How to stay connected in the Maldives
No matter how short or long of a stay you are planning in the Maldives, you will want to stay connected throughout your trip: call friends and family, browse the web, stay in touch with your social media, and more. Despite its remote location and geographical specifics, you will be able to enjoy a stable coverage in most of the country, especially if you stay in the capital city or neighbouring areas. Even if you venture further away, most resorts and hotels even on remote island offer free WiFi plus, you can get a local SIM card for Internet on-the-go. Learn how to stay connected in the Maldives in this article.
Telephone
There are two network providers operating in the Maldives: Dhiraagu and Ooredoo. You can get a local SIM card from either provider as soon as you land ' both have offices at the airport.
All you will need to do is choose your preferred provider (both offer good coverage across the country and similar services), visit their office, present your passport and fill in a registration form. You will be able to choose from tourist or local SIM card and pick from a variety of minute and data packages.
You can find top-up cards in most of the local supermarkets and small stores ' just make sure to mention your provider to get the right card.
Note that though all resorts in the Maldives have landlines, which you can use throughout your stay. However, the charges for international calls are very high and it is recommended that you use apps like WhatsApp or Viber to make calls outside the country.
Good to know:
Make sure your phone is unlocked prior to your travels to the Maldives. Roaming costs can get very high ' and, if your phone is tied to a network provider, it would be more economical to get a new unlocked phone for your stay in the Maldives and purchase a local SIM card.
Internet
If you are staying at one of the resorts or hotels in the country, you will most probably have a stable WiFi coverage in your room as well as other main areas. However, to be on the safe side, you can complement that with a mobile Internet package on a local SIM card that you can pick up upon your arrival at the airport. Note that speeds vary depending on how far you are from the city and how many people are connected to the network at the same time.
If you are living in an apartment and it does not come with Internet, you can refer to one of the networks providers mentioned above: Dhiraagu or Ooredoo. Both offer optical and ADSL broadband connections that you can have provided for your home. Rates differ depending on the chosen package but note that you will need to purchase a modem and set aside a day for installation.
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