🇲🇻 Maldives
Free visa on arrival - but the online declaration is compulsory.
No - Australian passport holders can enter the Maldives without a visa for up to 30 days.
Pack a Type D/G adapter for the 230V supply, one Australian dollar buys about 10.7 MVR, and IMUGA Traveller Declaration is compulsory before you fly.
Entry rules last checked 24 October 2026.
The Maldives gives every visitor a free 30-day visa on arrival with nothing to apply for and no fee. The one thing you must do is the IMUGA Traveller Declaration, submitted online within 96 hours of your flight. It is free, takes five minutes, and is the only piece of paperwork involved.
Your Maldives trip setup
22 things Australians need to sort. Tick them off as you go.
Entry requirements
Free visa on arrivalUp to 30 days View detailsFlights
Compare 3 searchs Search flightsConnectivity
Compare 7 plansFrom $12.50 Compare eSIMsTravel insurance
Compare 7 policysFrom $24 Compare insuranceMoney & payments
Compare 5 cards0.43%-0.65% conversion fee Compare cardsAirport transfer
MLE → MaléFrom $1 Compare optionsDriving
IDP not validDrives on the left Compare car hireTravel essentials
Adapter type D/GTap water: not safe to drink View guideThings to do
Compare 7 experiencesFrom $62 Explore activitiesMaldives at a glance for Australians
Best time to visit
November-April
The dry northeast monsoon runs November to April with the calmest seas and best visibility. May to October is wetter and windier, and also considerably cheaper.
14h 30m from Sydney
Health & safety
Smartraveller: Exercise normal safety precautions
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with the Maldives. Resort islands have a nurse or clinic at best, and anything serious requires a seaplane or speedboat evacuation to Male or onward to Colombo or Singapore. Check your policy covers diving to your intended depth.
Emergency: 119 police / 102 ambulance
Money
Universal at resorts, which run on room accounts settled by card at checkout. Local islands and Male are more mixed.
ATMs are in Male and on larger local islands only. There are none on resort islands.
Tipping: Resorts add a 10% service charge plus 16% GST. Beyond that, USD $5-$10 a day for a butler or dive guide is normal and appreciated.
Language & culture
Dhivehi
English: Very good - English is the language of tourism and is widely spoken
Capital: Malé
Australian dollar to Maldivian rufiyaa
Rf10.7 MVR per AUD
Last recorded rate
These are mid-market rates - the rate banks trade at, published by the European Central Bank. It is not what you will be offered. Expect a card or exchange service to take 0.5% to 5% off it, which is exactly what our travel money comparison is for. Past movement doesn't predict future rates, and none of this is financial advice.
View the numbers as a table
Where Australians go in Maldives
Malé
Hulhumalé
Maafushi
Addu City
Fuvahmulah
Maldives FAQs for Australian travellers
Do Australians need a visa for the Maldives?
No. Every visitor to the Maldives gets a free 30-day visa on arrival regardless of nationality, with no fee and no application. You do have to submit the IMUGA Traveller Declaration online before you fly.
What is the IMUGA Traveller Declaration?
A compulsory free online form covering your passport, flight, accommodation and a short health declaration. Every arriving traveller must submit it within 96 hours before their flight - not earlier, because a declaration filed more than 96 hours ahead is invalid and has to be redone. The only official site is imuga.immigration.gov.mv.
Can I bring alcohol into the Maldives?
No. Alcohol is confiscated at customs on arrival. It is served only at resorts and on licensed liveaboards. Local inhabited islands are dry, as the Maldives is a Muslim country and the prohibition applies outside the resort zones.
What power adapter do I need for the Maldives?
A Type G adapter, the UK three-rectangular-pin plug, with some older properties using Type D. The voltage is 230V, the same as Australia. Many resorts lend adapters but it is not safe to assume.
How much are Maldives transfers and are they included?
Usually not included, and they are substantial - a seaplane or speedboat transfer commonly runs AUD $300-$800 return per person depending on the atoll. Resorts arrange them, not you, and seaplanes only operate in daylight, so a late international arrival can mean an overnight stay in Male.
Can I drink the tap water in the Maldives?
Not on local islands. Resorts desalinate and filter their own supply and it is safe - most now provide filtered water in glass bottles in the room rather than plastic.
Planning Maldives?
We will send you the Maldives guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.