Here is what we learned after visiting 6 islands

USD And The Ruyfiaa 

Everywhere you go you will see prices in USD.  People seem to prefer USD here, but you can always ask to pay in Rufiyaa.  What you need to keep an eye on is the rate they give you.  The official rate right now is $1 to 15.5 Rufiyaa.  We got rates all the way to 18.5.  Boat tours required the 18.5, speedboat ferries were around 17, and 16.5 seemed to be the norm for food. Also the ATMs that give USD (two in total in the Maldives), one was broken (at the airport) and the other required a Maldivian account (in Male).

Transport From The Airport To Your Island

Speedboats/Ferries

These can pick up from Male or the Airport and very by how far you are travelingYour accommodation can book a speedboat and these will cost $25-$60 pp.  Slow ferries will be a fraction of that cost at $4-$12, but double the travel time.  

Seaplanes

And finally a seaplane will set you back $200+ one way.  Be careful of the cheaper island the further you are from Male, that’s a minimum $400+ roundtrip per person.

Finding Accommodation 

Try to book a spot away from the mosque, first prayer is before sunrise and those speakers are rated to reach the whole island.

Food

Keep your expectations a little lower for the cuisine on the local islands.  Supplies are hard to get out there.  Also fresh fish seems to be a bit rare too.  If you find a spot that you like, I’d suggest to keep going back to it.

Boat Tours

Usually tours are arranged through your accommodation.  Larger hotels will have their own boats and smaller guest houses will pool with guesthouses to find you a decent rate.  Let them know what you want to do and they will make it happen.  These can range around $35-$50 for a half day tour.  We did pay a hefty $137 pp for a full day to see the whalesharks. 

Bikini Beaches/Muslim Culture

These are muslim islands so you can wear western swim wear only on designated “Beaches Beaches”.  You’ll also need to cover up those shoulders and thighs when walking the streets.  There is no booze available on the islands, though talking with locals, it’s out there.

Construction

If you haven’t heard the Maldives are in MASSIVE tourism boom right now.  The local islands we went to all had at least +5 high rise hotel going up.  So expect to hear construction noises.  Give yourself extra time at the airport.  

Airport

This is the busiest airport I have ever been to. It looks like they are working to expand it at the moment, so give yourself a lot of extra time when departing. If you have some time to kill here head to cafeteria, outside the main terminal and upstairs