When people tend to think of the Maldives, it’s usually the pristine beaches, endless activities and gorgeous marine life that come to mind. Whichever it is, if you do plan on visiting, here are some travel tips that you should keep in mind when planning your trip.

Maldives Speedboats
Maldives Speedboats | Image Credit : calvinstkm, Maldives Airport – panoramio, CC BY-SA 3.0

1) There is no alcohol

Since the Maldives is a Muslim country, it comes as no surprise that alcohol isn’t served or available for purchase in the city or in shops. It can only be found in Maldives Island resorts, which have a special exemption. If you’re looking for accommodation, there are plenty of great options to select from, Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives being one such example.

2) Keep a lot of USD with you

Even though they have their own currency, USD is widely accepted and makes the whole process much easier to deal with. Also, worth mentioning is that paying in USD generally gets you a better price even though it may be minimal.

3) Ferries require planning

If you’re planning on taking a ferry to travel from Male to your resort or wherever, it’s best that you plan ahead, as these don’t always come in time and have long waiting times between each trip.

4) Speedboats are ideal

Considerably more expensive than ferries but are faster and can be found more frequently.

Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+