Maldives
Dream atolls and turquoise waters: free visa on arrival.
Maldives is among the destinations a Indian passport reaches without a visa. Dream atolls and turquoise waters: free visa on arrival. Here: visa, real budget, best seasons and what to do — departing from India.
In pictures
The visa, step by step
How to apply
No visa for a short tourist stay: show a valid passport and a return ticket on arrival.
Required documents
- Passport valid 6 months
- Return ticket
- Yellow fever certificate
Good to know
- •Visa-free tourist stay; confirm the exact allowed duration before departure.
A one-week budget
Round-trip flight from Douala / Yaoundé
420 000 FCFA–840 000 FCFAFlights from New Delhi (Air France, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Brussels Airlines…), depending on the destination.
Indicative round-trip price: it varies widely by season, layover and how early you book.
Where the money goes (backpacker estimate)
Budget simulator
What to do there
Atoll hopping
Explore the 26 coral atolls; Baa Atoll is a UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Diving & snorkeling
Reef walls, channels, wrecks: turtles, rays and reef sharks.
Private-island resort
An overwater villa or a simple day pass to enjoy Maldivian luxury even on a budget.
Maafushi local island
Guesthouse hub: bikini beach, cheap excursions and authentic Maldivian life.
Sandbank trips
By boat to a white sandbank for swimming, a picnic and dolphin-spotting.
Hanifaru Bay & Malé
Whale sharks and manta rays (Baa Atoll, Jun-Oct); the capital Malé: fish market, mosques.
One week, day by day
- D1
Arrive in Malé: Old Friday Mosque, fish market, overnight in Hulhumalé.
- D2
Speedboat to Maafushi (~45 min), settle in, bikini beach and sunset.
- D3
Snorkeling trip: reefs, turtles, reef sharks.
- D4
Sandbank excursion and dolphin cruise.
- D5
Resort day pass (pool, lunch, overwater photos) or scuba diving.
- D6
Nearby local island (Gulhi/Guraidhoo) or whale shark trip depending on season.
- D7
Return to Malé, last shopping, flight home (departure IMUGA filled in advance).
Travel checklist
A printable list (or save as PDF) so you forget nothing.
Travel checklist — Maldives
Before you leave
What to pack
Indicative data (June 2026), reliability moyenne. Visa rules, prices and timelines change: always confirm with official sources before booking.
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