Maldives - 馬爾地夫

Maldives(Maldives) YesIndian OceanThe last one consists of 1192 coral islands divided into 26 coral atolls (200 uninhabited islands, plus 80 islands with tourist resorts). These islands are inIndiaSouth to southwest, belonging toSouth Asia。

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history

The Maldives was formerly a Sudanese monarchy protected by Britain and France. It is now a federal state. It has long accepted the iron fist rule of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. This ruler is unrelenting to any dissident, but he was re-elected five times in an illegally rigged campaign. Between 2003 and 2004, resistance to his rule arrived. The climax was reached, and riots broke out. Under international pressure, the Maldives launched a free and fair election in 2008. Gayoom graciously accepted the fact that he was defeated by opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed, "Anni". Following the protests on May 1, 2011, Mohamed Nasheed was forced to resign on February 7, 2012. Mohammed Waheed Hassan, was appointed President of the Maldives with the support of the previous dictator. There are endless reports on the use of violence against opponents by the security guards supporting Nasheed and human rights issues. The next election will be held in July 2013.

The tsunami on December 26, 2004 severely affected the Maldives-290000 people (more than one-third of the total population) were directly affected by the tsunami, and more than 15000 people were left homeless. The economic loss alone reached 470 million US dollars, more than 62% of its GDP.

International charitable organizations and people responded immediately after the tsunami, with more than 400 million US dollars in post-disaster assistance, most of which was used to help the homeless rebuild their homes and build infrastructure damaged by the tsunami. As of December 24, 2010, six years after the earthquake, the number of people living in temporary shelters dropped from 15,000 to 1,600.

economy

Tourism is the largest industry in the Maldives, accounting for 20% of the country’s GDP, and 60% of the country’s foreign exchange income comes from tourism. More than 90% of government revenue comes from import duties and tourism-related taxes. About 600,000 tourists visited the Maldives in 2006. Fishery is the second largest industry in the country. The Maldivian government initiated an economic reform in 1989. At first it raised import quotas and opened up private sector exports. Later, it opened up some policies to allow more overseas investment. Agriculture and manufacturing still occupy an important position in the country's economy, but these two industries have long been restricted by domestic arable land area restrictions and domestic labor shortages. Most of the staple food needs to be imported. Industry, mainly including: clothing, shipbuilding and handicrafts accounted for 18% of GDP. The government is concerned about the threats of seawater erosion and global warming to this low-lying country; 80% of the country's land area is only 1 meter or less above sea level.

culture

The Maldivians are basically Sunni Muslims, and South India, Sinhala, and Arabia all have an influence on the local culture. Although alcohol, pork, dog meat, and public activities contrary to Muslims are prohibited on the uninhabited island of the Maldives, everything is possible on the holiday island.

Please note that the weekend in the Maldives is Friday and Saturday, during which banks, government departments and many shops will be closed. You may not feel it in the resort area, but the lunch time may change due to Friday's noon prayer.

climate

The Maldives is located in the tropics, with plenty of sunshine all year round, and the temperature is around 30°C all year round. However, during the rainy season in the southwest, the rainfall will increase significantly from April to October, especially from July to August.

area

The Maldives is composed of 26 atolls, but these islands are not absolutely independent and separated islands, but huge toroidal coral groups hundreds of kilometers wide, but they have long been divided into countless islands.

The naming of the atolls is more complicated, because the names of the atolls are Dhivehi names with a long traditional history, such as Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi, and there are concise code names like Baa that refer to administrative regions and may contain multiple geographic atolls . The code name is actually just the letters of the Dhivehi alphabet. Non-Maldives are easier to remember and pronounce. The code name is very popular during travel, so it is also used here. Of the 20 administrative atoll groups, only (part of) 10 are open to tourism. From north to south, these are:

The other ten atolls are Gafu Alifu Atoll, Kafu Daru Atoll, Gonawiyani Atoll, Haarifu Atoll, Daha Aluhad Haru Atoll, and Lamu Atoll Reef, Gonaweyani Reef, Kiinnu Atoll, Shaviani Atoll and Taa Atoll.

city

• 4.17573.5083333333331 Male —Capital and largest city
• Seenu —The country’s second largest city and home to the fleeting Soviet separatist movement

Other destinations

arrival

The Maldives has a significantly relaxed visa policy-citizens of any country can obtain a 30-day visa on arrival upon entry as long as they hold valid international travel documents, return tickets and sufficient funds. You can also apply for an extension to 90 days in the capital Male, but you need to indicate where you want to stay for a long time. For details, seeMaldives Immigration Department。

As a Muslim country, the following items are prohibited:Alcohol, pork and its products, other substances tabooed by Islam, any narcotics, neurosuppressive drugs and pornographic publications(Very broad definition).

Note: Your baggage will be checked by X-ray machine when entering the country.Bringing gravel, shells and corals out of the countryIt is also forbidden.

aviation

Basically all travelers willMale International Airport（IATA：MLE) Entry, it is located on the island of Hulhulé in the northeast of the capital Male’. This airport carriesChina、India、Sri Lanka、DubaiAnd a lotSoutheast AsiaFor flights between countries, it also maintains route liaison with several European airports. Many planes will pass through the capital of Sri Lanka on the wayColombo。

Located in the southern part of Addu AtollGan Island Airport（IATA：GAN) It also provides several classes per week toMilanRoute.

The exit cost is included in your air ticket fee.

Passenger ship

There are no regular passenger ships to travel to the Maldives, and yachts often avoid this place because sailing in these coral reefs is dangerous and the permits are expensive.

Travel around

Language

The official language of the Maldives is Divehi (Divehi), which is an ancient Ceylon language from Sri Lanka and later mixed with elements such as English, Arabic, and Hindi. English is widely spoken as a second language. Educated people can speak English well in Male Island and various resorts. It is more difficult to use English on aboriginal islands.

Common Phrases:

A-Salam Alekum – Hello-Hello

Vale Kumu Salam – Farewell-Goodbye

Mi Kihavaraka –How Much – How much

Kihine-Hi-Hello

Shukuria-Thank You-Thank You

Aa-Yes-Yes

Noo-No-No

Enge-Ok-ok

Agu Bodu –Expensive – Expensive

Agu Heyo –Cheap – Cheap

Fahana – Toilet

go sightseeing

Activity

Diving and snorkeling

Except when you spend your honeymoon in the Maldives, besides enjoying the beautiful scenery at the villa on the sea, the main activity isdiving. The coral island of Maldives is also hundreds of kilometers away from the nearest land, which means that the water here is very clear and the marine life is very rich: manta rays, sharks, and even the wreckage of sunken ships.

Although diving in the Maldives is very good all over the world, the farther the islands and reefs are, the better the water quality and the greater the possibility of encountering larger marine life. Many diving enthusiasts choose to live on a boat, which is much cheaper than staying in a resort. The water flow of each water area is very different. The water surface is very calm in the islands and reefs, but there will be a strong current in the water area facing the sea. The water in the Maldives is warm all year round, so in the past, a short swimsuit and a thin diving suit would suffice. The Maldives can dive all year round, but in the rainy season (June-August) it often rains, winds and waves. The best time for diving of the year is from January to April, when the water is very calm, the sun is warm, and the visibility can reach 30 meters. Decompression chambers can be found in Kaafu (15 minutes from Male), Kuredu in Lhaviyani and Kuramathi in Alifu.

The price of diving in the Maldives is quite expensive. The price of each resort is different, generally if you have diving equipment, a boat is about 50 dollars, if you bring diving equipment, it is usually about 75 dollars. But pay attention to the additional fees: additional charges may apply for boats, guides, and larger boats. But the advantage of diving in the Maldives is that the safety standards are generally relatively high, the equipment is well maintained, and some safety matters are strictly observed.

surf

Surfing in the Maldives is becoming more and more popular. The turquoise waters and impeccable waves make this a great place for surfing.

The best surfing time in the Maldives is between March and October; generally, the waves are the biggest from June to August.

In this area, professional companies organize customized activities that can quickly move surfers from one place to another, so that surfers have more time to enjoy the bathing fun.

Shopping

Overhead

diet

Nightlife

stay

Learn

Work

Safety

• If tourists arrive in Male’ by plane after 11pm, they cannot take a speedboat with a flight of more than 1 hour that night, that is, the resort cannot be more than 20 nautical miles from the airport. Those who need to take a seaplane to the resort must stay in Male Island for one night and board the next day. So make sure when you make a reservation if you can go to the island on the same day.
• There is a large black ant in the Maldives. It is recommended to put a towel in the gap of the door leading to the garden at night, or spray some medicines such as insect repellent to prevent the ants from entering the house.
• Platform sandals are very practical. Because the local beach has mixed coral fragments and small corals left by the high tide, it is very pierced. Slippers with thick soles can resist.
• Be careful when walking on the roads of Male Island and Aboriginal Island. One is to avoid fast-moving motorcycles, and the other is to avoid the oncoming opposite sex. When the road is very narrow, men should actively give way to women on the opposite side, let women go first, and try to avoid crowding together or having physical contact. There are no cars and no crowds on the resort island.
• No alcohol products can be brought into the Maldives, and there is no reason to explain or hide them. If you carry it, the customs officer will keep it on your behalf and issue a voucher. Keep the voucher and return the item with the voucher when you leave the country. Alcohol products are sold in all resorts. Please do not bring alcohol products to the capital Male Island or other aboriginal islands. If you carry it, please put it in your bag and don't take it out, and drinking in public will cause a lot of trouble.
• Carrying canned products, pickled products, cooked food, etc., must be packaged intact, and must not contain pork components, and there must be an English description on the package to ensure that it can be inspected. Non-Islamic religious items such as Buddha statues and Bibles are also not allowed to enter the country.
• As an open Muslim country, the Maldives has achieved a great degree of tolerance and acceptance of foreign tourists, so we must respect each other more. Don't dress too casually on Male Island. Men are not allowed to wear shorts when entering the mosque, and ladies are not allowed to wear suspender skirts and short skirts. Keep your hats and umbrellas away. Shoes should be taken off and placed neatly outside.
• A trip to the Maldives can definitely be said to be safe and secure. As long as your international flight arrives at the airport, pick up your luggage, walk out of the waiting hall, and find the resort counter you booked, there will be special personnel "escort" every part of the journey from then on. The greeter from the resort will send you to a speedboat or seaplane or transfer to a domestic flight; the airport service staff will assist you with check-in procedures; your daily dining table (in the case of a package meal) is fixed, and the restaurant waiter, The waiter who cleans the room is also fixed. However, it is necessary to take good care of your luggage at all times. The police station is located in the central plaza of Marina Street in Male Island.

Medical treatment

Most resorts have clinics that can handle some skin injuries or minor illnesses, such as colds and fevers. If you are seriously ill, you must go to the ADK Hospital on the capital Male Island in time. ADK is the largest and most authoritative hospital in the entire Maldives.

ADK Hospital

Address: Sosun Magu, Malé 20040 Maldives

Website: http://www.adkhospital.mv/

Phone: 960-331-3553

manner

• When dealing with local government officials or staff, you must cultivate patience in the countryside. Being unhurried, slow and tidy are the characteristics of islanders.

communication