Maldives
Overwater villas or budget local islands — the honeymoon icon, two ways.
A sample 4-day Maldives itinerary
A realistic, low-backtracking route. Generate your own — shaped to your dates, budget and pace — in minutes.
Best time to visit
November to April is the dry season and the best time to visit the Maldives — sunny, calm seas, ideal for water sports. May to October is the wet season (cheaper, with short storms and better surf). Peak prices hit December–January and around long weekends.
Visa for Indians
No advance visa needed — Indian citizens (like all nationalities) get a free 30-day visa on arrival in the Maldives. You need a confirmed hotel/resort booking, an onward ticket and the online IMUGA traveller declaration filled before arrival and departure.
Visa rules change — always reconfirm on the official portal before booking. We re-verify these pages regularly (updated August 2026).
Trip cost from India
The Maldives splits sharply: local islands are affordable, resorts are a splurge. Per-person, per-day excluding international flights:
Ballpark for a 4-day trip: ₹55,000–90,000 per person incl. flights (local island + 1 resort night).
Veg & Jain food
Resorts cater fully to vegetarians and can do Jain on request (tell them in advance). On local islands the choice is smaller but rice, dal, veg curries and fresh fruit are easy. Note: alcohol is only available on resorts and not on inhabited local islands.
Safety & scams
The Maldives is very safe. On local islands, remember they are conservative Muslim communities — dress modestly off the tourist "bikini beaches", and there is no alcohol. The main practical risks are sun, currents and booking the right transfer.
Maldives FAQs
No — Indian passport holders get a free 30-day visa on arrival. You need a confirmed booking, an onward ticket and the online IMUGA declaration.
Yes — stay on local islands like Maafushi in guesthouses and use shared tours; a comfortable 4-day trip can land around ₹55,000–90,000 per person including flights.
3–4 days is typical; pair a local island with a night or day at a resort for the overwater experience.
Yes — resorts cater fully and do Jain on request; local islands keep it simpler with rice, dal and veg curries.
No — but it is closer than people think on a local-island plan. A local-island Maldives trip costs roughly double a comparable Andaman trip, though the visa is free and flights from Kochi/Bengaluru run about 1.5–4 hours.
Yes — local islands like Maafushi, Thoddoo and Fulidhoo have guesthouses, dive schools and excursion operators. You trade the private water villa for real savings; a resort day-pass buys you one day of the postcard if you want it.
May–October (wet season): resort prices typically drop, though seas are less calm. Avoid December–January unless budget is not a concern — that is peak pricing everywhere.