Is Maldives Safe? Crime Rates & Safety Report

Updated On November 7, 2023
Maldives
Safety Index:
46
* Based on Research & Crime Data
User Sentiment:
80
* Rated 80 / 100 based on 3 user reviews.

Maldives FlagMaldives : Safety by City

The Maldives is a country that’s actually an archipelago made up of 1,192 coral islands grouped into 26 coral atolls right in the Indian Ocean.

The islands that are a part of this country are located south-southwest of India and are considered part of Southern Asia.

The capital, Male, is where you get most of the facilities, so a lot of people living in islands move to Male, even though the islands are way more peaceful, to get better health facilities or better education.

This is probably why Male is considered one of the most densely populated capital cities of the world.

Warnings & Dangers in Maldives

Overall Risk

OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM

Generally speaking, the Maldives are safe for tourists since they mostly travel to its isolated islands usually meant for tourists. However, you shouldn't relax as it definitely isn't without its dangers. Be cautious and apply all precaution measures that you would stick to in your own country.

Transport & Taxis Risk

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

You won't use transport much in the Maldives, except from one resort to another maybe, but in general, it's pretty safe, reliable and very well maintained.

Pickpockets Risk

PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM

Pickpockets do operate here and there, mostly in the capital of Male, but tourists are rarely targeted - because they usually aren't located in Male. Still, you should be careful. Don't flash your belongings in public or leave your valuables in plain sight.

Natural Disasters Risk

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM

Tsunamis are the biggest natural threats in the Maldives. The Tsunami of 26 December 2004 caused extensive damage to the Maldives. More than 90 people were killed and there was serious damage to a number of islands, including 19 resort islands.

Mugging Risk

MUGGING RISK: LOW

There have been very few cases of tourists being mugged or kidnapped. Maldives is a safe country when it comes to violent crime. Still, avoid dark and deserted areas after dark.

Terrorism Risk

TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM

Terrorist attacks are likely to happen in the Maldives, including in places frequented by tourists. The Maldivian authorities confirmed in 2017 and 2018 that several men had been arrested on terrorism charges relating to terrorism in the Maldives.

Scams Risk

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

There are scammers in the Maldives but are easily avoided, only if you use your common sense. Like in other touristy places in Asia, the street or store vendors are pretty persuasive and tiring, so if you feel pressured into purchasing goods, leave the store.

Women Travelers Risk

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Maldives is mostly a safe country for women. However, if you are a woman and plan on going there alone, make sure you don't wear anything of value when leaving your resort. Apply all precaution measures you would in your own country.

So... How Safe Is Maldives Really?

Even though the crime rates have been increasing in the Maldives for the past couple of year, the fact is that the Maldives are extremely safe for tourists, and here’s why: you will not be staying or even passing in the capital city Malé where all the criminal activities take place.

As a tourist, you will probably be staying in a resort (on a tiny island that has one hotel) and therefore you will be surrounded by other tourists in a leisure and relaxing environment.

A particularly helpful piece of advice here would be not to get involved with any protests that might happen.

Maldives Police Force is often ordered to separate the tourists from any unrest that might happen.

Recently, there have been some political unrest in this country, which is why tourists have been wondering if going to the Maldives is safe at all nowadays.

The situation in the Maldives is a political situation related to the people of the country and not the travelers or the guests, so yes, it is definitely safe to travel there.

The restriction of guns and harmful weapons has definitely contributed to making this place relatively safe, but if you do end up in a dangerous situation, keep in mind that you can absolutely trust the police here.

How Does Maldives Compare?

CountrySafety Index
Maldives46
Morocco54
Switzerland89
South Korea82
Oman76
Canada88
Estonia82
Albania75
Czech Republic88

Useful Information

Visas

Visas

You don't need a visa to enter the Maldives, and a thirty-day free visa is issued on arrival for all nationalities. Make sure your passport is valid at least six months from your departure and if you are not sure about your visa status, contact your local Maldivian embassy for further information.

Currency

Currency

The Maldivian Rufiyaa is the currency of Maldives. Credit cards can be used in resorts and most guesthouses. ATMs can be found in Male and the bigger islands. Bargaining is not part of Maldivian culture so don't try it!

Weather

Weather

The best weather – and the best time to visit the Maldives – is between November and April. The high season falls between December and March. The monsoon runs from May to October, peaking around June.

Airports

Airports

Velana International Airport, also known as Malé International Airport, is the main international airport in the Maldives. It is located on Hulhulé Island, close the capital island Malé.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance

Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to the Maldives, since it covers not only the costs of medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.

Click here to get an offer for travel insurance

Maldives Weather Averages (Temperatures)

Jan 28° C
Feb 28° C
Mar 28° C
Apr 29° C
May 29° C
Jun 28° C
Jul 28° C
Aug 28° C
Sep 28° C
Oct 28° C
Nov 28° C
Dec 28° C
Choose Temperature Unit

Average High/Low Temperature

Temperature / MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High
°C
303131313130303030303030
Low
°C
252525262626252525252525
High
°F
868888888886868686868686
Low
°F
777777797979777777777777

Maldives - Safety by City

CitySafety Index
Male72

Where to Next?

3 Reviews on Maldives

  1. C
    Cyndy G says:

    Looking forward to visiting

    Being from the Caribbean, a visit to the Maldives is on my travel list as I’m curious to see how the islands compare to ours in the Caribbean. I really appreciate this post providing a great summary of safety in Maldives. It is comforting to know the common tourist spots on the islands are relatively safe.

  2. Resorts are super safe

    Truly one to visit at least once in your lifetime. I thought this was a destination for the snotty rich, with chances of me actually enjoying myself slim to nonexistent. I was so, so wrong!

    As for safety, if your idea of a vacation is spending your day in the sun with cocktail after cocktail in a 5 star resort, you’ll have zero issues. Resorts are kept separate for a reason; by minimizing the contact you have with the rest of the island they make sure they can.

    If you want to visit Male, Maldives’ capital city, you have to be a bit more careful than you normally would if you were in a resort. There’s a ton of traffic so the risk of pickpockets is quite high. We stayed there for one night while waiting for our friends so we could all leave for the resort; it was overpriced and way smaller than our initial estimates. The food was ok, we had a lot of specific restaurants to choose from and the people seemed extremely friendly, no matter where we went. Not an exciting city, by all means, at least for us, we didn’t click at all. We spent one day there and it was more than enough…

    Their resorts, on the other hand, even the budget-friendly ones, are something else. If you feel like it, island hopping could be a huge hit, especially if you’re traveling with a bigger crowd; this will keep everyone satisfied and you get access to more water sports than if you had stayed on one island.

    The weather is a tricky card though… Be careful to check for monsoon weather, July is a no from what I’ve read. I would hate to have to spend most of the time indoors…

    We had the best time there, I couldn’t recommend it enough!

  3. A
    Anonymous says:

    Maldives is not safe very bad people in Maldives

Maldives Rated 4 / 5 based on 3 user reviews.

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