Maldives

Local knowledge

Taxis

Every hotel has its own speedboats or fleet of ocean-going vessels – it's the only practical way to get around. They can arrange charter by the hour or by the day if you want to go anywhere further than you can swim.

Tipping culture

Most resorts will include service on your bills for everything from transfers and room service to spa treatments, so you shouldn't worry too much; however, small extra tips for a great massage or for outstanding butler service are at your discretion.

Siesta and Fiesta

On the Maldives, everything revolves around you: eat, sleep and play as and when you like. In general, you'll want to rise early to make the most of the sunshine, and you'll be so relaxed you'll struggle to stay up beyond midnight anyway.

Packing tips

Leave snorkelling kit at home, as you'll be able to borrow some wherever you are; but don't forget your diving log book and certification (and check whether your resorts requires a medical certificate to let you dive). Underwater camera (although at Huvafen Fushi there'll be a disposable one in your minibar); flip-flops.

Recommended reads

In Daniel Defoe's Robinsoe Crusoe, the paradise may have been Pacific but the tale is still a castaway classic. Contemporary travel writer Thurston Clarke goes island-hopping round the world in Islomania: A Journey Among the Last Real Islands. Get up close and personal with the Indian Ocean itself with A Photo Guide to Fishes of the Maldives by Rudie H Kuiter.

Cuisine

Maldivian cuisine draws heavily on the aromatically spiced and coconut-softened curries of southern India and Sri Lanka – and of course makes use of the plentiful supply of fresh, fresh fish. Particular delights are the creamy fish curries, tuna steaks, marinaded Maldivian lobster and grilled fresh snapper, served with lentil-based dishes such as dhal or steamed rice and chargrilled vegetables. As the Maldives is a muslim republic, pork dishes are understandably a bit of a rarity – but we think you can cope without bangers for breakfast for a few weeks (and if you can't, there are beef sausages, instead). The Maldives is also a big producer of watermelons: try fat juicy slices of this most refreshing of fruits chilled, juiced or cubed in salads – it's also thankfully low on airmiles, unlike much of the food imported to these remote islands.

Currency

The Maldivian Rufiya (MDR) – although US dollar are the more commonly used currency in resorts.

Time zone

GMT +6.

Dialing codes

Country code for Maldives: +960.

Do go/don't go

There's never really a 'bad' time to go to the Maldives, which has a wonderful year-round climate – even in the Monsoon season (mid-May–November), you'd be very unlucky to get more than a few days' rain on the trot. Christmas is very popular, as is anytime up to Easter, although you might be lucky and find deals for late January getaways.