Right after you get your bag, you’ll walk through the Customs line where you’ll then be asked to declare any commercial goods or prohibited items. You’ll need to note that alcohol is strictly forbidden in the airport and if they find alcohol in your bags they will take it away from you. I’ve heard that they will give it back to you when you leave, but I’m not sure how that works, or if this is something that really happens.
They do NOT x-ray or hand-search each suitcase or piece of hand luggage, and because of that, a person could potentially get away with bringing in alcohol. Also, I believe even if they find it, there is no fine so it’s just that they take it away from you. Still, the Maldives is a fairly strict Muslim country, and it would be very disrespectful to begin your holiday by smuggling illegal alcohol in.
You’ll also want to note that there isn’t any duty-free alcohol at the airport. In fact, the only alcohol available in the area is at the Hulhule Island Hotel, which is close to the airport. The good news for drinkers is that almost every private-island resort is awash in alcohol, though it does come at a higher price than you may be used to, and about 20 Maldives resorts offer all-inclusive plans.
You are also prohibited from bringing in any pork products, just in case you were thinking about bringing a slab of bacon or some sausages.
Hello Roger,
We are a family of four with kids aged 8 and 5.
We are planning our trip in the last week of August.
How’s the climate during this period and how many days it is advisable stay?
I would like to know about some good kid friendly and all inclusive resorts with good deals.
TIA
Madhu,
The weather in the Maldives is almost the same all year round, although there are actual variations from island to island because these resorts stretch several thousand kilometers from north to south. My advice is to choose a resort that you might like and then check the reviews from that same month last year and the year before to see what previous guests said about the weather. In most cases guests don’t mention the weather because it’s warm every day and the rain storms tend to last only 20 minutes or less. From late May through early July the rain can last for hours in certain parts of the Maldives, but in August the storms will be over quickly and sometimes they happen overnight.
Here are our favorite Maldives resorts for families with great activities for kids (and adults).
Our favorite all-inclusive resorts for great rates is Meeru Island, and it’s pretty good for families, though not the best.
Aside from that one it’s hard to know which is the best deal because most resorts tend to offer great deals when they are a bit slow, and keep prices high when they are booked up more. It’s best to just go into Agoda.com and put in your travel dates to see which resorts are offering the best all-inclusive deals for that period. Have a great trip. -Roger