FAQ

The Republic of Maldives a chain of 1, 192 islands grouped into 26 atolls spread across 90,000 square kilometers. The tiny islands are located in the Indian Ocean, close to Sri Lanka and India. The average island size is around two square kilometers and there is only one resort per island, making the Maldives an extremely exclusive destination.

You do not require a visa prior to arrival in the Maldives. All tourists are granted a free 30-day tourist visa upon arrival. However, you must have a valid passport. If the passport expiry date falls within 30 days of arrival, tourists cannot extend their stay beyond the passport expiry date. Working/ Employment under a tourist visa is prohibited. Working visas are provided by the Ministry of Human Resources Employment and Labor.

Maldives is five hours ahead (GMT +05:00) of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

December to April is the dry season and as such it is peak season for tourists. During this period resorts can be fully booked and prices are at their highest. The Christmas-New Year period is the busiest period. Between May and November, the weather is still very warm and there is often sunshine. But the skies can become cloudy at times, humidity is higher and rain is more likely. The transition months of November and April are said to be associated with increased water clarity and better visibility for divers.

The Airport is located roughly one mile from the capital city, on an adjacent island named Hulhule.

The Capital of the Maldives is “Male’’” pronounced “Maa-ley”. Male’ is one of the smallest capital cities in the world. One third of the country’s population, about 100,000 people, live in Male’. Unlike any other island in the country, Male’ is a city of high-rise buildings and paved roads. While the government offices are located in one area, the main streets are lined with shops and offices. In the old bazaar area, which still houses the country’s hub of wholesale and retail trade, the lanes are so narrow that a single vehicle would find it difficult to navigate through, especially with its throngs of busy people.

The local currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa but US Dollars are widely accepted everywhere. One dollar is equivalent to 15.42 Rufiyaa. You won’t find much need for local currency but if you wish to purchase any you can buy it at the foreign exchange counter at the airport. Keep your receipt as proof of purchase if you wish to exchange any back before departing.

Yes, Maldives is probably one of the safest places in the world.

The water from the taps is desalinated seawater and is perfectly safe for brushing your teeth. The water in the restaurant or bars is further filtered and ozone-treated and very safe to drink.

Most of the local and souvenir shops in Male’ accept all major credit cards but none of these shops can offer you cash-back from your card.

There are ATMs located in Male’ including HSBC, Bank of Maldives, Bank of Ceylon and State Bank of India. There are also ATMs at the airport.

The Maldives offers the ultimate in romance and seclusion. Couples can immerse themselves in the incredible beauty of the islands and the casual island pace of life. With mesmerizing sunsets and lush natural beauty, the Maldives simply radiates romance. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast brought to your overwater bungalow by boat. Discover an idyllic island for a private picnic for two. Arrange a traditional Maldivian wedding ceremony or renewal of vows. Or simply take a leisurely stroll along a secluded white sand beach and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

You can get to our resorts following means.
Filitheyo Island Resort: Seaplane – 35 minutes + Dhoni boat – 10 minutes

Due to the uniqueness of flying in the Maldives, landing on and taking-off from water, seaplanes only operate during daylight hours, so if your international flight arrives or departs outside of these hours it will be necessary to stay pre or post night in Male to accommodate this. Trans Maldivian Airways policy stipulates that if you would like to reach your resort on the same day, please plan to arrive Maldives before 15:30.

A direct seaplane to the resort takes approximately 35 minutes with 10 minutes dhoni ride, however this could take longer if the seaplane is scheduled to make stops en route to drop off/pick up passengers from other islands and will only be known that day.

(As per TMA FAQ): The standard permissible weight is 25 kg, which includes 20 kg of checked-in luggage and 5 kg of hand luggage per person. The weight for any bag should not exceed 32 kg. The per kg charge for baggage above the permissible limit is USD 5.00/- plus applicable taxes.

(As per TMA FAQ): Trans Maldivian Airways advise that on most occasions your luggage will go along with you. However, there are very few occasions where luggage will arrive after you have been transferred due to the weight limitations on the aircraft. In such cases TMA will inform you before your flight departure and allow the passenger to carry necessary items from offloaded luggage (in a TMA souvenir bag). Please be assured that the luggage will be delivered to the destination on the next available flight on which there is space.

Due to the small size and weight limitations of the seaplane this makes the possibilty for oversized luagge to travel less reliable and is stricly subject to availability at the time of check-in to your flight. In such case, TMA requests customers to sign a disclaimer on the understanding and acceptance that such oversized luagge may or may not travel for this reason on the same flight, same day, or even at all. Therefore, there is no gauarentee that surfboards or oversized luagge will be able to succesfully transfer to the resort by seaplane. In such case, any lugagge that cannot travel to the resort can be safetly stored in secure airport lockers which are available to rent.

Normally seaplane departs within 2-3 hrs from the time you check in.

We made is very convenient for you. When you arrive from International flight our 24/7 airport team will meet/greet you on arrival and take you to the seaplane check in counter and help you with all check in.

Guests does not have to take burden of reserving or contacting seaplane company. At our resorts, we do it for you. When guests reserve their room with proper arrival and departure international flight, our reservations will serve seaplane seat for them. Please make sure you have paid for your transfer /transport.

Your departure time is closely aligned to your international flight. Resort will inform you about our departure timing a day before your departure time. Detailed letter will be delivered to your villa informing departure date and time.

Filitheyo is located at Faafu Atoll (Northern Nilandhe) approximately 118 km from Velana International Airport.

4 stars

Yes, you can but each room should have one meal plan. This means you cannot have HB, FB, AI for one guest and another person BB. All occupants in the same villas should have same meal options.

If we downgrade our meal options, can I get refund from the resort?
You can downgrade your meal options but if you downgrade meal option you can contact your tour operator or travel agent who made your reservations to collect refund. And importantly your tour operator or travel agent must inform the resort on change of meal plan.

• Bed & Breakfast – Breakfast only
• Half Board – Breakfast + Dinner
• Full Board – All three meals
• All Inclusive – All three meals and following
  • Afternoon tea/coffee with snacks at the applicable Bar
  • Bottled water and drinks served by the glass ( Including soft drinks, beer,
  house wine and pouring spirits**) will be served from 10:00 hours to 23:59
  hours after midnight all consumed drinks will be charged at normal price (** Pouring spirits include: Gin, Vodka, Whisky, Brandy, Tequila, Rum, Arrack and Martini)

Certainly, our experience team of airport representatives will meet you on your arrival from the resort and help you check in to your international flights.

Select your choice of resort on our website and we’ll send you instant confirmation.

You can pay directly via the secure global payment gateway on our website. We accept Visa and Master Cards.

Confirmation is instant. Just select your resort, arrival and departure dates, the number of rooms required with number of guests and press the ‘confirm’ button. Our automated system will direct you to next step and prompt you to enter your details.

Yes, we do. Our counter number is 38 and we also have an air-conditioned pavilion for our guests.

Currently we own and operate 2 resorts in the Maldives; Filitheyo Island Resort and Medhufushi Island Resort.

Yes, we do, you can request them at the time of booking. The resort will arrange a seaplane transfer to tie in with your international arrival/departure.

Just show your reservation voucher to the airport representative on arrival. Then we will transfer you to the resort via seaplane.

Yes, we do.

AAA Hotels & Resorts.

G. Neem, 02nd Floor Majeedhee Magu, Male’ 20120, Maldives.

Tel: +960 331 61 31

Fax: +960 334 18 85

Email: sales@aaa.com.mv

Website: www.aaaresorts.com.mv

The seaplane terminal is just 5 minutes by minibus from Velana International Airport. We’ll escort you there from the pavilion when your seaplane flight is ready. The seaplane will depart from a jetty adjacent to the airport.

Snorkeling and scuba diving in the warm, turquoise waters are some of the most popular activities in the Maldives, in fact the Maldives is renowned for it. All kinds of other watersports including canoeing, sailing, deep sea fishing and water skiing are also very common. You can charter a yacht, perhaps with a captain and chef, to sail among the islands or go sunset fishing.

Light clothing is ideal for the tropical climate. There is no dress code at the resorts (but you’re requested not to wear swimwear inside the restaurants). Ladies will find that high heels aren’t particularly suitable for the sandy ground on the islands. Women are also advised to cover bare shoulders and knees if they are visiting an inhabited island community on a day trip out of respect for the conservative local culture.

*Nudism is prohibited

Bring plenty of sunblock as the sun is extremely strong in the Maldives, we recommend Factor 30 at the very least. A hat is also a good idea, and a t-shirt or rash shirt to protect your back from sunburn whilst snorkeling. You may also want to bring mosquito repellent to wear in the evenings. We do everything we can to reduce the number of mosquitos on the islands but you may wish to take it as an extra precaution.

The AAA airport representative will be waiting to greet you on arrival at Velana International Airport and escort you to the AAA Resorts Pavilion where you can wait for your resort transfer. The air-conditioned lounge offers a range of refreshments. You may also use the lounge whilst waiting for your international departure. There is no need for transportation while on resort islands as everything is within walking distance.

The Maldives has a tropical climate with an average daily temperature of 30°C. It rarely gets any cooler than 25°C (even at night or in rainy season). Days are sunny and humid but there’s always a refreshing, gentle sea breeze. There are two basic seasons; dry and wet. The dry season is from December to April. You will see little rainfall and slightly longer daylight hours during this season. During the wet season, May through November, more wind and rain is experienced, although temperatures are still warm.

Tipping is not very common in Maldives as most resorts and restaurants automatically add a 10% service charge to the bill. Taxi drivers do not get tipped.

Tourists normally pay a US$2.00 or 25 Rufiyaa flat rate to any destination. You may be charged an additional 5 Rufiyaa per item of luggage.

Nobody is allowed to bring in liquor to Maldives, unless he or she has a special import license for liquor, beer and related products. If somebody has bought liquor and beer and related items on his/her way to Maldives from a duty-free shop, these items will be bonded in Customs on your arrival and released on your departure. Nobody is allowed to bring liquor, beer or related products from resorts to Male’ (or other non-resort islands) and the capital city’s hotels do not offer liquor, beer and related products.

Voltage in Maldives is 110 or 220 volts, depending on your location. The majority of sockets are the British 3-pin variety but some sockets are suitable for European two-pin plugs. We supply adaptors in the villas. We provide hair dryers at all our resorts.

Yes, so there will be no problems in communicating with people in many hotels, restaurants and on the public transport. We also have multi-lingual guest relations officers.

• Alcohol
• Pork
• Narcotics, illicit drugs and psychotropic substances
• Pornographic materials
• Gunpowder and explosives
• Weapons, firearms and ammunition
• Spear-guns
• Dogs
• Idols used for worship

There is also a ban on removing the following items from the beach:

• Coral
• Shells
• Any other items/creatures from the marine or beach environment

Please also note that shark fishing is illegal in the Maldives and all ray species are protected in the Maldives. Topless sunbathing is illegal.

Yes, children are welcome at all of our resorts.

Insert info about child ages (for reservation purposes), i.e. child considered below 12, infant considered below 2 years, etc.

Yes, we provide bath towels and beach towels. We also provide hairdryers in all our villas.

The Maldives has modern medical and dental services, pharmacies, a large government hospital and many private clinics in the capital city of Male’. All of the resorts are also equipped with medical facilities.

Yes, we offer a paid laundry service throughout your stay. Please place your laundry into the bag provided in your room together with the completed form and your room attendant will collect it. For an express service, kindly dial housekeeping or alternatively inform your Guest Relations Officer. Please note that we do not provide dry cleaning services.

You may smoke outside in designated areas but please note that all our homes are non-smoking.

Please note there is no fishing allowed on the house reef. For fishing excursions, please contact our Guest relations for more information at Ext. 308. We also have a no fish- or shark-feeding policy.