Safety in Maldives

Sun Protection: The sun at the equator is incredibly strong and will burn you even on cloudy days. Apply high-factor SPF 50 sunscreen every morning and wear a rash guard while snorkeling. A bad burn can easily ruin your entire island holiday.

Ocean Currents: Some house reefs have powerful currents that can pull you away from the island. Always ask locals about safe entry and exit points before you swim. Never snorkel alone and consider wearing fins to help you navigate the water.

Marine Life: Most sharks you see are harmless reef sharks, but you should never touch or feed any underwater creatures. Some fish and corals are venomous or can cause painful stings. Keep a respectful distance to ensure your safety and theirs.

Health Prep: While local islands have basic clinics, major issues require a trip to the capital. Make sure your travel insurance specifically covers water activities and speedboat transfers. It is worth checking that your policy is active before you fly.

IMUGA Form: You must fill out the digital health declaration on the IMUGA website within 96 hours of arrival and departure. It is a mandatory requirement that is checked at immigration. Keep a screenshot of the QR code on your phone for easy access.

Crime: Theft is rare on inhabited islands, but you should still exercise basic caution with your belongings. Use the safe in your room for passports and cash. Do not leave expensive cameras or wallets unattended on the beach while swimming.

Insect Repellent: Mosquitoes can be quite active on greener islands like Thoddoo, especially at dusk. Bring a good repellent to avoid itchy bites. Most guesthouses use nets or sprays, but having your own protection is always a smart idea for comfort.

On resort islands fraud barely exists: the island is a single hotel with its own staff, and there is nobody to cheat you. Schemes begin where ordinary life begins — on the local islands and in Malé.

Unlicensed excursions. On Maafushi and other inhabited islands, whale shark snorkelling, diving and fishing trips are sold on the beach. Some operators have no insurance, no serviceable equipment and no licence. Ask to see the licence and book through your guesthouse, which has a reputation to protect.

Transfers. A speedboat to a distant atoll is genuinely expensive, but private operators quote double the official rate. Confirm transfer costs with the hotel before booking — in the Maldives the journey often costs more than the room.

Resort bills. Not deception so much as inattention: menu prices gain 10 percent service charge and 16 percent tax, plus a delivery fee to your villa. The total lands about a third above expectations, and it is better to know in advance.

Diving. Ask the centre for PADI or SSI certification and check when the equipment was last serviced. A dive centre is the one place in the Maldives where economising is genuinely dangerous.

The Maldives is an Islamic republic and its laws apply in full. Resort islands operate under a special regime where alcohol, swimwear and pork on the menu are permitted. Beyond the resort, none of that is.

You cannot bring alcohol in. Bottles are confiscated at customs in Malé and returned sealed on departure. Whisky in a suitcase will not reach the resort — bags are scanned.

Also prohibited on entry: pork, pornography, religious literature of any non-Muslim faith, images of deities and idols, alcohol and drugs. A Bible for personal use is formally permitted but still invites a customs conversation.

On local islands the ordinary Maldivian dress code applies: shoulders and knees covered, swimwear only on a designated bikini beach. This is a requirement rather than a suggestion, and residents take it seriously.

Alcohol and drugs outside a resort are criminal offences carrying real sentences and deportation.

Same-sex relations are criminalised. Anyone planning a trip should know this in advance.

Ramadan. On local islands nobody eats or drinks in public during daylight. Resorts are unaffected.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. A yellow fever certificate is required from arrivals out of Africa and South America.

Dengue and chikungunya occur on the islands, with outbreaks in the May-to-October rains. Repellent matters, particularly at sunset.

Sun. The equator, white sand and reflected water will burn you inside an hour, including time face-down with a snorkel. Your back suffers first, and a T-shirt protects better than any cream. Note that many resorts ban oxybenzone sunscreens to protect the reefs — bring a mineral one.

Healthcare. Resorts have a doctor or a clinic, but anything serious means evacuation by seaplane or boat to Malé, and often onward to Colombo or Delhi. Seaplanes do not fly at night — a key fact worth holding in mind.

Diving and decompression. Hyperbaric chambers exist in Malé and on a few atolls, but not near every island. Your insurance must cover diving and evacuation as named items: a standard travel policy does not cover treatment for decompression sickness.

Marine life. Do not touch stingrays, morays or lionfish, and do not touch coral either — the cuts take weeks to heal.

There is physically no police presence on a resort island; order is kept by hotel staff. Crime there is close to zero, and it is one reason the Maldives is considered safe.

In Malé and on local islands regular police operate. Corruption in the country is noticeable, but officers rarely deal with tourists and behave correctly when they do.

What genuinely matters. Maldivian police respond firmly to breaches of religious norms — drinking in public, revealing clothing off a bikini beach, importing prohibited items. This is not a place where being a tourist earns forgiveness.

Theft. Rare at resorts. On local islands and in Malé, keep your belongings with you as in any city.

Political gatherings. Demonstrations occasionally take place in Malé. Foreigners must not take part — it is grounds for deportation.

Emergency numbers: 119 for police, 102 for an ambulance. At a resort, call reception first: they will arrange help faster than any city number.