The Maldives Foreign Ministry has tightened entry requirements for tourists after a spike in coronavirus infections at more than a dozen resorts.
The Maldives reopened its borders to tourists of all nationalities on 15th July 2020. When the island nation first re-opened for travelers, visitors do not require to be tested or carry virus-free certificates when entering the country.
However, following recent COVID-19 cases that 29 local staff and 16 foreigners have tested positive at the resorts, new guidelines and requirements came into effect.
Now, all tourists will be required to present a negative Covid-19 test result on arrival.
All resort facilities and tourist establishments have been regulated to ensure that they are in line with the COVID-19 tourism guidelines; a COVID-19 safe tourism guideline has been issued by the Ministry of Tourism along with a certification program to uphold proper safety and hygiene standards.
A pre-arrival Visa is not required to gain entry into the country. Tourists are provided a 30-day free Visa on arrival.
The tourists’ Passport must have at least 1-month validity from the date of expected departure in the Maldives.
Traveller Health Declaration has to be filled and submitted via the online portal of Maldives Immigration, “Imuga”, imuga.immigration.gov.mv within 24 hours prior to departure.
The Maldives has been a celebrity magnet over the years. Celebrities from around the globe flock to the Maldives for their own luxurious downtime in the promise of anonymity. And COVID-19 will not change it.
Former Victoria’s Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio is back in the Maldives again with her family at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi.
Alessandra shared a series of videos and pictures to her 10.2 million Instagram followers where her family was seen very excited arriving at the resort and enjoying multiple activities throughout their vacation, including bicycle rides, lounging by the pool, and working out at the gym. They also celebrated her daughter’s 12th birthday with a floating breakfast in one of the beautiful pools of the resort. In one of her pictures, the caption reads “Back to my happy place” – Maldives shares the sentiment; Alessandra was also spotted vacationing at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi last November.
The Maldives is an evergreen tourist destination unmatched by any other, thanks to its natural beauty, white sandy beaches, and clear blue turquoise waters; brimming with adventure on the surface and beyond. It is a hotspot for international celebrities from around the world. In fact, Gerard Piqué and Shakira are currently taking some time off and enjoying a lovely family vacation with their two children at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi. There have been several other celebrity sightings in the Maldives including Bollywood stars Mouni Roy, Parineeti Chopra and Sara Ali Khan who spent her new year at LUX* North Male’ Atoll, and American pop-icon Madonna who also rang into the new year by celebrating it at Vakkaru Maldives. Award-winning actor and DJ Idris Elba celebrated the new year at One & Only Reethi Rah where guests were treated to a surprise DJ performance by him. Earlier this year, Kandima’s football stadium saw a friendly football match between a team of in-house guests led by legendary Danish footballer Daniel Agger, and a team selected from amongst the resort’s employees.
Photo Credit: Alessandra Ambrosio @ Instagram
