Maldives Resort Transfer Options

The Maldives has a quite few island transfer options for tourists. PrivateIsland Resorts in the Maldives arrange the most convenient form of transportation as per the distance to the resort from Velana International Airport. If the resort is close to the capital city, a speedboat will take you, whereas seaplane and domestic flights involve if the resorts are pretty far away, namely more than 80 Kilometers away.

Seaplane

Seaplane transfer is one of the attractions of a Maldives resort getaway. Private island resorts situated more than 80 Kilometers away from Male', the capital city of the Maldives make use of seaplane transfer. Seaplane service is operated by Trans Maldivian Airways which has a Seaplane Terminal in Male', around 3.5 Kilometers away from Velana International Airport.

Tourists to Maldives resorts are greeted and welcomed by resort representatives at Velana International Airport and will be taken to the Seaplane Terminal in cabs. Some Maldives resorts have private lounge areas at Seaplane terminals which would offer complimentary services to their guests including drinks and meals.

Checking into the Seaplane Terminal will require as much customs as required at an airport. But this time the resort representatives will be around all along helping you with all checking-in procedures. Once you get boarding passes, you will be taken to the seaplane dock where you could see a number of seaplanes anchored near the pier. Normally there would be a wait of a couple minutes before boarding a seaplane.

Seaplane transfer would be a direct flight to the destination resort. Sometimes there would be a couple of stops at other resorts along the way picking up and dropping off tourists. Seaplane flight is manifold more interesting than a domestic flight since you could soak up perfect aerial views of the Maldivian island scapes. Seaplanes are only the size of a caravan. Getting a window seat will let you enjoy the Maldives in its entirety. Seaplanes would go as high as a normal airplane. But they would rather take a mediocre height, still atop the clouds; but the flight would give you a perfect birds-eye view of the landscapes.

On your return as well, resort representatives will be around with you until the final check-in to the Velana International Airport for your home flight. In most instances, your tour agents will also accompany you at every stage of airport check-in and check-out in order to keep you hassle-free, if you have booked your Maldives tour package from a Maldives tour operator.

On seaplanes, one passenger can have 20 kilograms of checked-in luggage and 5 kilograms of hand carry; for each kilo above the limit, an excess of charge of 5 USD will be levied. Extraordinary cases may occur when luggage would be delivered by a later flight due to weight restrictions. Normally a seaplane flight would be less than one hour; ideally between 30 to 40 minutes.

Unfavorable weather may cause delays or an early schedule of the flight. Also, seaplanes won't operate at night. Hence, late-arriving guests would have to stay at the airport for the night until the next seaplane flight to the resort. In such scenarios, you would do better if you have a Maldives tour operator at your service. They would give you proper instructions and aids for your seaplane-missing instances. If you don't have a Maldives tour operator with you, you don't have to worry; the resort representatives would be at the airport giving you proper assistance.

Domestic Flights

There are Maldives resorts that lie even farther than a convenient distance a seaplane could afford. For such resorts, a domestic flight coupled with a short-term speedboat ride would be the transfer option. The Maldives has several domestic airports across the country. The domestic flight transfer to the resort island would make use of the domestic airport lying nearest to the destination resort.

Just a two-minute walk from the international arrival terminal of Velana International Airport will take you to its domestic flight terminal. Resort representatives would be waiting for you at the exit of Velana International Airport. Once you go through customs at Velana International Airport, the resort representatives will take you to the domestic terminal. Further check-in process would be easier with the assistance of resort representatives.

In addition to Velana International Airport in Male', the city capital of the Maldives, there are 15 airports in the Maldives: Dharavandhoo airport (DRV) in Baa atoll, Maamigili or Villa international airport (VAM) in South Alif Atoll, Maafaru (NMF) in Noonu Atoll, Maavarulu airport (RUL) in Gaaf dhaal Atoll, Funadhoo Airport (FND) in Shaviyani Atoll, Ifuru airport  (IFU) in Raa atoll, Thimarafushi airport ( TMF) in Thaa Atoll, Kulhuduffushi Airport (HDK) in Haa Dhaal Atoll, Hanimadhoo International Airport (HAQ) in Haa Alif Atoll, Kudahuvadhoo Airport or Dhaal Airport (DDD) in Dhaal Atoll, Koodoo Airport (GKK) in Gaafu Alif Atoll, Kaadedhoo Airport (KDM) in Gaafu Dhaal Atoll, Kadhdhoo Airport (KDO) in Laamu Atoll, Fuvahmulaku Airport (FVM) in Ganviyani Atoll, and Gan international Airport (GAN) in Addu atoll.

All airports make flights to Velana International Airport. Most airports could reach Male city in less than 40 minutes of time on average with the shortest one in 20-minute time and the longest one in 95-minute time. Manta Air, Flyme, and Maldivian are the domestic flight operators in the country. They operate both during the day and at night. Most domestic flights won't have business class and will have 35 to 60 seats, but you could have them chartered for your private resort entry. As for the baggage allowance policy, domestic airlines will allow 20 Kg of baggage per pax and 5 kg of hand luggage. The extra weight would be charged from $1 to $5 dollars.

Once you reach the domestic airport near the resort's island, the resort representatives would be outside to take you to the jetty where the speedboat would be ready to take you to the resort. In most instances, a speedboat would be less than 30 minutes. Upon return, the process would repeat from the back. At every stage of the transfer, resort representatives or Maldives tour operators (if you have booked your Maldives tour package from a Maldives tour operator) would be around to assist you with your hassle-free transfer.

Speed Boat or Luxury Yachts

Maldives resorts that are pretty close to Male' city offer its guests speedboat transfer which would generally be less than 30 minutes; 40 utmost. Some resorts have their own luxury yachts to get their guests over. But generally, resorts make use of speedboat transfers back and forth. Resorts that don't have their own luxury yachts could arrange private-chartered luxury yachts upon request for you.

Speedboat transfer, though a bit bumpy sometimes, is quite interesting cutting across the tranquil surface of the Indian Ocean. You could watch dolphins performing acrobatics here and there and flying fish on long flights now and then. Speedboat transfer is beneficial in that it gives you an adventurous transfer kicking off your Maldives vacation and it makes for less island transfer cost in your package.

The resort representatives would be waiting for you at the exit of Velana International Airport. Right across the exit, there would be boats and yachts anchored near the pier expecting their guests. The resort representatives would take you to your vessel.

Upon return as well, the resort representatives or Maldives tour operators would accompany your final checking-in.