Embassy of Maldives in China

Information for Chinese visiting Maldives

 

Entry and Visa:

•  No prior visa is required to travel to the Maldives.

•  A 30-day free visa is issued on arrival for all Nationalities, provided the following conditions are met:

•  Should posses a valid passport and

•  Have a valid ticket to continue the journey out of Maldives and

•  Have enough funds to cover the expenses for duration of the stay in Maldives. (US$100 + $50 dollars per day) or a confirmation of reservation in a Tourist Resort or a Hotel

•  For more information: www.immigration.gov.mv

•  For information on getting to the Maldives, where to stay and what to do in the Maldives: www.visitmaldives.com

 

Currency:

•  Maldivian currency is Rufiyaa and Laari.

•  The exchange rate for 1 US Dollar = MRf. 12.85

•  One Rufiyaa is equivalent to 100 Laari.

•  Payments in resorts and hotels can be made in cash, travelers' cheques or credit cards (Commonly used credit cards – Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diners Club, JCB and Euro Card).

Climate:

•  Climate of the Maldives is sunny, warm and humid throughout the year with occasional showers of tropical rain.

•  Average temperature is between 29 – 32 degrees Celcius.

•  Southwest monsoon: rain and wind – May to September.

•  Northeast monsoon: warm and dry – November to April.

•  For more information: www.meteorology.gov.mv

 

What to Wear:

•  Due to the warm climate in the Maldives it is ideal to wear cotton clothing.

•  Government regulations do not allow public nudity.

•  When visiting inhabited islands and the capital city it is recommended to wear modest clothing, especially women.

 

Language:

•  Dhivehi is the spoken language but English is widely spoken by Maldivians.

•  Staff in the resorts speaks variety of languages including English, French, Italian, German, Japanese etc.

 

Customs:

•  By law, it is prohibited to import firearms, drugs, alcoholic beverages, pornographic materials and idols of worship.

•  To import alcohol, an official license is required.

•  Alcoholic beverages are available on resorts.

•  No alcoholic beverages are sold in Malé and inhabited islands.

•  More information: www.customs.gov.mv

Information for Maldivians visiting China

 

Entry and Visa:

•  Diplomatic and Official passport holders do not require prior visa to arrival China for short visits.

•  Ordinary passport holders are required to obtain visa from the Embassy of China in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

•  Chinese Embassy in Colombo considers issuing multiple entry visas for Maldivian businessmen travelling to China, on case by case.

•  For more information: http://lk.chineseembassy.org/eng/lsyw/visaaffairs/t174142.htm

 

Currency:

Currency:

•  Chinese currency is Renminbi Yuan and Cents.

•  The exchange rate for 1 US Dollar = RMB 6.50 (at the time of this information)

•  One Yuan is equivalent to 100 Cents.

Climate:

•  Rainy season is mainly – May to September.

•  Sometimes rich rainfalls create floods and drought accounts for the dry air in winter.

•  Based on rainfall, there are – wet area, semi-wet area, semi-dry area and dry area.

•  Cold-temperate zone: north part of Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia.

•  Mid-temperate zone: Jilin, northern Xinjiang, and most of Heilongjiang, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia.

•  Warm-temperate zone: area of the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Hebei Province (Beijing is in Hebei Province).

•  Subtropical zone: South of isotherm of Qinling Mountain-Huaihe River, east of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

•  Tropical zone: Hainan province, southern Taiwan, Guangdong (Guangzhou & Shenzhen are in Guangdong Province), and Yunnan Province

•  Plateau climate zone: Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

•  Northern winters can be extremely cold which is from December to March. Beijing may experience -20C at night, dry and no sun.

•  Near Guangzhou , between July and September, the summer is a season of typhoons. Temperatures can rise to 38C . Winters are short, between December and March. It is would not be as cold as in the North, but it is advisable to carry warm clothes while visiting.

•  Autumn and Spring can be good times to visit, with day temperatures in the 20C to 25C ( 68F to 75F ) range. Sometimes, it can be miserably wet and cold, with rain or drizzle. Average rainfall per year: 76 cm (30 inches).

•  For more information: www.travelchinaguide.com and www.china-travel-tour-guide.com

 

Language:

Language:

•  Mandarin is official language of China and it is widely spoken all over China.

•  It would be handy to carry a “Mandarin Phrase Book” which has English to Mandarin.

•  Most staff at hotels can speak or understand English. However locals on the streets, vendors, taxi drivers etc. do not usually speak English.

 

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