How safe is Maldives for travelers?

Safety and the most common scams

The Maldives has an exceptionally low rate of violent crime. What does occur is property-related and concentrated where tourists arrive:

• Taxi overcharging at Velana airport: Drivers at the arrivals terminal ignore the state-mandated fares and demand unofficial surcharges from foreigners, or payment in dollars at a punitive rate. The defence is to book through the Avas Ride app, where the price is fixed to the regulated tariff.
• Fake IMUGA portals: Fraudulent websites charge a "fee" for submitting the mandatory Traveller Declaration. The official registration is free and happens only on the government's own domain - if a site asks for money to file it, it is not the real one.
• Scooter and equipment rental disputes on local islands: Operators on some inhabited islands have been reported to demand compensation on return for damage or scratches that pre-dated the rental. Photograph the vehicle in detail before you take it, which settles the argument before it starts.
• Higher-risk situations: In Malé, avoid political gatherings and street protests, which can end in police intervention.