Complete packing list & What to wear in the maldives

What to wear in the Maldives?

This really depends on where you are planning to stay in the Maldives ie are you staying on a resort island or a local island.

What’s the difference between a resort island and a local island? Local islands are where the locals live however, a lot of them now have many hotels and guesthouses so tourists can stay. Resort islands are for tourists and are a lot more luxurious. Also, resort islands are way more expensive than local islands.

As resort islands are for tourists wearing a bikini around the island is acceptable. On local islands it is only acceptable on bikini beach – a dedicated area for tourists to sunbathe and go into the sea in a bikini. You will find many signs on local islands saying “no bikini beach” this is wear you cannot wear a bikini.

It is recommended to wear clothing that covers the shoulders and the knee on local islands. Although you probably won’t get penalised for wearing a tank top for example, it is good to respect their culture.

Maldives is incredibly hot all year round. I would recommend bringing loose fit clothing including dresses, trousers and tops.

If you are travelling to the Maldives on a budget, here is what you need to know.

Maldives Complete Packing List

• Long sleeve cotton clothing, ie t-shirt, shirt and loose-fitting trousers
• Loose-fitting t-shirts, trousers or long shorts.
• Comfortable sandals – trainers are not ideal as sand will go inside, so sandals are you’re best bet.
• Beach bag – this came in so handy, and it is water resistant, so my stuff didn’t get drenched while on the beach.
• Dry bag – for day trips on boats, as everything gets so wet

• Swimwear: Bikini or full swimwear, which you can wear on the bikini beach
• Rash guard top or long-sleeved swimming costume for snorkelling. If you do end up on a tour (which I highly recommend), you may be swimming for a while. Long story short, I was out for 45 minutes, and my back was so badly burned as were so many other tourists.
• Beachwear cover-ups that fully cover you up (not see-through)
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Fan: I have a neck fan from Amazon, which is so good, as you are hands-free, and it keeps you cool

Note: You can only wear a bikini or swimsuit on the bikini beach. If you intend to swim on a public beach, you will need to wear a t-shirt or long-sleeved swimsuit AND long shorts or swim leggings. There are signs on public beaches telling you what to wear, and if you do not do so, you may be issued a fine.

• Snorkel – this isn’t a necessary item as ALL excursions include snorkel hire however, they are very basic, so if you already have one, I would bring it, but there is no need to purchase one for your Maldives trip. Also some hotels offer free snorkel hire so you can snorkel around the local island for free.
• Fins – like the snorkel, all excursions offer free fin hire, so you do not need to purchase one. The fins on hire are very basic and are multiple sizes, ie 2.5-5uk etc, so if you are on the small side (like me), it can be very uncomfortable. I would recommend paying more to hire long fins (freediving fins) as these allow you to swim faster and with more ease if you intend to swim with manta rays and whale sharks in particular.
• Water socks – the fins that I hired gave me so many blisters, and I wished I had bought some water socks.

• Raincoat – if you intend to travel to the Maldives in the monsoon season, then a light raincoat is a must, just to keep you dry.
• Umbrella – you may prefer an umbrella to a raincoat, maybe a UV and rainproof one is best as it covers both aspects.

Toiletries

• Shampoo/Conditioner
• Soap (although your hotel may provide this)
• Mosquito repellent: if you tend to get bitten a lot, I would bring some with you, or they have a pharmacy/supermarket on most islands where you can purchase some.
• Antibite: just in case you do get bitten. I also use mosquito patches to put over my bites to stop me from itching – it works somehow, don’t ask.
• Sunscreen: The local islands in the Maldives do have sunscreen, which you can buy in shops, and you can get factor 100, amazing. If you are staying on a resort island buying sunscreen can be very expensive so I would recommend bringing your own with you. Bring a lot of sunscreen, especially if you are doing a lot of water activities. In the Maldives, the sun is strong!
• Aftersun
• Plasters
• Hair brush, hair ties and a clip.

I wouldn’t recommend wearing any makeup as you will sweat it off instantly however I would recommend a good face spf especially if you have sensitive skin. I personally love the beauty by Joseon spf which is factor 50.

Electronics

In regards to electronics, if you are from the UK, you do not need to bring an adaptor as the Maldives uses a type G plug, which is the three-pronged plug used in the UK.

• UK Plug – this is the one I use which has three USB C ports and one USB A port which charges all my devices (just not at the same time) the 100W plug is great for fast charging a laptop and iPad.
• USB-C phone wire or lightning cable
• If you have an electric toothbrush and it doesn’t up with a USB C cable I would recommend getting one. It saves on space and you can use the plug above to charge it.
• GoPro/other action camera accessories and batteries

What you do not need to bring to the Maldives

• Bath or Beach Towel – all hotels provide you with both a beach and a bath towel, so you don’t need to pack any. Also, excursions give you a towel to use for the day, so you don’t need to bring one with you on day trips.
• Hoodies/coats/jackets – you won’t need them at all as it’s so hot. I would bring one to wear on your journey home if you live in colder climates.

Things to know before you visit the Maldives

Money: In the Maldives, the currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa however the United States Dollar (USD) is widely accepted in the country. There are ATMs on some local islands so be sure to check before you go.

I would recommend bringing some United States Dollars with you. All the excursions are priced in United States Dollars (USD).

If you want more information on currency in the Maldives, here is all the information you need.

I would recommend getting an ESim when you visit the Maldives so that you can stay connected on all local islands and when you are out on tours as well. I have found that buying a physical sim at the airport is exactly the sam price as buying an ESim (it also has the same data plan as well).

I used Airalo – an ESim provider (if you are new to Airalo, you can use my code HOLLY0774 or click here to sign up to get £2.50 off your purchase)

You can purchase your ESIM before visiting and activate it on the day you arrive in the Maldives. Here is all the information you need about SIM cards.