What to Pack for
the Maldives

• ✓Lightweight linen shirts or shirts (4-6)
• ✓Sundresses or resort dresses (3-4)
• ✓Shorts or light trousers (3-4)
• ✓Smart casual evening outfit (1-2)
• ✓Swimwear (3-4 sets — they dry quickly)
• ✓Rash guard for snorkelling (essential)
• ✓Flip flops (main resort footwear)
• ✓Light sandals for evening dining
• ✓Light cardigan for air-conditioned spaces

• ✓Reef-safe sunscreen SPF 50+ (bring from home — expensive at resorts)
• ✓After-sun lotion
• ✓Lip balm with SPF
• ✓Quality sunglasses with UV protection
• ✓Wide-brimmed hat
• ✓Underwater camera or waterproof phone case
• ✓Dry bag for boat trips

• ✓Prescription medications (minimum 2-week supply)
• ✓Travel insurance documents
• ✓Passport (valid 6+ months beyond travel dates)
• ✓Resort booking confirmation (printed)
• ✓Return flight itinerary
• ✓Motion sickness tablets for seaplane (optional)
• ✓Basic first aid kit
• ✓Hand sanitiser

• ✓Universal travel adapter (UK-style sockets in older resorts, universal in newer)
• ✓Portable charger/power bank
• ✓Camera and memory cards
• ✓Waterproof phone case or underwater housing
• ✓Kindle or tablet for downtime
• ✓Bluetooth speaker (many resorts have villa speakers already)

• ✗Non-reef-safe sunscreen (harmful to coral, banned at many resorts)
• ✗Formal business attire (not needed)
• ✗Heavy shoes or boots
• ✗Drone (restricted at most resorts without prior permission)
• ✗Snorkel gear (provided by resort — unless you have your own prescription mask)
• ✗Excessive cash (resorts operate cashless bill systems)

For a Maldives resort holiday, pack lightweight resort wear (linen shirts, sundresses, shorts), swimwear (multiple sets), reef-safe sunscreen, a rash guard for snorkelling, light evening wear for dinner, and flip flops. Formal attire is not required at most Maldives resorts. Bring any prescription medications, as pharmacies in the atolls are limited. A waterproof camera or housing for your phone is essential.

Most Maldives resorts have a smart casual dress code for evening dining — light trousers or a smart dress rather than swimwear or beachwear. A small number of ultra-luxury resorts have slightly more formal restaurant requirements. Shoes are required in restaurants at most resorts, though flip flops are acceptable at casual dining venues. Check your specific resort dress code before packing.

Most luxury Maldives resorts operate on a cashless bill system — you sign for everything during your stay and settle your bill at checkout by card. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted. It is useful to carry some US dollars for tips, which are appreciated but not mandatory. The local currency is the Maldivian Rufiyaa but US dollars are accepted everywhere in the resort economy.

Bring reef-safe sunscreen — regular sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate are banned at many Maldives resorts and harmful to coral reefs. Many resorts sell reef-safe sunscreen on property but at a significant premium. Pack your own mineral-based sunscreen (zinc oxide or titanium dioxide) from home. SPF 50+ is recommended given the equatorial sun intensity.

Leave at home: formal business attire, heavy shoes, bulky winter clothing, non-reef-safe sunscreen, and most beach equipment (resorts provide snorkel gear, kayaks, and loungers). Drone use is restricted or prohibited at many resorts without prior permission — check before bringing one. The Maldives is a Muslim country and revealing clothing should not be worn on local inhabited islands, though resort islands have no such restrictions.