Before traveling, check your documents:

1. passport (once again, pay attention to the validity period of the passport).

2. air ticket

3. insurance policy.

4. voucher.

5. a memo with the necessary information about the host country.

6. powers of attorney from both parents (for children traveling without parents) or power of attorney from the second parent (for children traveling with one of the parents).

7. A photocopy of the child’s birth certificate, if the surnames of the parents and the child are different.

Registration

Check-in for international flights begins 2.5-3 hours before departure and ends forty minutes.

Baggage allowance is 20 kg.

Upon arrival at the airport:

Check your flight information on the information board and go to the check-in counters whose numbers are indicated on the board. When checking in, present your passport and ticket.

1.Check your luggage at the check-in counter.

2.Get your boarding pass. Pay attention to the gate number and time for boarding the plane (on the boarding pass the gate is indicated by the word GATE, the time - TIME).

3.After checking in and boarding being announced, you must go to the appropriate areas for international flights.

Passengers on international flights undergo customs, passport and security control, after which they await departure in the sterile area of ​​the international airlines gallery. When going through security checks, you must present your passport and boarding pass.

When transporting animals or plants, it is necessary to undergo phytocontrol / veterinary control.

Flight time:

The direct flight Moscow - Male takes about 9 hours.

Upon arrival at Male Airport:

Upon arrival at Male Airport, you will first enter the passport control area. Before going through passport control, check that you have filled out a migration card (usually, a migration card is issued on the plane before boarding in Male; if you were not given a migration card on the plane, take it to passport control and fill it out in English). One part is given at passport control upon arrival, the other part is kept and given at passport control upon departure.

1. Go through passport control (present a foreign passport valid for at least three months from the date of entry into the territory of the Maldives, migration card).

2.Get your luggage. The monitors above the baggage belts indicate the flight from which baggage will be issued at this belt.

3.Go through customs control - your luggage is checked. Alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited! Alcohol is confiscated immediately and not returned (new law on complete free confiscation of imported alcoholic beverages dated May 1, 2011).

4.After customs control, you will be met by a representative of the tour operator with a sign.

5.Give your voucher (1 copy) to the representative.

6.Receive an information sheet with contact numbers from the representative.

7.Go to the hotel desk (each desk has the name of the hotel).

8. State your last name at the hotel reception so that hotel representatives will note your arrival.

9.Go to the transfer. Information about where exactly you need to go for the transfer will be provided to you at the hotel reception (at hotel receptions information is provided in English). If you don't understand something, go to a representative and he will help you.

10.Transfers in the Maldives are provided by the hotels themselves, so there are no accompanying guides on transfers.

Upon arrival at the hotel

1.Go to the reception, where you will be given a registration card.

2.Fill out the registration card in English.

3. Hand in the completed registration card, voucher (1 copy), foreign passport (the foreign passport will be returned to you after a photocopy is taken, check at the reception when you can pick up your passport).

4.Wait for check-in. Check-in at the hotel is at 14.00. Until this time, you can use all services on the hotel premises, leaving your things in the storage room. Upon check-in, you will be given room keys.

5.After checking into your room, read the information provided by the hotel. Pay attention to which services are paid and how much they cost (as a rule, the information is in a folder and lies on the table or bedside table).

Before your flight home:

Go to the reception and check if you have any unpaid bills for additional services (use of a minibar, telephone, etc.). If you have any debts, pay them.

1.In the evening (after 17.00) an envelope with information about the transfer time will be brought to your room. If this envelope was not brought to you, after dinner, check the transfer time on the hotel information board (or on the screen at the reception).

Please take note

* To avoid an unforeseen situation, carefully study the conditions and rules for the carriage of passengers and baggage stated in the air ticket. Do not carry knives, scissors or any other sharp objects in your hand luggage. The baggage limit is 20 kg plus 5 kg of hand luggage per person. Please clarify questions regarding the transportation of special luggage, children, and animals when purchasing a tour.

* The airline is responsible for air transportation, guided by the Rules of Passenger Transportation, some of which, under certain conditions, limit its liability or exempt it from it. Our Company does not bear additional responsibility for the Airline's obligations for rescheduling the departure date, flight delays, or safety of baggage, in accordance with the law.

Customs regulations

In accordance with current legislation, when crossing the border, citizens are allowed to export funds (foreign currency and rubles) equivalent to $3,000 without filling out a customs declaration. The export of foreign currency in excess of 3,000 US dollars, but not more than 10,000 US dollars, as well as the export of traveler's checks in the amount of more than 10,000 US dollars, are subject to mandatory written declaration. When importing pets, you must present a valid veterinary certificate indicating all vaccinations, including rabies vaccination.

Duty-free import of 250 cigarettes or 50 cigars, 250 g of tobacco products, 1 liter of spirits or 2 liters of wine, 50 g of coffee, 100 g of tea, 50 ml of perfume, 250 ml of cologne or other perfume products is allowed. The import of non-canned food products is prohibited. Jewelry, video cameras, computers and other expensive items must be declared and then removed. The import and export of drugs, weapons and ammunition, explosives, potent, psychotropic or toxic substances, medications, protected species of animals and plants is prohibited. Without special permission, you cannot import or export objects and things of historical, artistic or archaeological value.

Customs regulations of the Maldives

There are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign and local currency. It is strictly prohibited to transport alcoholic beverages in any quantity, even those purchased in Duty free stores, salami sausage, spearfishing weapons, pornographic publications and drugs. The export of turtle shells and corals is prohibited, except for decorative purposes.

Currency

The local currency is the rufiyaa, equal to 100 lari. 1 USD=15.33 rufiyaa. Banknotes in denominations of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 rufiyaa, as well as coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 25 and 50 lari are in circulation. US dollars and major credit cards (American Express, Visa, Master card, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card) are accepted everywhere, so there is no need to exchange dollars for local currency upon arrival .

Climate

Warm and humid. Air temperature is about +30°C, water temperature is about +26°C. Day and night the temperature is almost the same, short-term rains occur mainly at night. Due to its close location to the equator, seasonal changes due to the monsoon are minor, making the weather in the Maldives favorable for tourists throughout the year. During the southwest monsoon (from May to October), it rains more often and the weather in the Maldives at this time is more windy. The northeast monsoon season (November to February) is considered less humid. Short rains occur at the end of May, July and August. The ebb and flow of the tides is almost imperceptible.

Transport

Almost all tourists visiting the islands arrive here by plane. Male International Airport is located on Hulule Island, at a distance of 1 km (10 minutes ride by national boat "dhoni") from the capital of the Maldives - Male. There is no regular transport service on the islands. Air Maldives operates regular flights only to a few outlying islands. Hotels provide tourists with transfers by dhoni boats (speed 7 knots per hour), speed boats, helicopters or water planes, which take tourists to the most remote corners of the country. While relaxing on one of the islands, you can always rent a dhoni or a speed boat. Any Maldives island can be crossed in 1.5 - 2 hours. Bicycles and motorcycles are the most popular types of land transport. Taxis are available to get around Male. The price of one trip in any direction costs 10 rufiyaa. In Male and other major islands you can rent a car.

Shopping

From the Maldives they bring shark jaws (a favorite souvenir of tourists), coconut oil, shells, sarongs, wood crafts (hand-cut red and black figurines), and coconut monkeys. In Male, shopping is more serious - there you can buy high-quality equipment and equipment for diving from foreign manufacturers.

You can bargain in local shops and stores, but prices in the Maldives are not very willing to be reduced - a maximum of 2-3 USD.

National characteristics

Although the Maldives is relatively liberal as an Islamic state, visitors to the country must carefully observe the laws. In the Maldives, it is prohibited to drink alcohol in public places (outside the resort area), swim naked (as well as “topless”) on all islands of the archipelago, fish in the immediate vicinity of the shore, and it is prohibited to catch and tear live or dead corals in the ocean or near shore (fine - $500). Violating the laws of the country may result in imprisonment. Don't try to contact local women! For a walk in Male, it is recommended to dress in accordance with Muslim ideas about morality: long trousers or a skirt, a shirt or blouse.

The usual form of greeting for Maldivians is to shake hands; they greet each other formally with “salaam alaikum”; they greet each other with the word “kihenen” in an informal setting. A carefree and simple existence in harmony with nature - this is the Maldivian way of life. The artistic Maldivians complement the natural beauty of the exotic coral islands. Fishing for them is both leisure and profession at the same time. The local hospitality is especially striking. This trait is passed on from generation to generation among Maldivians. The Maldives is a place where tourists are always a welcome guest.

National cuisine:

The national cuisine of the Maldives is based on Indian and Arabic dishes, complemented by local recipes. The main products are rice, seafood and fruits. Traditional drinks are tea and fruit juices; alcohol is strictly prohibited for the local population. In tourist centers, in addition, the cuisine of the world's peoples, including alcoholic drinks, is widely represented. It should be noted here that, as a rule, there is one hotel on one island, and local residents do not live here, only service staff. Aborigines live on islands where there are no hotels.

Holidays and non-working days:

January 1 (New Year), January 8-10 (Eid al-Fitr - end of Ramadan fast), March 15-18 (Eid al Kebir - Day of Sacrifice), April 6 (Islamic New Year), June 4-5 (National Holiday) , June 15 (Mulud - Prophet's Birthday), July 26-27 (Independence Day), November 11-12 (Republic Day), September 1 (Huravi Day), October 28 (Martyrs' Day), November 3 (Victory Day).

Entry formalities:

Citizens of Kazakhstan do not require a visa. A tourist visa for a period of 30 days is issued free of charge upon arrival at the airport. Israeli passport holders are not allowed into the country.

Russian Embassy in the Maldives:

Embassy of the Russian Federation, 62 Sir Ernest de Silva Mawatha, Colombo-7, Sri-Lanka

Phone: (8-10-941) 57-4959, 57-3555

(There is no Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Maldives).

Other useful information:

Time is 1 hour behind Astana.

Electricity: 220 Volt, 50 Hertz.

We do not recommend drinking raw water here. Bottled drinking and mineral water is available at all resorts. There are no pharmacy kiosks in the resorts of the Maldives (we only saw one at the airport), so take a small first aid kit with the necessary medications.

Help numbers

Telephone network helpline - 110.

International telephone operator - 190.

Communication operator between atolls - 188.

Meteorological service - 317-171.

Male Airport Information Center - 332-211.

Maldives Tourism Development Bureau - 323-228.

Customs Department - 322-001, 310-045.

Emergency services

Police - 119.

National Security Service - 313-281.

Fire service - 118.

Ambulance - 102.

It would seem that the question “What to bring from the Maldives?” quite simple. Each country has a certain set of something that is not in your country and these things are bought as an exotic souvenir. And here it’s not worth mentioning the various I love Maldives magnets and T-shirts. Not so! Maldives they produce and grow absolutely nothing. We even found two chickens on only one island from one family. Everything from toothpicks to building materials is shipped from other Asian countries.

Chinese magnets with dolphins and turtles, which can be found at any resort, are not the best souvenir, so it is better to find out in advance what you can find as a gift from the Maldives.

On the hotel islands, the choice of souvenirs is small and the prices are quite high. The best place to shop is in Male, the capital of the Maldives. In this one of the smallest capitals in the world, where 100,000 people live in an area of ​​1.5 km by 1 km, you can find almost everything.

COCONUT OIL

What the Maldives has in abundance is palm trees. Here, even at the state level, a decree was issued that in case the islands were suddenly cut off from the outside world and provisions ran out, every resident of the country should have their own coconut tree. Coconuts are very good for health, in addition, one nut is enough to quench your thirst and hunger.

Accordingly, everything that coconut and palm trees provide is available in the Maldives. The oil here is of very high quality and is inexpensive. It can be added to cosmetics and used to moisturize the body in its pure form. In general, it’s useful to keep it in the house, and it’s not a shame to give it to friends.

DRIED TUNA

Tuna is the No. 1 fish in the Maldives; it is caught here in tons and is incredibly adored. By the way, you should definitely try tuna meat fried or in curry. And bring home sets of tuna pieces, which are eaten here like chips. They are sold in convenient bags in supermarkets with the proud signature “Real Maldivian tuna”.

SPICE MIX

As in any Asian country, in the Maldives a mixture of spices is held in high esteem, from which the national dish curry is prepared. It differs from Sri Lankan or Indian at least in that it is not so spicy. And the spices used are local. So the best souvenir from the Maldives is an evening of Maldivian cuisine at home. You can have a themed party just in time for viewing photos from your vacation.

SHARK TEETH

The souvenir, of course, is for everyone and for connoisseurs. However, it is on the list of the most popular things that are brought as gifts from the Maldives. You can buy a tooth keychain for $1, and a giant jaw for $250. In general, if you wish, you can be considered an original by hanging shark jaws at home instead of deer antlers.

SARONG

It is not entirely clear where cotton comes from in the Maldives, but items made from it here are of very good quality. Girls are recommended to purchase a sarong in the colors of the local flag as a souvenir of their vacation on the islands. A sarong will come in handy on more than one beach, and besides, it will warm your home with its appearance.

TRADITIONAL MATS

Mothers, grandmothers and accounting departments will be satisfied. Maldivian mats are made of palm or coconut fiber and reed. They are beautiful to look at, have 100% natural ingredients and are useful in any household.

SAND

Yes, Maldivian sand is a souvenir in itself, take it with you and put it at home in a beautiful decorative vase or bottle. Such a homemade souvenir will definitely delight you and decorate your home.

Finally, we will give advice to tourists on what should never be taken out of the Maldives:
​
- Products made from tortoiseshell;
- Products made from black and red corals and the corals themselves;
- Pearls and pearl oyster shells;
- Reef fish.

A holiday in the Maldives will certainly be remembered for a long time and every tourist will want to bring something special from the islands as a souvenir, so you should definitely take the time to choose good souvenirs!

There are no restrictions on the import and export of foreign currency in the Maldives. The import and export of Maldivian currency is prohibited. Items whose value exceeds $200 are subject to mandatory declaration when imported into the Maldives.

To items that prohibited from import to the Maldives include:

• alcohol, pork products
• pornography (magazines, videos)
• firearms
• spearfishing weapon
• drugs (punishment for the latter is life imprisonment)

The importation of pets into the Maldives is restricted (special permission required) and dogs are prohibited. Maldives customs allows up to 200 items for duty-free import. cigarettes, 125 ml. perfumes, as well as goods for personal use.

Maldives Customs performs X-ray inspection of personal belongings at Male Airport. Items found on tourists that are prohibited for import are destroyed.

Export from the Maldives

From the Maldives prohibited from export:

• black corals,
• pearl oyster shells
• turtle shells in all types, except for souvenirs purchased in certified souvenir shops (customs may require a receipt)
• are subject to a similar ban any items, found at the bottom during rest. Violators face hefty fines

Olga, 08/29/2017 00:00:00

We spent a week's holiday with our family in June 2017. In this hotel you felt attention and care throughout your stay, without being intrusive and with the utmost tact. Now about the holiday itself: during our stay, all days were sunny and not hot. The water and air temperatures are the most ideal. The ocean is clean and always calm. We traveled around the island on bicycles and on foot. Everything is quite compact and not far away. I won’t particularly describe the views and furnishings in the rooms - everything is shown both on the website and in reality in the hotel. The food is excellent: a very large selection of dishes and everything is of very high quality and tasty. Every day you can enjoy one of forty types of homemade ice cream. For entertainment, there is a gym, and in the evenings they show movies on the shore. There is a gym, very decent. There are many paid options: snorkeling, diving, spa, etc. Overall we were satisfied and I think we will go again.

Yuri, 03/18/2017 00:00:00

We spent our honeymoon at this hotel. I liked everything very much, there were only positive emotions. Service at the highest level, very friendly and polite staff. Each of the hotel employees tries to help you even with every little thing. A large number of entertainment programs thanks to the animators Patra and Joker. The guys really bring a lot of positivity and smiles to all vacationers. I also liked the buffet and the wide variety of dishes. I recommend this hotel to everyone!

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Ekaterina, 03/16/2017 00:00:00

There are not even enough words to express my feelings from the moment the plane landed at Male airport. You need to see this turquoise ocean with your own eyes! Even despite the long flight, it's worth it. We were greeted very warmly at the hotel. Everything is just super!!! The food is excellent, the staff is friendly, and in the SPA salon you feel like you are in heaven. In principle, there is heaven on earth, beauty, peace and relaxation. Unforgettable impressions!!!

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Andrey, 02/21/2017 00:00:00

We had a family vacation. The island is quite small, you can get around it in 7-10 minutes. The hotel staff is very friendly, they are ready to fulfill all wishes and requests, and practically do not forget anything. Cleaning twice a day. The minibar in the villa is free and replenished every day (beer, wine, soft drinks, water, nuts). The food is buffet style, the food is delicious, there are different cuisines every day. In general, everyone is very friendly and ready to help. Almost all imported drinks are available and included in the price, there is little you have to pay for! Which is very convenient. There was practically no need for money. The hotel offers several completely free trips: a romantic trip at sunset, evening fishing, a trip to whale sharks (unlucky, no sharks were found, they were taken to the reef for a swim), banana ride. There is free rental of masks, snorkels, kayaks, and paddle boards. In the evening, you can sit in two bars at the hotel - on the pier next to the reception and in the Coral bar, where all the evening animations take place. At 6 p.m. near the Coral bar they feed the fish, small sharks and stingrays swim. In the Coral on the second floor there is an E-center (game center), there are several types of billiards, a game console, air hockey, table tennis, you can always play. In the SPA center, every day you can get a free massage for half an hour, they offer several types of massage - upper back, head massage, heel massage, the rest for money. Free services were enough for me. In general, I really liked everything, the weather was hot, the ocean was warm and clean.

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Valeria, 02/12/2017 00:00:00

Holidays in the Maldives are different from anywhere we have been before. Just a miracle! Greens, greens, and water, water, water all around. Flying to a distant island and expecting entertainment in the form of noisy animation, in my opinion, is simply stupid. Everything is different here. The sound of crashing waves, the rustle of lush foliage and deep silence - that’s why I fell in love with the Maldives! Sun Island offers a really inexpensive, high-quality holiday on the island, with all the delights of the Maldives, but without astronomical costs (for the size of the room, expensive furniture, etc. sometimes not important, for a great mood and relaxation, bells and whistles)! I recommend and advise everyone!

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Alla, 01/19/2017 00:00:00

The island is very beautiful, lush greenery, a good beach, fine white sand, there is fauna - flying foxes and herons. Good rooms - free-standing villas on all sides of the island. The narrow coastline is a plus. There are places where the beach is wider, depending on who you like. The cuisine of the local restaurant is wonderful, everything is very fresh and tasty, there is a good choice.
During the day, in addition to the beach, you can spend time diving with local diving instructors, riding boats, and jet skis.
The spa on the island is simply amazing. I highly recommend all types of massages and wraps. It's like being born again.
The hotel staff is very friendly. A 5 star hotel for a complete reboot!

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Natalya, 12/19/2016 00:00:00

We are very pleased with the Huvafen Fushi Hotel - it is an ideal place for a relaxing and happy holiday. The hotel pleased with its impeccable service, excellent food (the chef has three Michelin stars), and impressed with the underwater SPA salon. Snow-white sand, secluded beaches, incomparable sunsets, a diverse underwater world - all this will not leave anyone indifferent.

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Anna, 12/11/2016 00:00:00

The hotel is excellent. We ate at the Ocean restaurant - buffet and unlimited drinks. By the way, we took half board - breakfast and dinner, and made sure that this was enough for us (we don’t want to have lunch in the heat, and we don’t drink much water).
The water is clear and gentle... We swam and swam... And of course we sunbathed.
Cleaning of the rooms is fast, but at the same time high-quality, no flaws were found. I liked the trip on a submarine with a transparent bottom - there were only 4 tourists - not crowded and beautiful. By the way, you could rent a catamaran for free.
I'm trying to remember the shortcomings... It's difficult - the hotel is perfect.

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Oksana, 11/28/2016 00:00:00

This was a gift from my husband to me for my birthday, the Maldives is basically unforgettable and impressive, but this hotel was simply the most vivid memory in my life, very beautiful, I just couldn’t imagine in my life that there was such beauty somewhere , the sea is very warm, the food is varied and very tasty, the service is simply at the highest level, the spa is magnificent, I want to go back there again, for me this vacation has become one of the highlights of my life.

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Marina, 05.11.2016 00:00:00

This is just awesome!!! People who are thinking about going or not going, don’t hesitate - go!!! Everything is so beautiful! Sunsets, sunrises, sand spit, house reef... As soon as you set foot on the island, you can forget about shoes! Hotel policy - no shoes!!! This is just great!
It's a minute's walk to the ocean shore! Nearby there is a beach where small stingrays and sharks live. They are so funny!!!
The food is very tasty and varied. Everything is very tasty and the choice of dishes is very large. There is evening entertainment every evening. You won't get bored!
The reception staff is very responsive.
The hotel area is clean and well-groomed, there are places to walk, many different beaches, the territory is huge, so you get the feeling that you are alone on the island, no one is bothering anyone. The photos turn out simply gorgeous, especially on the sand spit!!!
We left the hotel with tears in our eyes.
The price-quality ratio is perfect!!!
We didn’t regret a single second that we chose this hotel. Vacation in Paradise was a success!

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

Yulia, 03/20/2016 00:00:00

If there is a paradise on earth, it is the Maldives and Centara. Amazing place! Fine cuisine. Beautiful views. Everything is done here for your perfect holiday! You can rent a mask and fins and go sailing. The underwater views are mesmerizing... A wonderful hotel for a romantic getaway not far from the airport.

Thank you for your mark! We are glad that you enjoyed your holiday. See you soon!

CUSTOMS IN THE MALDIVES. HOW TO BRING ALCOHOL TO THE MALDIVES.

It is strictly prohibited to transport alcohol in the Maldives in any quantity, even purchased in Duty free stores, salami sausage, pork (this is due to the Muslim religion), spearfishing weapons, pornographic publications and drugs, anti-Islamic literature, animals, explosives, firearms and weapon for underwater hunting.

The export of turtle shells and corals is prohibited, except for decorative purposes. For the import of alcohol to the Maldives, if it was not noticed by customs officers in time, a fine of 500 USD is imposed. So do not forget to advise your tourists spending their holidays in the Maldives to leave all alcoholic drinks at customs - when leaving the country they will be returned safe and sound. There are no restrictions on the import or export of foreign and local currency.
Well, now the most interesting question. How to bring alcohol to the Maldives?
Here is one of the interesting stories:
"...Customs in the Maldives are very polite, very strict and adamant. It is strictly forbidden to import into the Maldives: alcohol (in any form and quantity, including bought in duty free, any!), drugs, pork (sausage), more than a carton of cigarettes , pornography in video or printed form, weapons for underwater hunting (strictly prohibited, fishing gear is allowed, but fishing NOT from boats is prohibited). during your departure, a bottle of cognac was confiscated from a friend, and he was given a token in return. On departure, he turned to the person at the desk with the sign “Customs” with this token, and he returned his bottle of cognac.

Buying alcohol when flying to the Maldives at Moscow duty free only makes sense if you are going to drink it on board the plane. Otherwise, just take him back and forth. At the same time, a Maldivian duty free store is much cheaper than a Russian one. So what’s the point of paying 15 Euros for a bottle of whiskey in Moscow if exactly the same bottle costs 13.50 dollars in the Maldives! (also take into account the difference in rates). And if you take 3 bottles - all for 29-35 $!!! Therefore, in Moscow, buy only the alcohol that you will finish in the next 8 hours. The rest, even the leftovers, will be taken away from you at customs, and it will lie useless throughout your entire vacation. And you can buy alcohol for your home and return flight in the Maldives, at the local duty free.

Customs in the Maldives scans almost any container that could potentially contain alcohol. They force you to open sealed bottles, smell them and look at the light. Not many people manage to get through. Therefore, we will now tell you how best to deceive their customs and give some tips on this matter, on how to bring alcohol to the Maldives if you really want to.

I was inspired to do this experiment by two postulates. First. Well, after a hearty dinner, I like to pour a little whiskey with ice or gin and tonic, sit in a chair, put my feet up on the table and admire the warm, quietly snoring ocean, listen to the sound of the surf, watch giant bats in the glare of streetlights jackaling between palm trees in search of mosquitoes. . Watch a gecko run along a vertical wall after a large ant... And even if you fight, as old Pinocchio used to say, it will be my way. Second. It is prohibited to import alcohol in the Maldives (we are, like, Muslims), but you can drink it on the spot. But only at our Muslim prices (probably compensation for their Muslim mental disorder?). That is, the ban on the import of alcohol is based not on the fight for the purity of faith, but on the fight exclusively for my wallet! And I myself am “always ready” to fight for it. Nope, guys. Something doesn’t make me (and not only me) pay $5-7 for a 50-gram bottle from your bar, if a liter one costs $14... I remember what country I’m from... And I came up with such a thing.

I read reviews on the Internet. Some people sneaked in with half a liter of white under the guise of an open drinking bottle, some got killed... This is the simplest option, but also the most unreliable. The main mistake is to carry strong, strong-smelling drinks - whiskey, cognac, vodka. Customs won't try it, but sniffing is easy. The second mistake is almost no camouflage - “here you have a flask, a bottle, open, please...” - ready, comrade baked... The vacation is ruined... And what do we have? We have ready-made Gin&Tonic for sale in one and a half liter plastic bottles! Carbonated at that. I buy one to try - nothing, normal, only 9 degrees, but I don’t go there to get drunk (see paragraph above). I want to “sit”! I buy 3 bottles of tonic and three bottles of carbonated drinking water, so that the foreign label is duplicated. And, (we carefully watch our hands!) REPLACE THE LABELS... Using hot water in the sink. Please note - it says “gas”, the composition is the entire periodic table, factory (!) closure, the locks are intact, the color is like water, and it does NOT smell (smell the gin&tonic - it smells like the SEA)! What about customs?

The first time I got caught was at our own customs. "Oh, what's that in your bottles?" . “So this... on the islands they have only desalinated water, you can’t take it in your mouth. So I’m dragging with me a handful of my native land, and a few bottles of water...” . “And the sealed one?” "Naturlich, boss! The most amazing factory packaging! See for yourself." "Come on in then."

The Maldivian Papuan customs officer turned out to be more meticulous (of course, import is not export, everyone wants to get a hundred bucks from a tourist for their country). After the “enlightenment” - please go to the table. What is this you have? Water? Open please... There is nothing to do - I open it. The gas rushes upward in bubbles, right over the edge of the bottle. (Where have you seen, guy, that alcohol was poured into half-liter plastic bottles, and even carbonated? These are Russian technologies, buddy. You need to understand the know-how, so to speak, relax!). I defiantly take a sip - “Please! It’s from the gez water.” The customs officer carefully moves his nose to the bottle from which that same smoke is coming... It smells like the salty sea... But he doesn’t try it. (If you try, Allah will immediately cross you off from the list of candidates for heaven..) “Its from very-very salt and gas water... May nid salt balance...” I point my finger at the list of salts and minerals in the water that I have left at home. I make an expressive martyr's face and slap myself on the stomach. Like, my stomach is no good, I live on pills... I remembered the phrase from “The Long Walk” with Louis de Funes - “Their bin is sick... that is, their bin crunk.” The customs officer looks at the other bottles, then at me... “Okay, closet.” Either he believed it or appreciated the level of preparation? They say the guy is not a fool, rushing with ten bucks at the ready (offering a bribe is useless, the place is more expensive for them), but he showed imagination. Well, God is the judge. I smuggled 4.5 liters of ready-made gin & tonic through customs in the Maldives. It was exactly enough for the entire vacation.

Now advice based on what was noted. Opened bottles in hand luggage are practically not checked. But you can't carry much like that. There is such a thing as a “screwdriver” - vodka with orange juice 1:3. I personally really like it. Like Fanta, you can easily smuggle in a couple of bottles. In general, for cocktail lovers - no problem. For lovers of “pure alcohol” - whatever your luck. In small doses, at one time, it goes away. In the big ones, they almost certainly “sew”, they have a trained eye.

It is possible, probably, to bring strong alcohol to the Maldives in containers used for various cosmetics, such as suntan balms, etc. These multi-colored plastic bottles do not arouse suspicion. The main thing is to avoid a chemical reaction with the walls of these vessels.