How to get to the Maldives: air tickets and other subtleties. Flight to Maldives - all information about flights, travel times, flights and prices How to get to the Maldives

The geographical location of the Maldives clearly indicates that the journey to them will be long. However, although the Maldives are further away than Cyprus or Turkey, they should not be considered a distant light, in any case, the Caribbean will be further away. In addition, having information on how to get to the Maldives from Moscow, all difficulties can be minimized.

Flight duration

If you measure the distance on the map, then more than 6.5 thousand kilometers are separated from the islands (if you fly without turning anywhere). The island position excludes land routes, and the water route, although possible, is almost completely unclaimed, especially since in order to board a ship, you still have to use an airplane. Therefore, it makes sense to consider only air travel.

The duration of the flight largely depends on whether the flight is direct or with connections. The choice of the desired option will depend on whether the tourist is flying on his own or he decided to buy a tour to the Maldives. The number of flights from Moscow to the islands of the archipelago is quite large, so a traveler can schedule a flight for any day, since there are more than one or two such flights per day.

If the choice fell on a direct flight, then you will need to spend at least 8 hours 45 minutes in the air. Of course, connecting flights will take longer. If we assume that the transfer will be completed in a couple of hours, then such a flight will stretch for about 12.5 hours.

Direct flights from Moscow to Maldives

In the Maldives, there is only one airport located near the capital Male - Hulule Atoll. Direct flights from Sheremetyevo airport there are carried out by Aeroflot and Transaero. These companies usually fly on Wednesday and Saturday.

But in the high season, the demand for the Maldives increases sharply, and direct flights are already flying daily, not only from Moscow, but also from many other large cities in Russia. These are mainly charter flights.

As for the cost of a direct flight there and back, it will cost a little one person - about $ 500, although there are both more expensive and more budgetary offers.

Charter flights from Moscow to Maldives

This option is not bad for those who are not too concerned about the length of the flight. The transfer usually takes place in Sri Lanka or the Emirates. Additional private flights to this destination are organized on May and New Year holidays.

In particular, Atlant-Soyuz planes take off from Vnukovo airport. All additional information can be obtained by contacting the airport information desk.

True, the cost of tickets can fluctuate greatly, sometimes going far beyond the cost of ordinary direct and transit flights.

Flight from Moscow to the Maldives with a transfer

If the tourist preferred the option with transfers to a direct flight, the duration of the flight will increase, at best, up to 11 hours, but maybe up to 36. Here everything is decided by the waiting time for a connecting flight, as well as the number of transfers. The options with one transplant are the most popular among Russians:

Doha transfer option

You can get to this city using Qantas Airways flights, which depart from Domodedovo. The flight will take less than 5.5 hours. This will be followed by about 1.5 hours of waiting for the connection, after which the flight from Doha to the Maldives will stretch for another 4 hours and 40 minutes.

Therefore, the travel time from landing in Moscow to landing in Male will be 12 hours. Given that this is a connecting flight, you can see why it is so popular.

Option with a stopover in Dubai

Since many tourists strive to get to Dubai itself, there are more than enough flights here, and from three points at once:

    Sheremetyevo. Flight duration - 5 hours 40 minutes. Companies - Kenya Air and Aeroflot.

    Vnukovo. Flight duration - 4 hours 50 minutes. The company is Transaero.

    Domodedovo. Flight duration - 5 hours 15 minutes. The company is Qantas Airways.

The waiting time in Dubai will be approximately 4 hours. After that, you will need to board an Emirates plane, and in 4 hours 10 minutes the tourist will be in Male.

In addition, there is an option with a transfer in Singapore, but these tickets will be the most expensive. The cost of a round-trip flight in this case can go up to $ 1,000. In any case, it is Singapore Airlines that has the most impressive price tag.

What is the best time to fly?

In principle, you can relax in the Maldives all year round, but there are some fluctuations in weather conditions, so there are high and low seasons here too. Accordingly, there are price fluctuations, both for accommodation and a number of services, and for flights.

The high season starts around mid-December and ends in the second half of spring. Of course, the climate at this time is good, but the same cannot be said about prices.

In the off-season, the price of the flight will be more democratic, but before making such a choice, you need to know everything about the weather in the Maldives in the low season.

Transfer and transportation in the Maldives

The way from the airport to the hotel in most cases passes without any problems, since the staff of the hotel in which the tourist has booked a room or bungalow will meet the tourist at the airport.

The transfer fee may be included in the tour price, but if not, then a half-hour seaplane flight will cost about $ 300. It is much cheaper to use the small dhoni boat, which is a popular means of transportation between the islands. For 10 minutes of sailing on such a boat, you will need to pay $ 5, but it should be remembered that the traveler will not be delivered to the destination in half an hour dhoni.

As for independent movements between the islands, the local government has a negative attitude to this. This can be done only after obtaining a special permit, which will be very difficult to obtain.

The journey to the Maldives will not be fast. You should immediately tune in to this. Based on the geographical position, the distance to Moscow is 6.5 thousand km. Land routes do not lead to the island, and the waterway is not in demand either. The only way for tourists to get there is by air flight. International flights land at the airport of the capital Male Velana.

The flight duration depends on whether you have chosen a direct flight or a connecting flight. You can buy a tour to the Maldives and not worry about purchasing tickets yourself. Sometimes it is even more profitable. However, if you like to travel on your own, remember that flights from Moscow are made every day. You can schedule a date convenient for you and fly out on a suitable day.

Direct flight or connecting?

The most convenient way is to take direct flights. They are provided by Aeroflot from Sheremetyevo Airport. You can fly to the Maldives directly only from Moscow. If the circumstances are successful, the ticket price will be 35,000 -40,000 rubles. It all depends on when you buy your ticket. The journey will take about 9 hours. It will also take extra time to get to the airport, check in and then transfer to the hotel.

When planning a trip outside of Moscow, in any case, you will need to use a transfer. Docking often takes place in Qatar, United Arab Emirates. Travel time increases significantly. It will be at least 12 hours.

If you want your vacation not only to leave pleasant impressions, but also to save a little on the family budget, use the following tips:

    Start searching for air tickets in advance. You can subscribe to the newsletter about price changes.

    Consider unpopular dates where the flight may be cheaper.

    If you decide to fly on your own, check the offers of different airlines before buying tickets. Choose stopovers at your connections to save on tickets and explore cities like Dubai, Istanbul or Doha.

Plan your trip so that it is comfortable for you. Then the trip will be pleasant and unforgettable.

11.02.2019 , 10:08 6521

The Maldives is one of the most expensive resorts in the world, which is affordable mainly for citizens with incomes above the average - show business stars, successful composers, directors, writers, politicians, oligarchs, high-tech developers, etc. The cleanest coastline has a turquoise hue, turning into emerald green and azure blue, with coral reefs and white sand. Part of the land is surrounded by lagoons.

Basic information

Geography

The Republic of Maldives (the capital of Male with a population of 135 thousand inhabitants and an area of \u200b\u200b6 m2) is an island state belonging to South Asia and representing the shelf continuation of the Indian Ocean peninsula in the Indian Ocean. Stretched 750 km from north to south. The distance from Moscow to Male is almost 7 thousand km.

Weather

Due to the monsoon subequatorial climate, a stable ambient temperature is maintained throughout the year - t of the atmosphere during the day on average + 30-31 ° C, at night + 25-26 ° C; water temperature 27-29 ° C. Maximum amplitude + 17 ° C (January-February) - 32 ° C (April-May). The dry, low wind season lasts from November to March, and the rainy and windy season lasts from May to September. During the year 2000 mm of precipitation falls, mainly in summer.

Reference data

  • Currency: Rufiyaa ($ 1 ~ 15 Rufiyaa).
  • Official language: Maldivian.
  • Airport: Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.
  • Visa: up to 30 days of stay is not required.
  • Driving: car rental is not provided due to irrationality, but you can rent a bike.
  • Useful phones:

    Police 119
    - Ambulance 102
    - Fire Department 118
    - Airport + (960 332) 22-11
    - Synoptic Bureau + (960 331) 71-71
    - Russian Embassy in Colombo + (10-941) 57-4959
    - Tourism Department + (960 332) 32-28
    - National Security Service + (960 331) 32-81

Actual information

  • It is an archipelago consisting of 1900 tiny islands with their own functional specifics (island-hotel, island-village, island-dump, island-airport, island-forest, etc.).
  • With a slight exaggeration, the island can be called an earthly paradise. However, in the capital, one of the ten most densely populated cities in the world, it is not customary for foreign tourists to stop: for rest they go to remote, ecologically clean atolls.
  • The atolls are connected with each other by air taxis (seaplanes, $ 500-2500 / 1 hour), speed boats ($ 300/1 hour), ferries ($ 0.7 / 1 hour). From the pier on electric vehicles, tourists are transported to bungalows and villas.
  • There is absolutely no industrial production here, and only coconuts and bananas are grown from crops, the cost of which is perhaps the lowest on the planet.
  • Local specialties are sweet bundi coconut rolls ($ 2.4 / kg) and tuna dishes (less than $ 2 / kg).
  • Traffic in the Maldives is chaotic, and drivers generally do not follow the rules.

Health

A visit to a family doctor before traveling abroad (especially to a southern country) is highly advisable. Just in case, you should take with you the so-called. a first-aid kit for a traveler: there are few pharmacies here, but medicines are not cheap to home. Local authorities do not require vaccination certificates from tourists from Russia, but you should protect yourself and get vaccinated against typhoid fever, hepatitis, diphtheria, measles, rubella, mumps, poliomyelitis, tetanus. Vaccinations are of a recommendatory and prophylactic nature, i.e. optional.

How to get there

Flights of Aeroflot Sheremetyevo - Male, April-August inclusive on Wednesdays and Saturdays (in the rest of the period on specific dates), 9 hours of non-stop flight, from $ 326. With a transfer they fly from Sheremetyevo (Aeroflot) or Domodedovo (Emirates) to Dubai, then by connecting flights (Emirates) to Male. The second acceptable route is from Sheremetyevo (Aeroflot) to the airport. Indira Gandhi to Delhi, then by connecting flight (Air India) to Male. In both cases, the road will take no more than 15 hours in total.

How to avoid problems

  • It is an Islamic country with its own rules of conduct and a mostly illiterate population; travel guides advise against paying attention to Maldivian women.
  • The Maldives is a zone of healthy lifestyle, therefore there is a dry law here, concerning, inter alia, the import of alcohol; if desired, the law can be unofficially circumvented by paying exorbitant prices for alcohol. The import of pork, tobacco, perfumery products is formally permitted, but in fact is not encouraged. Pets are not allowed to enter the state.
  • The export of corals and turtle shell products is strictly prohibited.
  • Fishing from the shore is not permitted.

Reasons to fly to Maldives

This is perhaps the only place on Earth where the beach recreation industry is as close to nature as possible. In fact, a tourist finds himself on a desert island far from civilization, lives in a comfortable dwelling, where a gentle ocean splashes under the floor, a palm branch with strange fruits hangs out of the window, and to soak up the sand on the sand, it is enough to cross the threshold. Needless to say. that in such conditions the ecology is almost sterile! It is for the sake of this unique exoticism that people thousands of kilometers away so stubbornly strive to visit the Maldives ...

Good day) Somehow, on an ordinary gray day, tired of the bustle of the city, busy work schedules and endless phone calls, we fell ill with thoughts of a calm, relaxing vacation, where there are a minimum of tourists and a lot of vegetation, many delightful landscapes and the purest ocean water. This is definitely the Maldives.


Photos in this review have not undergone any photo correction. Filmed mostly, just on the phone.



Preparing the information before the trip took a very long time, I would like to share it with you in this review. How to get there on your own with basic knowledge of the language, how not to get lost in the capital and get to the desired island. About all the intricacies of Maldivian life, their religion and temperament. We will also talk about all possible costs in this review.





Weather in the Maldives.


When does the Maldives go?


The country is located on the equator, here the weather is not too changeable and comfortable all year round. We didn't need warm clothes. And even if there is a tropical shower outside the window, the temperature is very comfortable for staying in a swimsuit.
There is a rainy season in the Maldives, which falls in the Russian summer period from May to September. You should not be afraid of rains, as they are short-lived and puddles dry out very quickly.
The most favorable weather in the Maldives is February and March. There is no precipitation during this period. The weather is always wonderful. We rested in February, March. I recommend this period because these months are a real paradise. Great diving without a storm, no rain.
Maldives is a winter kind of beach holiday



The only direct flight from Moscow to Male is provided by Aeroflot. All other airlines fly with very long connections, mainly via Dubai. There are flights from the regions, but all with connections. Aeroflot was the most ideal and comfortable option. Tickets were booked 2 months in advance, the cost of tickets for two round trip is 70t. The guys who flew with us booked tickets half a year in advance, they cost 55t. So there is a profitable early booking. The plane of this company flies there every day at 22-10 departure from Moscow at 9 in the morning, we were in Male (hour difference with Moscow time + 2 hours). Departure from Male is at 11-15 am. The flight time is slightly less than 9 hours. The plane on the flights is the same, so our return flight was delayed due to the fact that the plane could not take off from Moscow due to weather conditions. But that was only a plus, staying in this country for another 6 hours😊


The flight went very comfortably from Sheremetyevo airport, the plane is new. Comfortable armchairs, equipped with a personal monitor on which you can watch movies, give out disposable headphones, slippers, blankets.


We were fed 2 times, during the breaks we were given ice cream, drinks, wine. In general, we practically could not sleep, we were entertained.


The landing is very extreme. One gets the feeling that you are landing on the water, only at the last moment the landing strip appears.

Passport control:


You do not need to pay for a visa and entry into the country at the airport. For Russians, a visa is not required. The country is quite hospitable and interested in the flow of tourists. The passport is stamped with a period of stay in the Maldives up to 30 days. Early legislation obliged us to pay $ 25 for leaving, we were already ready for this, but they did not take anything from us. MV got free entry and exit.



To successfully cross the border, you need:


International passport with current validity.

Confirmation of hotel reservation (this was demanded, if for some reason there is no printout, name the hotel and the length of stay, it also rolls orally, checked personally)


Return tickets (may be required), print information in English, in Russian Maldivians are not at all thorny.


Immigration card. They will be issued on the plane. Must be completed. If something is not clear, the flight attendants will kindly help.



The Maldives is an island nation in the Indian Ocean. It consists of 1190 small coral islands and a land area of \u200b\u200bonly 298 km. Of these, only 200 islands are inhabited.


They have an artificial island airport, where we made an extreme landing and immediately left it by boat for $ 1 and in 5 minutes were on the island of Male, which is the capital of the Maldives.


The island is the capital. It is a very crowded island, with narrow streets, millions of motorcycles and people. With the famous fruit market, which is interesting to walk in. And the terrible fish market, on the cat with a terrible smell of fish and the number of flies, drives you into panic and you want to leave this place as soon as possible. I was especially impressed by local merchants who urinate right in the unreal beauty of the ocean. Is there really no toilet in this market or just a pity for the money. Although prices for tourists and prices for local residents are quite different, this applies everywhere. Up to travel tickets. Also, tourists are charged an environmental tax, which you have to pay per night at the hotel, and the hotel, or this guest house itself transfers it to the state account.


Male was left with a good impression. The island is like an Asian overpopulated town, where there are pesky guides, sellers of goods and services.


I want to note that I walked there without a hijab. Dress shirt and jeans. You shouldn't stand out too much, since the country is Muslim, you need to respect their religion and look dignified. Local women wear black hijabs.



The Maldives is renowned for its many posh and simpler island resorts



I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in the Maldives there is a separate garbage island, garbage from all the islands is taken there and burned at certain intervals. This island is remote from inhabited, therefore inconvenience or smoke



The Maldives are included in the Guinness Book of Record as the country with the flattest relief, there are no hills and rivers, all islands are no more than two meters above sea level. Due to global warming and rising sea levels, many scientists predict a gradual sinking of the islands under water. According to forecasts, in 40 years, the Maldives may be under water. So hurry up to see this beauty!



The islands are located almost at the equator, so the weather there is the same 25-30 degrees, the temperature does not drop below 25 degrees all year round.

"No news, no shoes - Maldives" - the slogan is true. Shoes there are an unnecessary excess, and there is no news at all. No newspapers, no television.


No alcohol law:


The Maldives is a Muslim country.On local islands (these are islands where, in addition to tourists, locals live), drinking alcohol is strictly prohibited, for locals it is a criminal offense. When entering the country, alcoholic beverages are confiscated from tourists, put into a cell and when leaving the country are given back. To be honest, this was not a problem for us, we did not take alcohol with us and did not come up with clever ways of export, but judging by the communication with Russo Tourist, many succeed.


Island-resorts are another matter, they are one island-one hotel. Local residents do not live on such islands, staff from India or Sri Lanka work there, because the Maldivians themselves cannot sell alcohol. If you buy an all-inclusive package tour, there will be no problems with alcohol. If half board or board, then a bottle of wine on the resort islands costs, on average, $ 100. Alcohol restrictions affect the price, it is clear in which direction)))



How to dress in the Maldives:


I have already superficially covered this issue in the capital. How to dress on other islands?


If you decide to relax on the resort island bypassing the capital, you will be provided with a transfer from the airport. You don't have to bother about this at all. You can walk at the resorts in any form, people from Sri Lanka and India mainly work here and they take it calmly. These prohibitions do not apply to tourist and uninhabited islands.


In the city of Male - the neckline, shoulders, thighs and other potentially "depraved" places should be closed. No one will detain you and shame you, but the views will be ambiguous.


On the local islands-villages (Maafushi, Toddu) it is permissible to walk in dresses and shorts, they are already accustomed to tourists and do not pay attention. With the neckline, I still did not dare to flaunt it.


There are specially fenced bikini beaches where you can swim in swimsuits, the owners of guesthouses take care of these beaches, there are sun loungers.


Maldivian women swim in full outfit, this is a hijab, a dress and even gloves ... ah, plus a couple of kids with them. Locals swim on the beaches away from European libertines))))



How to choose an island for a budget vacation:


Previously, on the islands where local residents live (i.e., local islands), it was forbidden to receive tourists. Today there are several islands where you can live cheaply. These are islands such as


Hulhumale ( Hulhumale),


Male (Male),


Maafushi


Thoddoo


Guraydo (Guraidhoo),


Rashdu ( Rasdhoo),


Ukulhas ( Ukulhas),


Dhigurah


But! Not every island has a bikini beach and, of course, you decide whether to go to such islands.

The islands stretch for several hundred kilometers, I would not recommend visiting atolls that are too remote, because a transfer in the Maldives is very expensive, and a seaplane flight is from $ 500 -1500 an hour, so such atolls can cost you dear. For transfers and prices, check with the tour operator immediately, or when booking a hotel, we booked guest houses on Booking.



Transport connection:

Usually the owners of the guesthouses come to meet the guests at the airport. But in our case, something went wrong. They forgot to meet us))) Although I sent the tickets when booking, this was the only negative memory of the guest house, they were very sorry about it)))


Thanks to this, we have perfectly learned the ferry service in the Maldives.

An overview of some routes how to get from Moscow to the Maldives. The flight from Moscow to the Maldives can be classified as distant. However, getting from Moscow to the Maldives is easier than, for example, to the Caribbean, or to Asia.

Direct flight Moscow-Male

Currently, only Aeroflot operates direct flights from Moscow to the Maldives. Travel time is 8.5 hours.

You can also fly with a stopover:

in Dubai - Emirates

in Abu Dhabi - Etihad

in Qatar - Qatar Airways

in Istanbul - Turkish Airlines

How long to fly from Moscow to Maldives

The above routes are the fastest (after the direct flight) and the least expensive. The flight from Moscow to Dubai takes 5 hours, and then Dubai-Male takes another 4 hours.

You can also fly with a dock in European cities, for example:

In Frankfkrt - Condor

In Paris - Air France

In Amsterdam - KLM

There are a lot of flights from Europe to the Maldives, but it will take longer to fly this way. The Paris-Male flight takes about 10 hours.

Male airport

Having overcome the path from Moscow to Male, the road does not end there. All international flights arrive at Male Airport, which is located on a separate island.

Each hotel independently organizes a transfer for its guests. The transfer is paid separately at the hotel (or on the booking website), and is a mandatory payment.

At the exit from the airport, guests are greeted with signs by hotel representatives, help with luggage, and escorted to the transfer.

Maldives transfer

Transfers from Male airport to the islands are of the following types:

  • , boat or yacht
  • Seaplane
  • Regular plane to the local airport + boat

The type of transfer depends primarily on the remoteness of the island. If the hotel is located a short distance from Male (up to half an hour's drive), then the transfer is organized by boat. If the hotel is further away, then you need to fly by seaplane. To get to the farthest southern atolls, tourists take domestic flights to another airport, and from there a boat transfer to the hotel is organized.