Embarking on your journey to the Maldives involves several stages, including international and local flights and aquatic transfers, and once you're there, navigating the islands presents a unique adventure of its own.
Getting to the Maldives
The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, southwest of Sri Lanka. The main international gateway to the Maldives is Malé International Airport (also known as Velana International Airport). There are direct flights to Malé from various locations around the world, including major transport hubs like Dubai, Istanbul, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur. Some European airlines also offer direct flights from certain cities. From the Americas, you would likely have at least one stopover, typically in the Middle East or Asia.
Once you arrive at Malé International Airport, depending on where your resort is located, you will either take a domestic flight to another island followed by a speedboat ride or a seaplane transfer directly from Malé. Your resort will typically arrange these transfers for you.
Getting around the Maldives
The Maldives is made up of 26 atolls containing over 1,000 islands, only around 200 of which are inhabited. If you're staying at a resort, most of the time all of the facilities you'll need will be on the same island, so you can get around on foot or by bike.
Travel between islands is typically by boat. The Maldivian government operates a public ferry system between the islands, but the schedules can be infrequent and somewhat unreliable. For tourists, speedboat transfers are more common, especially for reaching the more remote resorts.
Seaplanes are also used for transfers to resorts further from Malé, and they offer an added bonus of providing spectacular views of the atolls from above. Seaplane transfers usually operate only during daylight hours, so if your international flight arrives in the evening, you may need to spend a night in Malé before continuing on to your resort.
In Malé city itself, taxis are abundant and inexpensive, and it's also easy to walk around due to the city's small size.
It's worth mentioning that public transportation options are limited, especially on Fridays, which is the weekly day off in the Maldives. Be sure to check with your hotel or resort regarding transportation arrangements. They are usually more than happy to assist with any travel planning or transfers.
