The Maldives dream has a variant of everybody. Crystal clear turquoise water, an over water bungalow at sunrise, the type of silence that only exists when you are really far away. Nonetheless, all such dreams start on a similar practical location: an airport.

The principal entry point to the Maldives is Velana International Airport (MLE). It is located on the island of Hulhule, which is only a few kilometers away from the capital of Male, and it is the origin and the destination of almost all the international visits to the archipelago. You may be a first time traveler who is clueless on what to do as soon as you land in the country, or you may be a repeat customer looking to get updated information on what to do in the Maldives in terms of lounge access, SIM cards, currency exchange, or travel insurance, this guide will not confuse, mislead, or fluff up on you.

Complete Arrival & Departure Guide to Velana International Airport

All Maldives trips start at the main international airport of the country the Velana International Airport which provides the international access to one of the most stunning island destinations in the world. This airport, situated on the Hulhulé Island, which is only a small distance out of the capital of Maldives known as Malé, is the gateway to the atolls and luxury resorts scattered across the ocean that characterize the Maldives experience. Regardless of the establishment you are staying in be it on a private resort island or in one of the local guesthouses; your trip is almost sure to go through this airport.

To most travellers, and first time travellers in particular arriving in a new country after a long international flight may be overwhelming. With immigration processes and picking up of bags until you find your resort transfer, purchase a SIM card or even change money, there are some minor yet significant activities that will influence how you will be the first time you see the Maldives. By knowing these processes in advance, it can be a big difference between an otherwise chaotic arrival and a hassle-free and stress-free arrival.

Velana international airport has been subjected to significant upgrades over the last few years such as introduction of modern international terminal, enhancement of passenger amenities and set up of better structured transfer systems. These developments have made the airport easier and convenient to the travelers yet they have ushered new processes that visitors need to know before travelling in or out.

This is a comprehensive airport guide that is highly practical and simple enough to understand without including superfluous details. You will get to know how to organize the airport, how to expect things at the entry and exit of the airport, where to get the necessary services, such as: SIM cards, currency conversion, how to use the lounge, the food available, and what time to leave before your flight.

It is true that landing in the Maldives to have a honeymoon of a lifetime, a luxurious stay in the resort or a cheap island-hopping tour, having a clear picture of how Velana International Airport works will enable you to begin and end your trip on the right foot.

Velana Airport Layout and Terminal Overview
Step-by-Step Arrival Guide: What to Do First
Where and How to Buy a SIM Card
Currency Exchange: Where to Go and What Rates to Expect
Lounge Access: Who Can Enter and How Much It Costs
Food Options and Prices at the Airport
How Early Should You Arrive for Departure
Travel Insurance for the Maldives: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Final Tips and Pre-Travel Checklist

Velana Airport Layout and Terminal Overview

Velana international airport has undergone immense transformation over the past few years. The introduction of a new international terminal has radically altered the structure of the airport and by October 2025, most of the major carriers will have transferred their operations to this new state-of-the-art terminal. It would be a big time saving to know the three main parts of the airport before you land.

Terminal 1: The New International Terminal

This is the latest and modernized section of the airport. It is the international hub of all flights. The terminal is separated into two levels. Arrivals are done at the ground floor where the immigration counters, baggage belts, and customs are all situated. The departures floor is the upper floor which has the check-in counters, duty-free stores, as well as the waiting lounges. As soon as you convince the customs department and come out, you will arrive at the arrival hall where the resort representatives are waiting and the transfer desks await the incoming passengers.

It is also important to know that as a new visitor to an airport, the first thing that you will be questioned by the terminal gate, as you depart, is to present your ticket or your mobile booking confirmation before being allowed to proceed to the check-in counters. This is one of the steps that were implemented along with the operations of the terminal and therefore, you should have your confirmation on your phone or printed.

Terminal 2: The Domestic Terminal

The domestic terminal has been utilized as the old international terminal. When flying domestically between islands within the Maldives e.g. between Male and a regional airport that is nearer to your resort, then your domestic flight will take off here. It even has its own branch of the Bank of Maldives just by the entrance that will be handy in case one would need to change some currency before going to a local island.

The Noovilu Seaplane Terminal

This is probably the most recognizable aspect of coming to the Maldives. The Noovilu Seaplane Terminal is broadly considered as the largest seaplanes operation best in the world. In case your resort is on a secure atoll that is inaccessible with a short voyage through speedboat, then you are likely to arrive at this terminal after passing through immigration to board a seaplane. The new seaplane terminal is a contemporary and well structured terminal, however, it is an independent unit of the main international unit and you must consider a transit time between the two.

In case you are leaving an international flight to a seaplane or a domestic flight on the same day, allow at least 60 to 90 minutes so that you can clear immigration, receive your checked baggage, and take a shuttle bus to the connecting terminal. This is among the most frequent and stressful errors that passengers commit at MLE.

Step-by-Step Arrival Guide: What to Do First

Arriving in the Maldives in the first time may be quite overwhelming, especially when your plane arrives late in the night, after having taken a long international flight. The good thing is that the arrival is easy as soon as you are aware of the order. The Maldives has one of the most friendly policies which tourists can enjoy, which is the absence of a pre-arranged visa. One of the things that people love about traveling to the country is a 30-day free on-arrival visa that is automatically applied when the person is entering the country eliminating a whole layer of paperwork before the trip.

Step 1: Complete the IMUGA Form Before You Board

You must complete the IMUGA Traveller Declaration form on line up to 96 hours prior to your flight. This is a health and travel declaration form that is mandatory. After successfully filling it, you will be given a QR code which you will present to the immigration officer on reaching the counter. This can be completed beforehand and wasted time at the immigration line will be saved, not to mention forgetting to do it which will result in a considerable delay. The questionnaire is simple and does not require more than a few minutes to fill.

Step 2: Have Your Documents Ready

You will be required to have your passport that has not expired less than a month, a confirmed ticket to fly back home and a hotel or resort reservation. Also have print and electronic versions. The immigration officers usually request to view the booking confirmation especially during the rush times at the arrival terminals and therefore it is a little but helpful habit to get used to to have it readily available as opposed to somewhere in the depths of your email inbox.

Step 3: Go Through Immigration

The processing of the immigration in the Velana Airport normally takes between 45 and 90 minutes after entering the queues. When the season is at full blast (usually in the period between October and April), or when more than one large aircraft is being handled at the same time, processing tends to skew towards the long end of the range. The queues are not that fast, and the only trick that one can use is to have your QR code ready, be patient and do not keep changing the lanes.

Step 4: Collect Your Baggage and Clear Customs

You pass the immigration, and go down the stairs to the baggage belts to get your checked luggage. You go through customs after you have your bags. Maldives has very rigid restrictions on some products, alcohol, pork or pork products and tobacco are absolutely prohibited into the country. Scanning of customs is done carefully and all these products found in your baggage will be seized without fail. Exempts and partial allowances do not exist in tourists. In case you are passing through a country whereby you may carry duty-free alcohol, then never carry it to the Maldives.

Step 5: Find Your Resort Representative in the Arrival Hall

As soon as you leave the customs and enter the arrival halls, you will see a large yet well-coordinated area with a bunch of counters and representatives in place with placards of various resorts and tour operators. Identify the counter or representative of your hotel or resort. They will direct you on the next half of your trip, be it a walk to the speedboat dock, a shuttle bus to the seaplane terminal, or another set of directions to the domestic terminal to a connecting flight. The representatives of the resorts are mostly extremely familiar with the newly arrived, jet-lagged guests and they are worth visiting before you can even find your way on your own.

Step 6: Pick Up a SIM Card and Exchange Currency

At the arrivals hall, only a couple of meters at the customs exit, there will be SIM card shops and a Bank of Maldives currency exchange counter. They are discussed in detail below. In case it is time sensitive like the seaplanes transfers are which can only be done during the day, it is best to have the seaplanes transfer you to your resort representative and get the SIM and currency afterwards either at the airport or at your resort.

Where and How to Buy a SIM Card

It is no longer a luxury to remain connected even when traveling. Practically, it is necessary to navigate the transfers to the resort or the hotel, to keep in contact with the relatives, to work with the maps, and to organize all the logistics of your trip. The silver lining here is that the purchase of a local SIM card at Velana Airport is among the simplest tasks after you arrive in the country.

Where to Find the SIM Card Shops

When leaving the arrivals gate after clearing the immigration and the customs, you must turn to the right. You will instantly notice that there are two adjacent shops or counters of the two major mobile operators of the Maldives, Dhiraagu and Ooredoo. Both have tourist-specific SIM packages which are activated instantly. The employees of both stores know how to communicate in English and can assist you in choosing the appropriate package in accordance with your duration of stay and the amount of data that you are likely to consume.

The terminal also has a SIM vending machine that is 24 hours of operation. You scan your passport and pay it with a credit card and the device gives you a registered SIM. This is especially convenient when there are late arrivals at night with the shops possibly closing yet the shops themselves are usually available around the clock to cater to the incoming flights.

What You Need to Buy a SIM

To register a SIM card you have to show your original passport. This is a mandatory law and it has no workarounds. One can pay in cash (both USD and Maldivian Rufiyaa will be accepted) or use a credit/debit card. You also should unlock your phone. Once your handset is locked to a particular carrier of your home country, the foreign SIM will not work, so, before you travel, ensure you check just in case you are not sure.

Package Options and Estimated Prices

Package Type	Data	Validity	Estimated Cost
Budget Option	10 to 15 GB	7 to 14 days	$20 to $30
Standard Package	17 to 30 GB	30 days	$35 to $50

The prices of Airport SIM are a little higher than you would have paid, had you entered a shop in Male city or Hulhumale. But to the majority of travelers the convenience of an immediate connection on arrival is much greater than the difference in marginal price. Provided your phone has eSIM, you can also pre-buy a digital SIM with Airalo or directly with websites of Dhiraagu or Ooredoo, which implies that you are already connected as soon as your plane lands without having to stand in a single queue at all.

When you are leaving the shop, please ask the employees to assure you that your internet is working. Install the SIM and open a browser and ensure that data works. Should there be any activation problem, it is way simpler to get it fixed as long as you remain in the counter rather than finding out about the problem once you have reached a far off resort.

Currency Exchange: Where to Go and What Rates to Expect

US dollar is a common currency in the Maldives especially in resorts, larger hotels, and any other business that handles international tourists on a regular basis. When however, you intend to spend some time on the local inhabited islands, take local inter-island ferries or do shopping in a local store and local restaurant, it is really convenient to have a bit of Maldivian Rufiyaa in your pockets.

Exchange Counter Locations at the Airport

The most convenient currency exchange facility is the Bank of Maldives counter that is situated right inside the arrivals hall itself. You will pass it just after going through the customs and is easy to recognize. The prices are stable and reasonable.

In case you are leaving and you find that you were left with some Rufiyaa to re-convert into your home currency, you have the exchange counter on the first floor of the departure terminal. Bank of Maldives has also a branch within the domestic terminal, which is located close to the entrance, and comes in handy to travelers whose onward destinations are the islands. The ATMs will be the one at the exit of the arrivals level and at the outside of the departure terminal. Both Visa and Mastercard are useful and reliable, however, make sure your card charges you the international transaction fees before you start using them as they can differ considerably depending on the bank.

Exchange Rates and Practical Tips

The official exchange rate tends to be at par 1 USD to 15.42 MVR. The rates at airport counters are usually fair and not subjected to huge markups as the exchange desks in tourist areas of other countries. With that said, there are cases when money changers in the city of Male and Hulhumale can provide slightly superior rates to those who have time to shop around.

In case you are transacting a decent sum of money, especially in terms of value, you will be more likely to get a little higher rate with a 100 note than with smaller notes in most counters. A practical point to note: in case you want to change all the left-over Rufiyaa back to dollars at the time of departure, Maldivian laws demand that you take your initial exchange receipt or evidence of initial transaction. Store that slip in some accessible place as opposed to throwing it half-way through a trip. Major currencies that are accepted in the airport exchange counters are USD, EUR, GBP, and INR.

Lounge Access: Who Can Enter and How Much It Costs

Having a long-haul flight, the idea of spending several hours in a cozy and quiet lounge with a pleasant meal, a rapid WiFi connection, and a shower is not only pleasant but also very desirable. It can really help to be the difference between how you feel once you finally reach your resort. Velana international airport has a few lounges located in its various terminals, each of them is available via various paths and at various costs.

Lounges in the International Terminal

Lounge Name	Location	Access	Approximate Cost
Leeli Lounge	Departure area, after security	Business/first class or pay-per-use	$40 plus 16% tax
Koveli Lounge	New Terminal 1	Pay-per-use	$38 per person
Wellness Lounge by Plaza Premium	Landside, before security	Fee-based entry	Varies
Maamahi Executive Lounge	International terminal	VIP and CIP service	$200 to $250 per person

Leeli Lounge is situated in the area after security check-in and will mainly accommodate business and first class passengers, although there is an option of pay-as-you-use entry provided that space is available. The Koveli Lounge is inviting, modern, and well-equipped and situated in the new Terminal 1 building that can be accessed by travelers who do not have a boarding pass on a business class. The Wellness Lounge at Plaza Premium is found landside, in front of the screening zone, and can be used by the arriving and leaving passengers, and it includes shower amenities, which are especially significant when one has been on an overnight flight. VIP and CIP passengers are served at the Maamahi Executive Lounge where they receive special immigration service and nutritious food and beverages.

The Moonimaa Lounge in the Domestic Terminal

The Moonimaa Lounge is located just outside the main entrance of the domestic terminal, and may be accessed by means of a Priority Pass membership, thus making it an attractive option to frequent fliers who have a card. To non-Priority Pass passengers, one can have pay-per-use entry at around 40 to 45 USD per head of two hours. The lounge has WiFi, shower facilities, free food and drinks which is a good combination to any person who has to endure a long domestic connection.

The Huvandhumaa Lounge in the Seaplane Terminal

The Huvandhumaa Lounge is a separate lounge with the Huvandhumaa Seaplane Terminal that accepts Priority Pass. In the case of travelers who have been booked by luxury resort brands, several hotels such as Four Seasons and St. Regis have their own dedicated lodges at the seaplanes terminal which are exclusively used by their guests. These resort lounges are part of a continuous flow of the hospitality that proceeds after you start being transfered to the airport.

There is one special detail that is applicable to all lounges in the airport: by the Maldivian laws, no lounge in the Velana Airport serves alcohol or any alcoholic drinks. This is applicable in all cases.

Food Options and Prices at the Airport

Velana Airport is a good and diverse place to eat, be it you have time to kill before boarding a flight, waiting to board a seaplane connection or are just hungry after a long trip. The primary eating facilities are divided between the outlets within the departure terminal and the newer Waterfront Franchise Building just outside the airport, which is an actual good place to sit with time to spare before checking in as it has a sea-facing view of Male city.

What Restaurants and Cafes Are Available

The airport boasts of a good portfolio of internationally known chains. The fast end of the spectrum is taken up by Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut and The Pizza Company. Coffee and lighter foods are also available with Costa Coffee, Gloria Jean Coffees, The Coffee Club, and Secret Recipe all in the vicinity and providing seating areas where customers can sit with a drink and unwind as opposed to having a full course meal. Thai Express ensures that Southeast Asian food is added to the menu through noodles, rice meals, and curries. Dairy Queen and Swensen are ice cream and dessert outlets. Harvest Market is better suited to light and fresher food.

The Kitchen is a full operational restaurant with twenty four-hour operations and offers Maldivian cuisine consisting of local fish preparations and traditional dishes as well as international foods. The Kitchen is one of the places that travelers visiting on a late evening flight and a few hours before a seaplane connection opens early in the morning, would find a comfortable and a filling meal at any time of the day.

Approximate Price Guide

Item	Approximate Price (USD)
Bottled water (500ml)	$1
Black Americano coffee	$4 to $9
Burger King Whopper Meal	$15
Chicken burger or wrap	$9 to $12
Full combo meal (burger, fries, drink)	$12 to $18
Thai or pizza-style main course	$10 to $15
Coffee with sandwich or cake	$6 to $10
Donut and coffee combo	$10

Contactless card, Apple Pay, and USD cash are all accepted as payment options in the various outlets. One does not need to carry local Rufiyaa, which will be used to buy food at the airport. Due to the Maldives being a Muslim state, the food that is served in the airport is mostly halal. Most of the outlets have vegetarian options and Thai express and The Coffee Club are likely to have the widest variety of vegetarian dishes. In the case of a special dietary need like vegan or gluten-free, it is worth asking employees directly instead of just going by menu labeling.

How Early Should You Arrive for Departure

This is among the most common queries posed by the outbound travellers to the Maldives and the answer would be determined by the type of flight you are on and the time of the year you are travelling.

When flying internationally, the general rule is to get at the airport at least three hours before your intended time of departure. Check-in counters are open three hours to the flight and usually close 60 to 75 minutes before takeoff. Scheduling the check-in cut-off is an actual and not an uncommon phenomenon at MLE especially during the high season when the airport is in full swing and the processing is taking longer than the travelers expect.

In case of domestic flights and seaplanes, the safe minimum time is one and a half to two hours before the departure of a flight. Seaplanes and domestic check-in counters usually have closing times of 45 to 60 minutes prior to departure and this will be very limiting when one happens to be late.

Why Departure Takes Longer Than You Expect

Why the three-hour guideline is not at all exorbitant is because leaving Velana entails more procedures as compared to an ordinary airport. The initial baggage security check is the first and it surprises most first time visitors as it occurs even before you get to the counter where your bags are checked. Check in bags pass through a specific scanning station and only then are you sent to the line of check-in. This will increase the process by 10-20 minutes before you have even printed your boarding pass.

Upon checking in, you retrieve your boarding pass, then you go up the stairs to the immigration before passing through the normal hand-luggage security check. Both these measures have the ability to create significant queues at the busiest times especially where a number of international flights are taking off at the same time. In other airlines, the security check requires a physical piece of paper called a boarding pass where you need to pick one up at the check-in desk no matter whether you have pre-checked in online or not. Before travelling, check with your airlines to ensure that you have what they require.

In the case of the transfer of the traveler to the airport via seaplanes or speedboat, the resort is often responsible in scheduling the transfer time depending on the time of your flight. Nevertheless, it bears confirmation that you too should make your transfer arrangements with the resort at least 24 hours before your day of departure, especially during the early morning flights when time margins are at their lowest. Departure tax is usually a part of your ticket and does not involve any individual payment when you are at the airport.

Travel Insurance for the Maldives: Why It Matters More Than You Think

Travel insurance is not on the list when the people are in the deeper stages of planning the trip to the Maldives. It is all about what resort to book into, what villa to stay in, should it be a liveaboard dive trip. However, it is not a checklist that you tick off and leave behind when it comes to travel insurance of the Maldives. It is among the most practically significant things you can pack on before you leave, and the motives are geographically specific to the place you are going.

Maldives is a collection of more than 1,000 islands covering the Indian Ocean. The majority of the resort islands can only be reached via seaplanes or speedboats, after making 30-minute to above an hour journeys. No, no driving to the hospital. It does not involve walking to the closest pharmacy. The nearest medical facility which can manage a serious emergency has to be in Male, and reaching a remote atoll in an emergency situation would require seaplanes evacuation which is not an easy or cheap process to organize without an insurance cover.

Medical Coverage and Emergency Evacuation

The most vital aspect of the Maldives travel insurance is emergency medical cover. Uninsured visitors find medical care in the private hospitals of Male to be costly, and in case they need more sophisticated care than what is available on the island, they might have to be flown to one of the nearby hubs like Sri Lanka or India, which adds further complexity and expense to the situation.

John should be provided with medical evacuation, which should be a dedicated section covered in your insurance policy, as opposed to being included in an overall medical sub-limit that has a low limit. Find out policies with at least 100,000 USD emergency medical coverage minimum and evacuation and repatriation are on the list. It is the figure to examine first before looking at anything else when comparing policies.

Water Sports and Diving Coverage

Maldives is amongst the most popular diving and snorkeling spots throughout the world. It caters to all divers, experienced or not, who may be undertaking the first open-water sessions at the reefs of shallow houses, or more seasoned technical and extreme divers who may enjoy the deep-water channels and pinnacles. It is here that a very frequent mistake in insurance arises.

Most typical travel insurance policies consider scuba diving, jet skiing, parasailing, etc. to be high-risk and adventure activities and do not cover them at all within the base coverage. You can think that you are more than insured, go on a diving adventure and realize that something has gone wrong and find out that your policy does not deal with what happened under the water. The treatment of the decompression sickness is specifically costly and needs admission to a hyperbaric chamber, which could possibly be absent on your island and might need another medical transfer to be admitted.

Reading about the activities coverage section is a must before purchasing any policy to travel to the Maldives. In case of the water sports and recreational diving not being covered explicitly, seek a policy with an adventure/diving addition, or select a provider with these activities as their normal coverage.

Flight Delays, Cancellations, and Seaplane Disruptions

Seaplane services within the Maldives operate between day and night and they highly rely on the weather conditions. During poor visibility or at times in storms, the transfer of the seaplanes is postponed or cancelled altogether and at times even a day. This is not a rare edge case. It occurs with a reasonable frequency especially during wet season between May and October and also during dry season when the unexpected weather passes by.

In case your seaplane connection is cancelled and, due to this, you can no longer catch your international departing flight at Male, you will require emergency accommodation in the Male or Hulhumale as you wait to be served by the next flight back home. This situation is mitigated by travel insurance which is a cover over trip disruption and consequential accommodation expenses where you do not have to pay the cost directly. Uncovered, you are bargaining the prices of the hotels and rebooking charges at the expense of your own hassled and fatigued state.

Trip Cancellation and Baggage Coverage

Considering that a Maldives resort reservation is often an expensive investment, sometimes in the thousands of dollars even a small accommodation, the trip cancellation insurance gains a more pragmatic importance than it may a less expensive destination. With a good policy, you are reimbursed of the unrefundable part of the cost in the event of a family emergency or illness or other qualifying event, which compels you to cancel before departure.

Another thing to make sure is the presence of baggage loss and delay coverage in your policy, namely due to the fact that most of the Maldives transfers are of a multi-legs, which predisposes the possibility of your baggage coming in after you. In case your bags are held at Male Airport and you are already heading to a resort island with little or no shopping facilities in the vicinity, emergency purchase coverage will allow you to purchase necessities as your bags are caught by your flight.

When to Buy and What to Look For

The appropriate moment to have a travel insurance is right after making your initial non-refundable reservation. Buying early would imply that your cancellation coverage would have begun on the day you make the purchase as opposed to the day before your travel and that is the time when most factors that would lead to you canceling take place. Leaving it to the last moment implies that you will have forfeited that window of pre-trip protection.

Some of the things to consider when comparing the policies are: emergency medical cover sum, medical evacuation as a separate benefit, explicitness of water sports and recreation diving, trip cancellation and interruption, baggage delay and loss, and flight/transfer interruption with accommodation cover. A full policy that includes all of these in a week-long trip to the Maldives is a very, very modest slice of the pie that the trip itself is, and that is a purchase that you will never want to take advantage of, but which will be very extremely thankful should you do so.

Final Tips and Pre-Travel Checklist

Velana international airport is effective, well-organized and is much easier to handle than its international-gateway status would imply. Preparation is the key to a hassle-free experience: it is expected to know what to expect at every point of the arrival/departure process, have the necessary documents prepared, and the practical basics of SIM, currency, and insurance sorted out by the time you hit the ground.

The airport has clear signs and most of them are in English and the staff are used to handling international tourists and are generally helpful provided one requests directions. In the event that you will be arriving on an overnight flight, and your seaplanes connection will not run until daylight, the Wellness Lounge and The Kitchen restaurant are both worthy of waiting. In case you are heading to the airport on an early flight, I recommend that you should verify your transfer with resort a day before and take more time than you believe you will need check-in and security.

Complete Pre-Travel Checklist

Sign the IMUGA Traveller Declaration form online prior to boarding up to 96 hours pre-boarding and no more.
Keep your passport, return ticket and resort or hotel booking confirmation in an easy to reach location.
Pre-departure purchase travel insurance which clearly includes emergency medical, medical evacuation, water sports and recreational diving, trip cancellation and seaplane or transfer disruption.
Upon arrival, go straight to the immigration and anticipate spending 45 to 90 minutes at the immigration.
Bringing alcohol, pork, or tobacco through customs is never a good idea.
Once out of the arrivals, turn right and the Dhiraagu and Ooredoo SIM card shops are adjacent to each other.
Currency exchange in the bank of Maldives counter in the arrivals hall or in the ATM close to the exit.
In the event that your transfer is urgent, locate your resort representative at the arrival hall and then proceed to get a SIM or exchange your currency.
To leave the country, arrive at the airport at least 3 whole hours before the time you are scheduled to take off.
Verify your resort departure transfer with the resort itself at least 24 hours before your flight especially at early mornings.
Carry your currency exchange slip during your stay in case you are going to change back Rufiyaa to your home currency before you get home.
The departure tax is part and parcel of your ticket and you do not need any extra cash at the airport.

The kind of destination that is deserved is the Maldives. That is only the start of the airport, which is actually the sensible entry point between the ordinary and the version of extraordinary that you have it in mind to do on the other side of it. Make the logistics as much out of the way as possible, carry a good insurance policy and the journey will generally look after itself.

See More

Maldives Airport Guide 2026: Everything You Need to Know About Velana International Airport (Arrival, Departure, SIM, Lounge & Tips)

Complete Arrival & Departure Guide to Velana International Airport

Table of Contents

Velana Airport Layout and Terminal Overview