Maldives travel guide for Indians 2026–27

Plan the Maldives: free visa on arrival, resort or local island, seaplane or speedboat, water villa or beach villa, meal plans, best time and how many nights.

By the Agrima Holidays Team · Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

Why go

The Maldives is a chain of about 1,200 coral islands in 26 atolls, south-west of India. Most resorts occupy an entire island. You get white sand, turquoise lagoons, a house reef for snorkelling and little else, which is the point.

Flights from India take 1 to 4 hours, and Indians get a free visa on arrival. The Maldives is the most popular honeymoon abroad for Indian couples.

Visa and entry

Indian citizens get a free 30-day tourist visa on arrival. You need:

• A passport valid for at least six months
• A confirmed hotel or resort booking for the full stay
• A return or onward ticket
• The IMUGA traveller declaration, filled online within 96 hours before arrival

No visa application is needed in advance. See our Maldives visa page for the latest links.

When to go

The Maldives stays warm all year, between 27 and 31°C.

December to April is the dry season, the north-east monsoon. Skies are clear, seas calm and visibility for snorkelling is at its best. Prices peak from Christmas to mid-January and over Easter.

May to November is the south-west monsoon. Expect showers, some windy days and rougher seas, especially from June to August. Many days still bring sun. Resort prices drop sharply.

Manta rays and whale sharks gather on the west side of the atolls in the wet season, and on the east side in the dry season.

Month by month

Average night low to day high, from long-term climate averages. Higher places run colder.

Resort or local island

Resort islands have one resort on the island, with private beaches, restaurants, bars, spas and water sports. Alcohol is served.

Local islands, like Maafushi, Thulusdhoo, Dhigurah and Fulidhoo, have villages, guesthouses and small hotels. Costs are much lower. Alcohol is not served on local islands, and swimwear is allowed only on marked bikini beaches. Many guesthouses run trips to sandbanks and snorkel spots.

Pick a resort for a honeymoon or a special trip. Pick a local island for a budget trip, for divers, or for a longer stay.

Seaplane, speedboat or domestic flight

Transfers from Velana International Airport in Malé are a big part of the cost.

• Speedboat: resorts in North and South Malé atolls, 20 to 60 minutes
• Seaplane: resorts in farther atolls, 30 to 60 minutes, with a view you remember. Seaplanes fly only in daylight. Late arrivals wait for the next morning, sometimes with a night in a transit hotel
• Domestic flight plus speedboat: resorts in the far atolls

Transfers are charged per person, round trip. We show the cost in every quote.

Water villa or beach villa

A water villa sits on stilts over the lagoon, with steps down into the sea. Mornings bring fish under the deck. This is the picture people have in mind.

A beach villa opens onto the sand, often with more privacy, shade and space. Families with small children often prefer beach villas for safety.

Many couples split the stay, two nights in a beach villa and two in a water villa.

Meal plans

• Bed and breakfast: lowest price. Lunch and dinner at resort prices, which are high
• Half board: breakfast and dinner
• Full board: all meals, no drinks
• All inclusive: meals and drinks, sometimes with excursions

If you plan to eat three meals at the resort and have a drink or two each day, all inclusive usually works out cheaper. Check what the plan includes. Some exclude premium drinks, a la carte restaurants or minibar.

Things to do

The stops that appear most often in our Maldives itineraries:

• North Malé Atoll
• South Ari Atoll
• Maafushi
• South Malé Atoll
• Baa Atoll

• Snorkelling on the house reef. Look for turtles, reef sharks, rays and parrotfish
• Scuba diving, from try-dives to drift dives in channels
• Sunset dolphin cruise
• Sandbank picnic
• Whale shark trip in South Ari atoll
• Glass-bottom kayak or paddle board
• Spa treatments over the water
• Underwater restaurants at some resorts
• A day in Malé: the fish market, the Friday Mosque and the National Museum

How many nights

• 3 nights: a short escape
• 4 nights: the most common choice for a honeymoon
• 5 nights: a slower pace, with time for two villa types
• 7 nights: two resorts, or a resort with a local island

Combine the Maldives with Sri Lanka or Dubai for a longer trip.

Getting there

Direct flights reach Malé from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai and Hyderabad. Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram are the closest, about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Plan international flights to land by early afternoon if your resort uses a seaplane.

Costs

Resort prices vary from moderate to some of the highest in the world. Taxes add a lot. The Maldives charges a goods and services tax, a service charge and a green tax per person per night. Our quotes include all of these.

The US dollar is accepted almost everywhere on resorts. Carry some dollars for tips and small purchases. Cards work at all resorts.

Our Maldives packages

Prices start from ₹55,500 per person on twin sharing, excluding flights. International prices use current exchange rates, and the final amount is confirmed at booking.

Practical tips

• Fill the IMUGA declaration within 96 hours before arrival
• Pack light. Seaplanes have strict baggage limits
• Use reef-safe sunscreen. Wear a rash guard while snorkelling
• Do not touch coral, turtles or sharks
• Alcohol bought duty-free on the way in is held at customs
• Carry seasickness tablets for speedboat transfers

Tell us your budget per night and the feel you want. Resorts differ a lot, and the right one makes the trip.