The Maldives is opening its border and lifting travel restrictions starting from July 15, 2020.Tourists travelling to the Maldives will be provided a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival. Regular official updates on travel to the Maldives are provided on the websites of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives. Here as well, Indians will have to wait until Indian government allows international flights to operate.
Booking accommodation
- A confirmed booking in a tourist establishment registered with the Ministry of Tourism, prior to travelling to the Maldives is mandatory.
- Tourist resorts, liveaboard vessels and hotels located on uninhabited islands are open for bookings starting from July 15, 2020.
- Guest houses and hotels located on inhabited islands will be open for bookings starting from August 1, 2020.
- However, guest houses and hotels located on inhabited islands will be allowed to accommodate transiting passengers waiting for domestic transfers under special permits. Transit arrangements can be made through the primary facility where the stay is booked.
- Tourists are advised to directly check offers and operational status with the preferred tourist establishments on their websites and mobile apps.
- Tourists who are visiting the Maldives during Phase 1 of opening shall book their entire stay in one registered establishment. Stays at multiple resorts and hotels are not permitted during this period. However, exemptions will be made for transit arrangements.
Entry to the Maldives
- Tourists will not be subject to any quarantine measures upon arrival to the Maldives.
- Tourists will not be required to submit any medical test results for entry to the Maldives. However, travellers presenting with symptoms of COVID-19 upon arrival will be subjected to a PCR test at the traveller’s cost. Additionally, local health authorities may conduct random testing, at no cost to travellers.
- A health declaration card will be required as part of the on-arrival procedure.
Departure from the Maldives
Testing services are available in the Maldives for tourists who require COVID-19 test results to return to their countries of origin or another destination.
Maldives has also staggered opening of its island resorts instead of opening all of them in one go. There are around 133 island resorts in Maldives and out of them 39 are opening on 15th July along with the national borders. These include Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru, three Cinnamon resorts- Dhonveli, Hakuraa Huraa & Velifushi, two Four Seasons resorts at Kuda Huraa & Landaa Giraavaru, Hard Rock Maldives as well as two Taj properties- Taj Coral Reef & Taj Exotica. Diamonds Athuruga resort will be opening on 24th July. Another 26 resorts will be opening on 1st August 2020 including Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort and Spa. Then, 21 resorts will be opening on 1st September 2020 and 42 resorts will be opening a month later on 1st October 2020, including all the top ones. Rest three will be opening on later dates.