Responsible travel Maldives: reefs, plastic, local life

The Maldives is one of the lowest-lying countries on Earth. According to the World Bank, its land averages about 1.5 metres above sea level, and around 80% of it is less than 1 metre high. The whole country’s land area is only about 300 square kilometres, spread over roughly 1,200 small coral islands. Every island depends on the reef around it. The reef breaks the waves, builds the sand and feeds the fish that end up on your plate.

That reef is under pressure from warming seas. In 2016 a survey by the Maldives Marine Research Centre and the Environmental Protection Agency, with IUCN, found about 60% of the coral colonies they assessed were bleached, and up to 90% at some sites. In 2024 the Maldives Marine Research Institute raised its national coral bleaching alert, during what the US agency NOAA confirmed as the fourth global bleaching event on record. Bleached coral is not dead yet, but it is stressed. Extra damage from fins, hands and anchors makes recovery harder.

None of this means you shouldn’t visit. It means your choices count, especially in the water.

A few simple rules protect the reef, and you.

• Don’t stand on coral, even “dead-looking” coral. Live coral is easily broken, and you can cut your feet. If you need a rest, float on your back or head for sand.
• Don’t touch, chase or feed anything. That includes turtles, rays, nurse sharks and reef fish. Feeding changes animal behaviour, and touching can spread disease and remove protective mucus.
• Watch your fins. Kicking up sand smothers coral. Keep your body horizontal over shallow reef and move slowly.
• Use reef-safe sun protection. Many marine scientists advise avoiding sunscreens with oxybenzone and octinoxate. A rash vest or long-sleeved swim top cuts the amount of cream you need, and suits local-island dress norms too. See the packing list.
• Choose operators who brief you. A good guide explains the site, the current, where not to stand and how close to get to animals before you get in. If nobody mentions the reef, ask.
• Don’t take anything home. Leave shells, coral and sand where they are, and don’t buy coral or shell souvenirs. According to a Maldives Customs passenger guide published via the Civil Aviation Authority, items such as corals, black coral, triton shells, giant clams, conch shells, pearl oysters and turtle shell cannot be taken out of the country without a valid permit or licence.

For where and how to snorkel well, see our snorkelling guide.

On a small island, everything that arrives has to go somewhere, and too much ends up on the shore.

What the law says

The Maldives has been phasing out single-use plastic. In December 2022 the President’s Office republished a list of 13 single-use plastic items under the new Waste Management Act (Act No. 24/2022). Under the list, these items may no longer be made in the country, and each has a date from which its import is banned. As reported by state broadcaster PSM, the list includes items such as plastic straws, plastic plates and cutlery, styrofoam lunch boxes and thin plastic shopping bags.

What you can do

• Refill your water bottle wherever refills are offered. Many guesthouses and dive centres provide filtered or chilled water. Ask on arrival.
• Say no to straws and plastic bags in cafés and shops.
• Take away what you bring. Sunscreen tubes, batteries, wet wipes and snack wrappers are hard for island waste systems to deal with. Packing them out is the simplest fix.
• Skip balloons, glitter and plastic decorations for celebrations. They end up in the sea.

Fresh water is precious on a coral island. There are no rivers. Malé’s piped water is desalinated seawater, and resorts have long run their own desalination plants. On many local islands, people have traditionally relied on rainwater for drinking, and a UNDP and Green Climate Fund project has added desalination plants and rainwater systems in the north to help islands through the dry season.

Making and moving that water takes energy, and most island electricity has historically come from diesel generators. So:

• Take short showers and turn the tap off while you soap or brush.
• Turn off the air conditioning and lights when you leave your room.
• Reuse towels and sheets for a few days if you’re happy to.

On a small island these habits add up.

The Maldives is famous for manta rays, whale sharks, turtles, dolphins and reef sharks. Keep a respectful distance, never touch or ride animals, don’t use flash photography close to their faces, and leave if an animal is showing signs of stress. On boat trips, a good skipper slows down near turtles and dolphins and never encircles them.

Our marine life guide covers where and when to see each species and how to behave around them.

This is where independent travellers can make the biggest difference. According to the Ministry of Tourism, guesthouses now operate on about 116 inhabited islands, and around one in five visitors stays on a local island. When you stay there, more of what you spend is likely to reach island families.

How it works in practice:

• Stay in a guesthouse on a local island. Many are small and run by people from the island.
• Eat at local cafés. Try “short eats”, fish curry and roshi rather than imported food. See our Maldivian food guide.
• Book excursions on the island. Sandbank trips, snorkelling and fishing run by local boat crews keep the money in the community. Browse things to do for ideas.
• Buy local crafts and food, such as lacquerwork, woven mats, coconut products and dried fish snacks, rather than imported souvenirs. Ask where something was made.
• Tip fairly for good service. A 10% service charge is commonly added to bills, but a direct tip to a guide or boat crew is always appreciated.

On Dhiffushi, for example, visitors share an island with a community of about 1,270 people (2022 census). Read our local islands guide to choose an island that suits you.

Local islands are home to Muslim communities with their own laws and customs. Respecting them is part of responsible travel.

• Wear swimwear only on designated “bikini beaches”. Elsewhere, cover shoulders and knees.
• No nude or topless sunbathing anywhere in the country.
• Alcohol is not allowed on local islands. Don’t bring it.
• Expect shops and cafés to close for a while for Friday midday prayers.
• During Ramadan, don’t eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight on local islands. See our Ramadan guide.
• Ask before photographing people, especially women and children.

For more detail, read our local island etiquette guide and our guide to Maldivian culture, people and language.

Almost every visitor pays the green tax, collected by the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA). It’s charged per guest, per night, and is usually added to your accommodation bill.

As reported by PSM, the revenue goes into a Green Fund managed by the Ministry of Finance. It has been used for island projects such as water supply, sewerage, waste management and coastal protection. For how the green tax fits with tourism GST and service charges, see our money, costs and taxes guide.

“Eco” and “green” labels are everywhere, and not all are backed by real practice. Look for specifics instead. Does the place offer water refills? Does the dive or snorkel operator brief you on the reef? Are staff and guides from the island? Is food sourced locally where possible?

Ready to plan? Start with our Maldives travel guide.