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Whether you need to know local public holidays or highlights through the seasons, we hope you will find the facts gathered below useful tools for your travel planning. Please feel free to contact us if we can assist you further.

General information

The Republic of Maldives is made up of a double string of 1,190 coral islands to the southwest of Sri Lanka, in the Indian Ocean. Stretching north to south to a point just south of the equator, the archipelago is 130 kilometres (81 miles) wide at its widest point and 820 kilometres (510 miles) long. It is the flattest land in the world, with the highest natural point less than 2.4 metres (8 feet) above sea level.

Grouped into 26 atolls – ring-shaped coral formations, which provide a natural defence against wind and wave, enclosing a lagoon – Maldives covers a total area of 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles), only 0.5% of which is land. Not surprisingly, this aquatic nation is considered one of the top 10 diving spots in the world. With only 200 inhabited islands and an additional 98 islands developed exclusively as tourist resorts, tourism is the dominant support for the economy.

Malé, the capital of the Republic of Maldives, is an island 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) long and 1 kilometre (0.6 mile) wide. Malé is clean and quaint, with markets, mosques and a maze of small streets that about 65,000 people call home. Thirty minutes on a seaplane northwest from Malé, visitors are transported into the idyllic world of Four Seasons Resort Maldives on the enchanting island of Landaa Giraavaru.

Time zone

GMT +5 hours in Malé
GMT +6 hours at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Language(s) spoken

Dhivehi, a language spoken only in Maldives, is as exotic as it sounds. With a strong Arabic influence, it has its own script. Since the 1960s, English has become widely understood, spoken and written by locals.

Electrical system

Local voltage is 220 to 240 volts AC. Adapters are available in all rooms, and transformers are available through Housekeeping.

Shopping hours

The Resort Shop is open daily from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm.

Working hours

Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Time and distance to city centre

The capital, Malé, is 30 minutes away by seaplane, 120 kilometres (75 miles) to the south.

Time and distance to shopping

Limited shopping facilities are available in the capital, Malé, 30 minutes by seaplane, 120 kilometres (75 miles) from the Resort.

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Seasonal highlights

June

The O'Neill Deep Blue Open, a gala display of the skills of the world's best surfers, has been held in the Maldives for the past five years. Based on Lohifushi Island, the week-long event reinforces Maldives' reputation as a Mecca for surfers.

April to October

The southwest monsoon season provides the best surf in the Maldives. It is also the time of year when manta rays are abundant in Maldivian waters and visitors can easily catch a glimpse of these graceful animals.