Maldives

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. The dates vary by year and country. In 2026, it began on 17 February and finished on 19 March. In 2027, it may start on 7 February and last for 29 or 30 days.

During this time, do not eat, drink or smoke in public in the daytime, outside of holiday resorts.

Get more advice when you arrive from your tour guide, hotel or business contacts.

Alcoholic drinks are only available on resort islands. Do not take any alcohol out of your resort. You can be arrested and deported for possessing and drinking alcohol, or being intoxicated outside resorts and on inhabited islands.    

Possession, trafficking and manufacture of any illegal drugs are serious offences in Maldives and penalties can be severe. This includes cannabis, even small quantities can lead to arrest.

British nationals have been caught carrying controlled drugs while transiting Maldives.

International airports in Maldives have advanced scanning systems and procedures in place for scanning and detecting illegal substances, including cannabis. This includes all carry-on and checked-in baggage of transiting passengers.

The Maldivian authorities have a zero-tolerance policy to drug offences. Possessing drugs, even in very small quantities, carries severe penalties, including:

• arrest and detention
• long prison sentences if convicted
• corporal punishment (whipping) in some cases
• death penalty for the most serious offences

You are strongly advised:

• not to carry any controlled substances, including cannabis, even if legal in your departure country
• to check your luggage thoroughly before travelling or transiting through the Maldives
• if prescribed medication contains controlled substances, carry a doctor’s prescription and check Maldivian regulations in advance

It is illegal to take tortoiseshell jewellery or ornaments, or pieces of coral out of Maldives. 

Same-sex relations are illegal and if you are convicted, you could get a fine or a lengthy prison sentence.    

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

You should be sensitive to local dress standards when outside holiday resorts, including on beaches used by locals. Men and women should:

• have shoulders covered
• avoid short or tight-fitting shorts
• have arms and upper legs covered when bathing

Nudism and topless sunbathing are not allowed anywhere, including on resort islands.

Flash flooding can affect low-lying islands during periods of heavy rain. Follow the advice of the local authorities.

Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.