Everyday practical information for Maldives

Local rules and cultural differences

The Maldives is a strictly Islamic country where sharia shapes everyday legislation. Breaking the rules is punished hard:

• Importing and consuming alcohol: Importing any amount of alcohol for personal use is illegal. Alcohol is strictly prohibited on all inhabited islands (including Malé and Hulhumalé). Its sale and consumption are legal only in resorts holding a special state licence.
• Dress and conduct: In public spaces on inhabited islands, both men and women must cover shoulders and knees. Swimming in bikinis and regular swimwear is allowed only on beaches marked Bikini Beach. Topless sunbathing and nudism are illegal everywhere in the country without exception. Public displays of affection are banned and fined as public indecency.
• Photography and drones: Photographing military installations, government buildings and mosques is prohibited. Journalism or commercial filming on a tourist visa is illegal and leads to deportation. Drone use is tightly regulated, with no-fly zones around airports and many resorts.
• Places of worship: Mosques may be entered only with a guide and outside prayer times, with the body fully covered and shoes removed.

Everyday practical information

• Power sockets: Type G, the British three-flat-pin standard, at 230 V / 50 Hz. In guesthouses on local islands you will need an adapter; hotels lend them only in limited numbers.
• Time zone: UTC+5, with no daylight saving. Many luxury resorts run their own unofficial Resort Island Time, shifted one to two hours ahead of Malé to give guests more afternoon daylight - check which clock your resort runs on, because it governs your transfer time.
• Working week and holidays: The official working week runs Sunday to Thursday; Friday and Saturday are the weekend. State offices open Sunday to Thursday, roughly 8:30 to 13:30. During Ramadan, shop and restaurant hours on inhabited islands are sharply reduced.
• Public toilets: The airport and larger hotels have European-standard toilets. On local islands and in harbours, squat toilets with a bidet spray prevail.
• Wi-Fi availability: Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés, but speed and stability outside the main atolls tend to be very low.