World of Diving & Adventure Vacations - Scuba Diving, Island Vacations, Diving Packages, Live-Aboards, Adventure Travel

Where are the Maldives located?
The Maldives is made up of 1,190 coral islands that are located southwest of Sri Lanka, on the equator. The coral islands form an archipelago of 26 major atolls.

How long are the flights to the Maldives?
If connecting in Dubai, your flight from LAX to Dubai will take about 16 hours (13 hours from JFK). Your flight from Dubai to Malé will take about 4 hours.

What airlines fly to the Maldives?
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Sri Lankan Airlines and Indian Airlines regularly service Malé International Airport. Your connecting flights may be serviced by American Airlines, United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, US Airways, Continental or Singapore Airlines.

What kinds of planes?
You'll likely be on a Boeing 777 from LAX to Dubai, as well as from Dubai to Malé. The flight from JFK to Dubai is also aboard a Boeing 777.

What are the seating configurations?
The 777's have a 3-4-3 configuration.

Do I need a passport?
Yes. A valid passport, along with an onward/return ticket and sufficient funds, is required for entry. A no-cost visitor visa valid for thirty days is issued upon arrival. Please visit www.travel.state.gov and choose "International Travel" and "Maldives" to get the latest information. The contact information for the nearest U.S. Embassy is below:

U.S. Embassy Colombo, Sri Lanka
210 Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka
Telephone: (94) (11) 249-8500
Emergency after-hours telephone: (94) (11) 249-8888
Fax: (94) (11) 249-8590

Will someone pick us up at the airport?
Yes, unless otherwise specified, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

What is the time difference?
The Maldives is 13 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time and 10 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

What currency do they use?
The official currency of the Maldives is the Maldivian rufiyaa. One rufiyaa is divided into 100 laari. You will encounter banknotes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyaa and coins in denominations of 1 laari, 2 laari, 5 laari, 10 laari, 25 laari, 50 laari, 1 rufiyaa and 2 rufiyaa. One US dollar is equivalent to about 12.80 Rf.

What language do they speak?
Dhivehi is the official language of the Maldives. It shares similarities with languages from Sri Lanka, South East Asia and North India, and contains many Arabic, Hindi and English words. English is the medium of teaching in the Maldives, and is therefore widely understood, written and spoken.

Do I need shots/immunizations?
For legal reasons, we cannot make official recommendations regarding shots or immunizations. Please consult with your physician or visit www.cdc.gov for more information.

What’s the electricity?
230 Volts/60 Hertz. It is advised that you carry your own converter/adapter.

What are the luggage restrictions?
Please check with the airline(s) you are flying with for international and domestic luggage requirements and restrictions.

What's the diving like?
The Maldives boasts 200 different species of coral and an abundance of reef inhabitants. Enjoy reef, drift, and wreck dives in water that ranges from 75-81 degrees with a visibility of 50-130 ft. Expect hammerheads, grey reef sharks, white tips, eagle rays, mantas, turtles, frogfish, triggerfish, surgeonfish, jacks, snapper, napolean wrasse, barracudas, and more!

What thickness wetsuit do you recommend?
While the water can get warm enough to go without, we recommend divers wear a 3mm wetsuit for protection.

How long are the boat rides?
Most dive sites are within a 45 minute boat from your resort. Full day excursions to long range dive sites are also regularly scheduled.

What's a typical dive day like?
A typical dive day consists of single-tank morning and afternoon dives, although early morning two-tank trips, sunset two-tank trips, full day two-tank trips and night dives are also offered.

What’s not included?
Dive equipment rental

When will I receive my documents?
E-tickets and vouchers are sent approximately 3 weeks prior to your departure.