Hulhumalé is the practical first-night base, connected to the airport by bridge; local islands like Maafushi have guesthouses reached by public ferry. Three charges land on top of the advertised room price: 17% tourism GST, a mandatory 10% service charge, and Green Tax of USD 12 per person per night at resorts (USD 6 only at small guesthouses on inhabited islands). Alcohol is banned outside licensed resorts.
- Hulhumalé is the practical first night - connected to the airport by bridge, and essential when you land after the seaplanes have stopped flying.
- Local islands such as Maafushi have family-run guesthouses, reached from the airport by cheap public ferry.
- Three charges land on top of the advertised price: 17% tourism GST, a mandatory 10% service charge, and Green Tax.
- Green Tax is USD 12 per person per night at resorts, dropping to USD 6 only at guesthouses on inhabited islands with 50 rooms or fewer. It applies to children too.
- The alcohol ban applies fully on Hulhumalé and Malé - only licensed resorts may serve it.
Accommodation
- Hulhumalé (Phase 1 & Phase 2): An artificial island connected to the airport by bridge. The practical choice for the first night, especially when the plane lands after the last onward seaplane of the day. Calm, with a city beach and a wide choice of transit hotels. The national alcohol ban applies here in full, except for the licensed Hulhulé Island Hotel on airport grounds.
- Malé (centre): The extremely densely populated capital. Suitable mainly for travellers with meetings or a quick sightseeing plan; heavy noise and traffic.
- Inhabited islands (e.g. Maafushi, Thulusdhoo): For independent, lower-budget travellers going straight from the airport to a local island by public MTCC ferry, staying in family-run guesthouses.
(Room rates vary widely by season and booking lead time - check current listings rather than a fixed range.)
Accommodation law and taxes. At check-in the host scans your passport and registers you in the immigration system. On top of the advertised base room price, three charges are added by law:
- Tourism GST (TGST) - 17% on accommodation and tourism services, raised from 16% on 1 July 2025 under the 7th amendment to the Goods and Services Tax Act. Confirmed on the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority's own GST page.
- Service charge - a mandatory 10%.
- Green Tax - since 1 January 2025, USD 12 per person per night at tourist resorts, integrated resorts, resort hotels, and any hotel or guesthouse that is either on an uninhabited island or has more than 50 registered rooms. The lower rate of USD 6 per person per night applies only to a tourist guesthouse on an inhabited island with 50 or fewer registered rooms. Both rates are per person and apply to children as well. Confirmed on MIRA's own Green Tax page.
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