Getting around · Maldives
Getting around Maldives
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Alexey Potov - Noblige, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Getting around the Maldives means boats and planes: speedboats to resorts near Malé, seaplanes and domestic flights to more distant atolls, and slow but cheap public ferries between local islands. Islands themselves are small enough to walk around. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Boat
- Airports
- MLE, GAN, DRV, VAM, KDO
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Boat
Resort speedboats and shared speedboats link the airport with North and South Malé atolls and nearby local islands in 15–90 minutes; seaplanes and domestic flights serve more distant atolls.
Seaplanes fly only in daylight, so late arrivals may need a night in Hulhumalé or Malé before the transfer.
Ferry
Government-run public ferries connect Malé with local islands in the surrounding atolls; they are very cheap but slow, run on set days and are limited on Fridays.
Check the latest timetable with your guesthouse, which can also book shared speedboats.
Bus
Buses link the airport with Malé and Hulhumalé across the Sinamalé Bridge, a cheap alternative to taxis.
Taxi
Taxis in Malé and Hulhumalé charge flat fares for most journeys and are easy to flag down.
Walking
Malé can be crossed on foot in about 20 minutes, and most resort and local islands take minutes to walk around.
From the airport
Velana International Airport (MLE) occupies Hulhulé island beside Malé. Resort representatives meet guests in arrivals; speedboats leave from the airport jetty and the seaplane terminal is on the far side of the airport island. Malé is about 10 minutes away by bus or taxi over the Sinamalé Bridge, and domestic flights leave from the same airport to Gan, Dharavandhoo, Maamigili, Kadhdhoo and other regional airports.
Do you need a car?
No. Transfers are by boat, seaplane or domestic flight, and islands are walked or cycled; taxis cover Malé and Hulhumalé.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Maafushi | About 30–45 minutes by shared speedboat | Shared speedboat or public ferry from Malé |
| Thulusdhoo | About 30–40 minutes by speedboat | Shared speedboat or public ferry from Malé |
| Fulidhoo | About 1 hour by speedboat | Shared speedboat or public ferry from Malé |
| Rasdhoo | About 1–1.5 hours by speedboat | Shared speedboat from Malé |
| Dhigurah | About 1.5–2 hours by speedboat; best overnight | Shared speedboat, or domestic flight to Maamigili and a boat |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Maldives?
No. Transfers are by boat, seaplane or domestic flight, and islands are walked or cycled; taxis cover Malé and Hulhumalé.
+How do you get from the airport to Maldives?
Velana International Airport (MLE) occupies Hulhulé island beside Malé. Resort representatives meet guests in arrivals; speedboats leave from the airport jetty and the seaplane terminal is on the far side of the airport island. Malé is about 10 minutes away by bus or taxi over the Sinamalé Bridge, and domestic flights leave from the same airport to Gan, Dharavandhoo, Maamigili, Kadhdhoo and other regional airports.
+What is the best way to get around Maldives?
Boat: Resort speedboats and shared speedboats link the airport with North and South Malé atolls and nearby local islands in 15–90 minutes; seaplanes and domestic flights serve more distant atolls.