Leaving the Maldives: a departure checklist

• Book your transfer back to the airport before you arrive, and confirm it again a day or two before you leave.
• Avoid relying on a Friday public ferry; most routes do not run.
• Leave a buffer for weather: aim to reach the airport area well ahead of check-in, or spend the last night near the airport.
• No departure IMUGA form is needed. Departure taxes are included in the air fare.
• Allow at least 24 hours between your last dive and your flight.
• Do not pack coral, shells or turtle products.
• Spend or change your leftover rufiyaa before you go.

Almost every independent traveller ends the trip with a boat ride. Velana International Airport sits on Hulhulé, next to Malé, and every international departure leaves from there. How you get there depends on where you are staying. See our guide to getting around the Maldives for the full picture.

Speedboats

Shared speedboats are the usual link between the airport and local islands within reach of Malé. They run to set times, and the schedule rarely bends around your flight. Ask your guesthouse for the departure times on your last day before you book your flight home, not after. If the only boat that day reaches the airport too close to check-in, take an earlier one.

From Dhiffushi, for example, the shared speedboat takes about 40 to 50 minutes to the airport. Add time for waiting at the jetty and loading bags. Our how to get to Dhiffushi guide covers the route in both directions.

Public ferries

Public ferries are cheap and give a real slice of island life, but they are slow, run on limited days and usually take cash in rufiyaa. Most routes have no Friday service. They suit the start of a trip better than the end. If you do use one, read our public ferries guide and plan at least one spare connection.

Domestic flights and seaplanes

If you are leaving from a distant atoll, a domestic flight to Velana is the usual way back. Seaplanes fly in daylight only, so an evening international flight is easier to connect than an early-morning one. If your domestic and international flights are on separate tickets, leave a generous gap; a missed connection may not be the airline’s problem.

The sea decides the timetable. In the southwest monsoon (mid-May to November) strong winds and swell can delay or cancel small boats, and a rough crossing takes longer even when it does run. The northeast monsoon (January to March) is usually calmer, but no month is guaranteed.

A sensible rule: if your flight leaves in the morning, or you are coming from an island more than an hour away, spend your last night near the airport. If your flight is in the evening and your island is close, a same-day transfer is usually fine, with the earliest practical boat. Check the forecast from the Maldives Meteorological Service the day before, and read our guide to weather hazards.

Friday is the weekly day of rest. Most public ferries do not run, some shops and cafés close around the midday prayer, and offices are shut. If your flight is on a Friday or a Saturday morning, sort out transfers, laundry and any last shopping by Thursday. On a local island, check that your boat is running on a Friday rather than assuming the usual weekday schedule.

Hulhumalé is the most practical place to stay before an early flight. It is a short road trip from the terminal, with buses, taxis, cafés and a beach for a final swim (remember bikinis are not permitted on its public beach). Either way, you remove the risk of a cancelled boat on the day you fly.

Velana’s own guidance is that most airline counters open at least two hours before departure, and it asks passengers to check in at least two hours ahead. Airlines set their own windows, and long-haul flights often open earlier, so check with your airline. At busy times, especially in the evening when many long-haul flights leave, arriving about three hours ahead is safer.

International flights use Terminal 1, opened in July 2025. Our Velana airport guide covers the layout and transport. On departure, the airport describes these steps:

• Bags are screened as you enter the terminal.
• Check in with your airline and check your boarding pass before you leave the counter.
• Go through emigration with your passport and boarding pass ready.
• At security, put electronics and metal items in a separate tray and remove jackets and hats.
• Watch the flight information screens for your gate.

Liquids, gels and aerosols in containers over 100 ml go in checked baggage, and power banks go in hand luggage, not in the hold.

No departure IMUGA form

Maldives Immigration stopped requiring the IMUGA Traveller Declaration for departing travellers from 15 August 2024 (as reported). You still need it for arrival, within 96 hours before you land; see our visa and entry guide. The only official site is imuga.immigration.gov.mv, and it is free.

Departure taxes are already paid

Since 1 December 2024, tickets issued include a departure tax and an airport development fee. For a foreign economy passenger the two add up to about USD 100; business and first class pay more. You do not pay anything at the airport.

Maldivian rules require 24 hours between your last dive and a flight (as reported, 2024). Many divers take a full day off, and it is safest to treat seaplanes and domestic flights as flying too.

Pack with the rules in mind. Many marine products need a permit to leave the country, according to the Maldives Customs passenger guide (December 2024). The simple answer is not to buy or collect them at all:

• Coral, living or dead, and coral rock.
• Shells and sand from beaches and reefs.
• Turtle shell (tortoiseshell) products, which are illegal.
• Products from protected species such as rays.

Choose locally made crafts instead. For the full list of allowances and restricted items, see Maldives customs allowances. If you take prescription medicines home, keep them in their original packs with the prescription.

US dollars are widely accepted in tourism, but you may still end up with rufiyaa from ferries, cafés and small shops. The easiest plan is to spend it: a final meal, snacks for the flight, or a souvenir on the island. Rufiyaa can be hard to change abroad, so do not carry much home. Our rufiyaa guide explains notes, coins and paying.

Before you leave your guesthouse, check the final bill. Rates are often quoted before tax, so look for the 17% Tourism GST, the green tax per night and the service charge, and ask about anything you do not recognise. On Dhiffushi there is a Bank of Maldives ATM that accepts foreign cards.