Ramadan in the Maldives: what visitors should know

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the month of fasting. The Maldives is a Muslim country, and almost every Maldivian you meet on a local island will be fasting. From dawn until sunset they do not eat, drink (not even water) or smoke. Children, the sick, travellers and some others are excused.

Locally the month is often written Ramazan, and fasting is called *roadha*. People give to charity, share food with neighbours and spend evenings together. For a visitor on a local island, it is one of the best times to see community life up close.

You are not expected to fast. The only ask is discretion in public during daylight.

The Islamic calendar follows the moon, so Ramadan comes about 11 days earlier each year. The exact start is confirmed only when the new moon is sighted, so dates can shift by a day.

In 2028 Ramadan will fall in late January. For every other public holiday, see our Maldives festivals and public holidays guide.

Good news for the weather: in 2027 and the next few years, Ramadan falls in the dry northeast monsoon, which the Maldives Meteorological Service puts at January to March. Expect calm seas, clear water and plenty of sun. See the Maldives in February and the Maldives in March for what the weather is like.

Ramadan turns the island day around. Mornings are slow, afternoons are sleepy, and life returns at sunset.

Before dawn: suhoor

Families wake before first light to eat *suhoor*, the meal that has to last until evening. You may hear quiet voices and kitchen sounds around 4am, then the dawn call to prayer.

Daytime

Most people work shorter hours and rest in the hottest part of the day. Lanes are empty, many local cafés and shops are closed, and the island feels very calm.

Sunset: iftar

At sunset the call to prayer signals the end of the fast. In February and March that is around 6pm. Families break the fast with dates, water and fruit juice, then share a meal. Short eats such as *gulha* (fried fish balls) and *bajiya* (pastries filled with fish or vegetables) appear on many tables. Read more in our guide to Maldivian food and dishes to try.

Evening: Taraweeh and late nights

After the evening prayers, men and women go to the mosque for *Taraweeh*, extra night prayers held only in Ramadan. Afterwards the island wakes up. Cafés open, children play in the lanes, and people sit out on swings and benches until late. If you like a sociable evening, this is the time to be out.

Most of the changes are small and easy to plan around.

Cafés and restaurants

On local islands, many cafés close during the day and open around sunset. In recent years the Ministry of Economic Development has published Ramadan opening hours each year. In 2026 cafés and restaurants could open from 5:30pm until 3am, as reported by Atoll Times. Shops also have set hours, and these change year to year, so check locally.

Your guesthouse will still serve breakfast, lunch and dinner to its guests, usually in a dining area away from public view. Ask your host on arrival how meals will work.

Offices, banks and services

Government offices run shorter hours in Ramadan. Since 2022 the official hours have been 9am to 1pm (President’s Office, as reported). In recent years the last ten days of Ramadan have also been given as holidays for government staff, with essential services kept running. If you need anything official in Malé, such as help from Maldives Immigration, do it early in the month.

Banks and ATMs keep working, but branch hours may be shorter. On Dhiffushi, the Bank of Maldives ATM accepts foreign cards.

Ferries and speedboats

Boats keep running, but timings can move. In recent years MTCC has adjusted public ferry schedules during Ramadan, and most routes still do not run on Fridays. Shared speedboats may shift departures around iftar. Confirm your transfer the day before. Our getting around the Maldives guide covers the options, and the MTCC route 308 page covers the ferry to Dhiffushi.

Excursions and diving

Snorkelling trips, sandbank picnics, dolphin cruises and diving generally carry on. Crews are often fasting, so trips may start earlier or finish before sunset so everyone can get home for iftar.

The rules are simple and the same everywhere on inhabited islands.

• Don’t eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight. That includes beaches, lanes, harbours and the ferry. Drinking water quietly in your room or guesthouse is fine.
• On a boat trip, ask the crew before eating your packed lunch. They will usually say yes, and appreciate being asked.
• Dress as you would any other month: swimwear only on designated bikini beaches, and shoulders and knees covered elsewhere. See what to wear in the Maldives.
• Keep music low, especially near mosques and during prayer times.
• Don’t walk into a mosque during prayers, and don’t photograph people praying.
• Alcohol is not allowed on local islands in any month. See alcohol in the Maldives.
• If you are invited to share iftar, say yes. It is a real honour and a lovely way to meet a family.

A simple greeting helps too: “Ramadan Mubarak” is widely understood. For everyday island manners, read our local island etiquette guide.

Resorts are private islands with their own rules. They run as normal through Ramadan, with restaurants and bars open all day. If you split your trip between a local island and a resort, you will notice the contrast, but on the local island the daytime courtesy still applies.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, and in the Maldives it is often called *Kuda Eid*, the “small Eid”. It is one of the happiest times of the year.

The day starts with Eid prayers at the mosque in the morning. Then come new clothes, family visits, food shared between houses, sweets for children and, on many islands, games, music and *boduberu* drumming.

For travellers, Eid has two practical effects:

• Boats and rooms fill up. Eid is a public holiday of several days, and many people travel from Malé to their home islands or to local islands for a break. Book transfers and stays early.
• Some services pause. Government offices close, and some shops and cafés take a day or two off. Guesthouses stay open.

If you are on a local island at Eid, you may be welcome to watch or join the celebrations. Ask before taking photos.

On Dhiffushi, a local island of about 1,270 people on the eastern rim of North Malé Atoll, Ramadan follows the same rhythm: quiet days, guesthouse meals for guests, and lively evenings after iftar. Our guide to visiting Dhiffushi during Ramadan explains what it is like on the island.