Getting To The Maldives
Located in the Indian Ocean about 700km south-west of Sri Lanka, the Maldives is a 16 – 20 hour flight journey from Australia. Getting to this remote tropical paradise is fairly straight forward but will require some pre-planning. As there are no direct flights from Australia, many travellers will fly into Singapore for a short stopover, before transferring to the Maldives. Thanks to a fantastic range of flight deals in partnership with trusted airlines such as Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Scoot and Silk Air, getting to the Maldives is simple and affordable.
Transferring To Your Maldives Resort
Once arriving in the Maldives at the Malé International Airport (also known as the Velana International Airport) you will be greeted by a resort representative who will take you to your speedboat or sea plane transfer. These transfers must be arranged through your resort at time of booking. There are no public ferries or water taxis available at the airport, so booking your transfers ahead is vital. Your resort will inform you of the best island transfer method, timings and cost and will organise everything on your behalf.
Depending on the location of your resort, speedboat transfers can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as 2 hours. Of course, flying via sea plane is much faster and offers some of the most breathtaking views, but it’s also more expensive. Speedboat transfers operate 24 hours a day and sea planes operate from 6:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Transferring To A Guest House Or Local Island
If you’re staying at a traditional guest house or on a local Maldives island, you can take a speedboat or slow ferry. Speedboats are a popular transfer option and offer daily services to many local islands. These speedboats are also very affordable, but often fill up, so pre-booking is a must. Some bigger guest houses will have their own private speedboats and will be available to greet you at the airport on arrival.
The Maldives public ferries are traditionally designed for local communities accessing the mainland island of Malé, however, are available to visitors. Timetables change frequently and are weather dependent, so keep this in mind when planning your Maldives adventure.
For guests wanting to check out Malé City, the public ferry is a great option. At just 10 MVR / $1 AUD for a 10-minute journey across the channel, this transfer option is very affordable. Alternatively, taxi’s and busses are available.