Before you travel to Maldives you might be thinking about the currency. Maldivian currency is called as Rufiyaa (MRf), which is when linked to Dollar around MRf.12.75 per One US Dollar.

Most of the resorts and even the local island will accept US Dollars as payments too. Make sure that you are bringing them in small quantities like $1, $5 and $10. This doesn’t mean that they do not accept any other currencies. Many of the larger resorts accept Euros, Sterling pounds, Yen and some other major currencies. It is always better to check with your resort before you exchange into local currency (as it is not always something that you have to do).

Sometimes you might lose by converting. For example, if you try paying your room bill at large resorts in local currency, they might convert it to dollars again and there you are losing twice on the exchange rate. So always check before you do so.

If you are looking for banks, you can find them in Male’ and also in larger inhabited island. Never expect to find a bank or ATM machines at resorts or smaller local islands. Most of the small shops on local islands are unlikely to have machines to accept credit card payments for goods. It is always a good idea that you have enough cash with you when you need to go for shopping before you leave your resort. If you give cheques instead of notes as room rent, from resorts they would cash the cheque for you, but they will charge a large amount as commissions.

Many of the resorts manages on a signing system so that you don’t have t carry any cash with you. In this system you just sign for all the items and then settle that amount by using credit card or with traveler’s cheques at the end of your stay. In this system, everything will be priced by US dollars.

Therefore it is very important that you bring travelers’ cheques in US dollar. Again, it is advisable for you to bring Dollars (cash) when you go to buy souvenirs at the end of your stay, as local island price souvenirs in US dollar and not in Rufiyaa.

You don’t need local currency (Rufiyaa) even at the airport, as Male’ airport priced everything in US Dollars too.