Travel Guide for Maldives
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Here you will find travel information and insider tips about Maldives that has been cooperatively contributed by other friendly Hospitality Club members. Please become active as well, and share your vast budget travel and backpacking knowledge with other members and the internet community - it is very easy to edit any information here (more info in the Help File). We hope that these Travel Guides will quickly become a great and fun resource. If you want to print this guide out to take with you, we have prepared this Printer Friendly Travel Guide for you. Enjoy!
For Introduction, Top Things to See and Do, Neighboring Countries, Who is coming?, Want more guests!, Hospitality Club Meetings and the geographic navigation please see the main Maldives Page.
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Basic Facts |
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The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, about 500 km from the southern tips of both Sri Lanka and India. It is the ideal exotic tropical island paradise.
Independence since 1965, and a republic since 1968. The Maldives is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth and the Non-Aligned Movement. It maintains a President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the country is a champion of global peace and preservation of the environment.
The population of the country currently stands ... more |
Attractions and Things to See and Do |
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Maps |
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Here you can include references to maps that are somewhere on the internet. Two conditions apply: they cannot be protected by copyright, (or you have to make sure that we are allowed to use them), and you have to make sure that it is ok if we call them up from here. If that is a problem, you can also send us the image file and we will upload it to our server. |
Off the Beaten Path and Insider Tips |
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Suggested Itineraries |
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1 Day, 1 Week, 2 Weeks, 1 Month ... |
Transport |
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You would expect plenty of boats in the Maldives….
Rightly so! The Maldives cannot survive without boats and there are many. Let us first look at a few.
The star performer is the traditional and ubiquitous dhoni. Each traditional dhoni is a unique vessel hand-built by a master craftsman even though a mass-produced fiberglass version has recently been introduced. Built of strong wooden planks, shaped round a strong wooden frame, the dhoni is built to sail in all seas. They ... more |
Accommodation |
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If you do not want to stay with other HC members, or noone is available, here is what other members suggest. Hostels Hotels Camping Other Options |
Food and Drinks and Local Specialties |
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Restaurants, Supermarkets, Street Food, Local Specialties ... |
Money and Costs |
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A basic understanding of Maldivian money.
Maldivian money is called Rufiyaa. A Rufiyaa is divided into 100 Laari. Bank notes come in denominations of Rf 5.00, Rf 10.00, Rf 20.00, Rf 50.00, Rf 100.00 and Rf 500.00. Coins exist for Rf 1.00, Rf 2.00, Rf 0.50 (50 Laari), Rf 0.25, Rf 0.10, Rf 0.05, Rf 0.02 and Rf 0.01.
At the time of writing, US $1.00 equals Rf 12.75.
You can readily convert most internationally accepted currencies into Rufiyaa. Travellers’ Cheques and major credit cards a ... more |
Visa and Documents and Embassies |
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A valid passport and an onward or return ticket entitle the visitor to a free visit visa on arrival, valid for 30 days for those staying in a resort hotel. A local sponsor can also aid in extending the stay.
An airport departure tax of US $10.00 per person has to be paid on leaving the country.
Customs: Non-Islamic religious materials, including religious statues, are prohibited, but Bibles for personal use are permitted. Pornographic materials are banned and pork products are restricted. ... more |
Borders and Customs |
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Post and Communications and Internet |
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Post, Telephone, Fax, Internet Access ... |
Questions and Answers or Forum |
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Here anything goes, you can post questions you have, and other members will answer you. If you do answer, please send the reply directly to the asking member as well, and try to integrate the information into the categories above. If too difficult to do, just answer right here and a volunteer will integrate in the future. Also, you can put thanks notes in here. Add new questions on top so they show up on the Travel Guide page. Please post messages not related to traveling or the aim of the Hospi ... more |
Hospitality Club Meetings |
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Use this section to add more info if you organize meetings and events (you can add a short note on the main country page). You can also invite other members to parties, sports events, whenever you would like to meet up with someone. |
Travelogues |
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Have you written a story about a trip to this country? Just paste your text in here and share your experience with other members. |
Photos |
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Here you can include photos that are hosted somewhere on the internet. As with maps, you have to make sure that it is ok for us to use the photos here (so they should be either your photos, or you should ask the owner), and that it is allright to call them up from here. |
Activities and Sports |
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Nightlife and Entertainment |
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Population and People |
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Culture and Conduct or Local Customs |
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The Maldives has been inhabited for at least 2500 years. Visited and enriched over the centuries by contact with sailors from all over, the country has evolved is unique culture.
Before the Maldives converted to Islam in 1153 AD, Buddhism was the prevalent religion. Ruins of stupas and other temples still exist to attest to this.
The Maldives has always been a very peaceful place apart from a few skirmishes with foreign invaders. The Portuguese, for example, held the nation hostage for abo ... more |
Language and Useful Phrases |
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Events and Holidays |
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Festivals, Sports, Concerts, Public Holidays... |
Climate and When to Go |
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Geography |
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Environment and Flora and Fauna |
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Dangers and Warnings |
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Tourist Traps |
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Health |
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History |
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Government and Politics |
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Economy |
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GDP, GDP per head, Annual growth, inflation, Major Industries, Major trading partners... |
Arts |
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Music, Literature, Theater, Movies ... |
Media |
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Newspapers, Radio and TV, Magazines ... |
Religion |
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Volunteer Opportunities and Work |
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Organized Tours |
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What to Bring or Packing List |
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Shopping |
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Books and Further Reading |
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Guidebooks, Travel, History and Politics
Please enter Amazon links to the books - we will put info on how to do this here shortly. This way we hope to get a bit of funding for the running of the club, if someone buys the books you recommend. |
Other Information |
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Could not fit it into any of the categories above? Put it here...:-) |
External Links |
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Official Country Website: www.visitmaldives.com (L)
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Offtopic Messages |
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Here you can add messages that are not exactly related to the aims of the Hospitality Club (but related to the country). Do you need a visa invitation? Looking for an internship, job or a flat to rent? Just add this here, and if you are lucky other members will read it and contact you. Remember: do not send messages like this directly to members - after giving you this space here, we will fight spam even more strictly! |
Disclaimer: The Hospitality Club has no control over the information above and accepts no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone using this website. Please correct false information or send us feedback about it.
Copyright: Feel free to use the text on your website as long as you notify us and include a clearly visible link to www.hospitalityclub.org above the text. |
