Telephone
Local and international calls are made through pay phones that work with Dhiraagu calling cards. Cards can be purchased at a special store in the capital or from local vendors. It should be borne in mind that the territory of the Maldives is divided into telephone zones. A call within each of them costs about 0.25 rufiyaa per minute, between zones – from 0.55 to 3 rufiyaa per minute. A call to another country is usually quite expensive.
In addition, on some of the islands, communication is carried out only through telephone booths, and a call costs more than from a machine.
Cell phones in the Maldives are usually not functional, but if you wish, you can rent a phone from the aforementioned Dhiraagu company.
Phones you need to know in emergency situations:
119 – police;
118 – fire service;
102 – ambulance
Shopping
Basically, in the Maldives, tourists buy souvenirs, namely lacquered black boxes with flowers, palm fiber mats, national fishing boats in miniature. Coconut oil, shark jaws, wooden crafts, sarongs and colored shells are also popular. See liuxers for Maldives customs and traditions.
In the capital of the Maldives, Male, you can make bigger purchases: high-quality imported diving equipment is sold here at relatively low prices.
In stores, you can try to bargain, but they usually give off a little – at best, 2-3 dollars.
Tips
Officially, no one has the right to demand a tip, but with decent service, it does not hurt to reward the attendants with a small amount ($ 10 for a hotel employee, and a waiter – 5% of the bill). At some resorts, the service fee is immediately charged to the bill (as a rule, this is 10% of the total cost), then tipping is no longer necessary.
Money and valuables
Going on a tour, it is advisable not to take large sums of money with you. It is better to leave valuables brought with you in special safes, which are equipped with hotels. It is worth remembering that the driver and hotel staff are not responsible for valuables and money left in the sightseeing bus or room.
Accommodation
The traditional division of hotels by the number of stars in the Maldives is not accepted, since they are located on small islands with limited infrastructure. The statuses “Deluxe”, “Superior” and “Standard” have been introduced, which approximately correspond to 5, 4 and 3-star hotels. Most hotels can provide a $700 service credit.
As a rule, one hotel with a limited number of places is located on one Maldivian island. More often these are bungalow-type hotels, cottages or villas. However, you can choose an alternative option: “water bungalows” (houses located above the water on stilts) or floating hotels-yachts.
It is worth paying close attention to the list of services of a particular hotel, so as not to encounter unpleasant surprises. Animation and evening programs are not available in most hotels.
Currency
The monetary unit of the Maldives is the Maldivian rufiyaa, which consists of 100 lari. They use banknotes of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyaas, as well as coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari. It is worth noting that almost everywhere you can freely pay with US dollars and credit cards, so there is no need to immediately change money to the local currency. There are also no difficulties with traveler’s checks, they will be cashed without problems.
Currency exchange is carried out according to the official rate in banks and special exchange offices, as well as at airports. Banks are open from 8.00 to 13.30 on all days except Friday and Saturday. When leaving, rufiyaa can be exchanged again for dollars.
Important: the exchange can also be carried out in some large stores, which have a special sign along with the signs of international tourist cards.
The shops
There is no fixed work schedule for shops in the Maldives. But most of them, especially on large islands, are open from 7-8 am to 9-11 pm, and in summer they are open from 13-15 to 18-20 pm.
Transport
Actually, there is no public transport in the Maldives, there is no special need for it. There are taxis in Male, the fare regardless of the distance is 15 rupees plus 5 rupees for luggage during the day and 20 at night.
In addition, they travel by land on bicycles and motorcycles. But independent research is not welcome, it is better to make organized trips from Male to various islands.
Travel between the islands of the archipelago is carried out by seaplanes, helicopters and boats. The most common local form of water transport are the flat-roofed wooden dhoni boats. To get to the neighboring islands on them costs from 20 to 70 USD. Boats depart without a schedule, as they fill with passengers. Well, renting a boat or a boat will cost 100-400 USD. per day (the amount of payment is better to discuss in advance).
Tourist safety
High air temperatures quickly make local water unfit for consumption, so it is better to quench your thirst with bottled water or soft drinks.
It is not recommended to spend too much time on the beach, there is a high risk of being exposed to the harmful effects of solar radiation. In the water, you should be wary of poisonous marine life (sea urchins, etc.)
Be sure to get vaccinated against hepatitis A.
It should be borne in mind that there are no pharmacies on the resort islands, you need to take the necessary medicines with you.
Electricity
Voltage in the networks of the Maldives: 220-240 V, 50 Hz (voltage surges are possible).
Time
Time zone in the Maldives: GMT+5 (+2 hours with Moscow in winter and +1 hour in summer).
