and type of boat used.


If scheduled flights to Male’ arrive in the night or have to depart very early in the morning and also in cases where the weather is not too friendly, passengers are required to stay over night in hotels close to the airport. Usually you would put up either at Hulhule Island hotel, which is the airport hotel or at a hotel in the city.


Sea planes in the Maldives do not ply in the nights as a rule as also for safety reasons. If you are required to take a sea plane to your resort, you may have to wait for other international flightsto arrive around the same time so that passengers on those flights can also fly to their resorts on the same sea plane as yours.


Sea plane transfer timings

From Male airport to the islands:

First Departure: Approximately at 0600 hours.

Last Departure: Approximately at 1600 hours (Any international flight arriving after this time may require you to stay the night at a hotel close to the airport).


In case your international flight is delayed and you miss your seaplane departure, you may need to stay the night in Male at an additional cost. Your transfers would be arranged the following day on the earliest possible sea plane but again at an additional cost since your original seaplane is then treated as a no-show. Guests will also not be refunded the night unused on their island resort.


From Islands to Male:

First Departure: Approximately at 0700 hours (please note that if your international flight leaves Male before 0900 hours you may have to stay the night in Male’ from the night before).


Last Departure: Approximately at 1500 hours (please note this may be the latest time you can leave your resort and it might be necessary to book a day room at Male if your flight leaves in the early hours the following day).



** Sea planes allow a maximum of 20 kgs per person. Anything above 20 kgs could be charged. https://www.cimentosourcing.com


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