Global travellers – US citizens included, will not have to enter into a mandatory quarantine upon arrival at Velana International Airport in the capital, Male. Nor will they need to produce proof they have tested negative for coronavirus.
The 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is the world’s largest of its type. A $200 prix-fixe menu accompanies a view teeming with coral life.
There are also no new visa requirements or additional fees to pay. In the beginning, international visitors will only be allowed on the resort islands and they need to book their entire stay in one registered establishment.
Exemptions will only be made for transit arrangements, according to the Maldives government’s guidelines. In terms of Covid-19 prevention, tourism officials are banking on the fact each resort essentially offers its own form of quarantine already. In spite of the global aviation downturn, it is possible to fly to the Maldives commercially right now, with several major airlines connecting through the Middle East.
Upon arrival, passengers are asked to fill in health declaration cards and a 30-day tourist visa will be provided. Travellers showing symptoms of Covid-19 will be subjected to a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test at their own cost and sent to a designated facility for isolation.
These include Emirates Airlines, which offers connections through Dubai from major global cities like London, Chicago, Toronto and Sydney. Qatar Airways resumed flights to the Maldives on July 15 out of Doha, offering connections through major hubs including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Sydney, New York and Los Angeles.
The Muraka villa, opened in 2018, has three bedrooms, a living area, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a gym with an on-call fitness trainer and outdoor space. The villa, almost 6,000 square feet in size, has underwater and above-sea levels. It can accommodate up to 10 guests and also comes with 24-hour private butler service, a private chef, on-site security and private jet skis. Arrival is by private seaplane at a private dock followed by a private speedboat pickup. If you haven’t noticed yet, privacy is a theme with the Muraka.
Fellow UAE carrier Etihad will resume flights from Abu Dhabi to the Maldives from July 16. Turkish Airlines is tentatively starting flights from July 17. Trans Maldivian Airways is the world’s largest floatplane operator. We go on the job with one of its most experienced pilots, Canadian Andrew Farr.
Of the 156 resorts on Maldives Tourism’s list of reopening dates, 43 opened in July 15. (Several on that list remained open throughout the pandemic, serving guests who choose to stay there, or those who came in later via private plane or yacht.)
Dozens more will reopen in August, with 50 or so more planning to follow suit in September and October. The Maldives has recorded nearly 2,000 confirmed cases and five deaths from Covid-19 so far. Eunice Aw, Singapore director of global hospitality consulting firm Horwath HTL, tells CNN Travel via email the tourism industry in the Maldives has proven to be resilient, bouncing back quickly from previous crises, however, the country faces an uphill battle as they unlock their border to all visitors.
Camõestv/CNN