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To travel to Maldives you now need negative Covid test: Here’s everything you need to know
Travellers arriving in Maldives from Thursday are required to provide a negative coronavirus test result on arrival.
The requirement applies to all tourists, as well as to visitors travelling on short-term visas and for official purposes, and those not subjected to mandatory 14-day quarantine.
Travellers that fall under these categories are exempt from the pre-arrival PCR test requirements:
- Maldivian citizens
- Holders of valid employment approval or work visa
- Holders of any other resident permit of Maldives
- Flight crew arriving on general declaration
- Infants, aged less than one year
The certificate of negative PCR test result for Covid-19 should be issued not more than 72 hours prior to departure, counting from the first port of embarkation en route to the Maldives.
The PCR certificate should bear the name and address of the laboratory that preformed the testing, result of the test, date of testing as well as name and signature of the issuing officer.
The PCR test certificate has to be submitted to Maldives Immigration via its IMUGA platform (imuga.immigration.gov.mv) when filling out the Traveler Health Declaration.
But bear in mind that providing a negative PCR test result does not preclude airport authorities subjecting passengers to screening or any other surveillance measures.
The Maldives reopened its borders on July 15.
With the border reopening, 30-day free on-arrival visa is issued to all tourists with a confirmed booking for a stay at any registered tourist facility in the country.
There is no mandatory quarantine or testing on arrival, but tourists have to complete an online health declaration form and provide a negative PCR test result taken at least 72 hours prior to their departure.
Visitors with symptoms of the Covid-19 respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus or those travelling with someone who has similar symptoms are also tested at their own expense.
The coronavirus outbreak has hit the Maldivian economy hard, as travel restrictions and other preventive measures affect the country’s lucrative tourism industry, which contributes the bulk of the island nation’s state revenue and foreign reserves.
Before the pandemic, the government had been bullish about tourism prospects, targeting two million, high-spending holidaymakers this year after last year’s record 1.7 million.
However, only 382,760 tourists visited the Maldives before the country closed its borders on March 27. It was a 40.8 per cent decline over the 646,092 that visited the Maldives from January to March last year.
Meanwhile, the government’s best case scenario now puts total tourist arrivals for 2020 just above 800,000.
Tourism has been the bedrock of the Maldives’ economic success. The $5 billion-dollar economy grew by 6.7 per cent in 2018 with tourism generating 60 per cent of foreign income.
However, the government is at present projecting a possible 13 per cent economic contraction this year — an estimated $778 million hit.
On March 8, Maldives reported its first cases of the novel coronavirus, as two hotel employees tested positive for Covid-19 at a luxury resort in the archipelago.
Eighteen more cases — all foreigners working or staying resorts and liveaboard vessels except five Maldivians who had returned from abroad — were later identified.
A six-case cluster of locals, detected in capital Male on April 15, confirmed community transmission of the coronavirus. Several more clusters have since been identified, bringing the total number of confirmed case in the Maldives to 8,834.
Thirty-one deaths have been reported, while 6,288 have made full recoveries.
The Maldives announced a state of public health emergency on March 12, the first such declaration under a recent public health protection law.
The public health emergency declaration allowed the government to introduce a series of unprecedented restrictive and social distancing measures, including stay-at-home orders in capital Male and its suburbs, a ban on inter-island transport and public gatherings across the country, and a nationwide closing of government offices, schools, colleges and universities.
Non-essential services and public places in the capital such as gyms, cinemas and parks were also shut.
Restaurants and cafes in the capital were asked to stop dine-in service and switch to takeaway and delivery.
A nationwide shutdown of all guesthouses, city hotels and spa facilities located on inhabited islands was also ordered.
The restrictions are now being eased in phases, with the third phase measures now active.
Photo: Sun Online
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has introduced its Family Fun Summer offer, aimed at families seeking longer island stays built around shared activities and rest. The offer is available for booking from 15 April to 15 June 2026, with a minimum stay of four nights for travel through to 20 December 2026.
Located within Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is positioning the offer around family wellness, marine experiences and time spent together in a natural island setting. Seasonal snorkelling with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay remains one of the area’s key attractions, while the resort’s collection of beach and overwater villas is designed to accommodate families looking for space and flexibility during their stay.
For larger families and groups, the resort also offers the two-bedroom Heavenly Beach Residence, which includes a living room, kitchen and dining area intended to support longer and more relaxed island stays.
The resort says the guest experience can be shaped around both activity and downtime, supported by Westin’s Sleep Well concept and Heavenly Bed. Children have access to the Westin Family Kids Club, which includes a children’s pool and pirate ship, while parents can make use of Heavenly Spa by Westin.
Away from the villa, the resort is also promoting shared family experiences through Good Travel with Marriott Bonvoy activities focused on the culture and environment of Baa Atoll. These include traditional lacquer craft workshops, visits to local islands and guided marine activities in surrounding waters.
The Family Fun Summer package includes three meals per day, with children under 12 dining free of charge. It also includes a one-time dolphin cruise for two adults and two children, a 30-minute photography session with one printed photo, and a USD 150 resort credit.
Reethi Faru Resort has been recognised at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, receiving honours in four categories: Best Beach Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Pool Villa in Indian Ocean, Best Eco-Friendly Resort in Maldives, and Best Sustainable Hotel in Maldives.
The awards recognise performance across villa accommodation and environmentally focused hospitality, reflecting the resort’s emphasis on guest experience alongside sustainability and environmental stewardship.
According to the resort, the recognition supports its positioning within the Maldives market as a property that combines natural surroundings, accommodation standards and responsible hospitality practices.
Located on Filaidhoo in Raa Atoll, Reethi Faru Resort features 145 villas, including beachfront and overwater accommodation designed in a style that combines Maldivian elements with contemporary comfort.
The resort’s food and beverage offering includes six restaurants and six bars, while its leisure facilities cover watersports, diving, yoga, spa treatments and fitness activities. Surrounded by coral reefs, the resort also offers guests access to marine-based experiences in the Indian Ocean.
Sustainability remains a central part of the resort’s operations, with initiatives that include coral reef restoration and guest experiences linked to environmental awareness.
Through its recognition at the 2026 Haute Grandeur Global Excellence Awards, Reethi Faru Resort has added to its profile as a Maldives resort with a focus on both accommodation standards and sustainability.
To mark Earth Day, Sun Siyam Olhuveli, part of the Lifestyle Collection within the House of Siyam, launched its new marine conservation initiative, the Adopt A Coral Frame experience, during a morning event held on 22 April at Milano Beach on Dream Island.
The initiative forms part of the resort’s wider marine conservation efforts and is designed to give guests a direct way to engage with coral restoration while supporting the protection of the surrounding reef ecosystem.
During the launch, guests were introduced to the coral restoration process through a hands-on experience that explained how new coral growth can be supported through frame-based planting. Under the programme, guests are invited to select and adopt a coral frame, attach healthy coral fragments to it, and take part in placing it within the lagoon to help form a new reef structure.
The process begins with the collection of healthy coral fragments under the guidance of the resort’s marine biologist. These fragments are then secured to specially designed coral frames and placed in selected areas within the resort’s coral garden, where conditions are intended to support growth and marine biodiversity. Guests who adopt a frame will also receive updates on its progress, including photographs shared every six months.
The resort said the programme is intended to make coral conservation more accessible to guests while also highlighting the role of reefs in supporting marine life, protecting coastlines and maintaining ocean ecosystems.
Chaminda Upul, Group Sustainability Manager for Sun Siyam, said the initiative was designed to give guests an opportunity to contribute in a direct way.
“Earth Day is a reminder that even the smallest actions can shape something far greater,” he said. “With Adopt-A-Coral Frame, we wanted to create an experience where our guests can leave a positive mark on the ocean. It’s simple, it’s meaningful, and it stays with you.”
Hassan Adil, General Manager of Sun Siyam Olhuveli, said the resort wanted to create an experience that combines guest participation with long-term environmental value.
“At Olhuveli, we believe the best experiences are the ones that stay with you long after you leave. Adopt-A-Coral is our way of inviting guests to be part of something lasting, while caring for the natural beauty that makes this place so special,” he said.
Part of the proceeds from each coral adoption will go towards Sun Siyam Care, the group’s sustainability platform, supporting marine conservation and reef restoration efforts.
Through the launch of Adopt A Coral Frame, Sun Siyam Olhuveli is combining guest experience with reef restoration, reflecting a wider focus on environmental engagement within its island operations.
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