Malé International
Airport is on an island that only houses the airport
and related facilities. The airport located on Hulhule
Island is a modern well-equipped airport with all the
facilities and services one would expect from an international
airport. The airport complex houses terminals for arrivals
and departures, landside shops and airside duty free
shops, restaurants, medical facilities, bank, post office
and other services. The island also house the airport
hotel.
What to pack
The Maldives is warm throughout
the year. Light, cotton and lien wear is ideal. Pack
lots of tee shirts, beachwear, and wrap-around skirts,
cotton shirts and shorts. For visits to inhabited islands,
where most of the streets are of compact sand, or Malé
where the street are paved, sandals are easy to walk
on. Some essential items include swimwear, sunglasses,
sunscreen and a hat or a cap. If your travel plan includes
traveling to many islands, a mosquito repellent may
become handy.
Immigration/Visa
Tourist are issued a 30-day
toursit visa on arrival. A valid travel document is
necessary. Visa extensions are granted by the Department
of Immigration and Emigration in Malé.
Customs
The import of firearms,
drugs, pornography and idols of worship are prohibited.
Dogs, pigd, and pork products are also prohibited for
import by tourists. Alcohol imported under a special
license is available in all the resorts. Similarly pork
products are available at most of the resorts as well.
Prohibited products such as alcohol brought in by passengers
are bonded and released at departure.
Health requirements
An international certificate
of inoculation against yellow fever and cholera is required
by visitors arriving from infected countries.
Resort transfer
If you have a booking
with a resort, transfer is usually arranged prior to
your arrival. Th options of speedboat or seaplane transfer
where available is for you to choose from. For transfer
to resorts close to the airport, motorboat or dhoni
transfer is quite convenient. Even if you mak a resort
booking while in Malé, transfer arrangement are
often made by the resort.
The Maldives has one of
the largest seaplane fleets in the world, not suprising
for a country with 99% ocean and more than a thousand
islands. The low altitude seaplane journey offers you
the additional opportunity to experience a breathtaking
bird's eye view of the country.
Departure tax
The airport departure
tax which is US$ 12.00 is usually included when you
purchase your airline ticket.
Duty free shopping
Duty free shopping is
only available at the departure terminal at Malé
International Airport. The lounge has specialized shops
with a wide variety of international brands selling
well known products at competitive prices. The duty
free lounge has shops for toys, souvenirs, perfume,
electronics, watches, fashion accessories, jewelry,
liquor and tobacco and confectionery.
Although geographically
isolated the Maldives is easily accessible by air from
anywhere in Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe.
Colombo is an hour's journey away by air, from Singapore
and Dubai it takes about four hours and from Europe
it takes nine to eleven hours to reach Malé.
