There are no direct flights from Australia to Malé. Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qatar Airways and Emirates have flights to Malé from their respective base/local hubs. Dubai is 14 hours from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, while Singapore and Kuala Lumpur cut the time down to seven hours.
International flights to the island arrive at Malé’s Hulhule Airport. From here, you have the following choices to get to your resort island: (a) seaplanes, which are fast and offer you stunning views of uninhabited islands but cost you a bit and operate only during the day (b) supply boats, which are slow but inexpensive (c) speedboats that offer a good balance between speed and price and (d) domestic flights operated by the island’s two large domestic airlines, Maldivian and Flyme .
If you want to explore the islands, you have four options. One is by boat or dhoni as the locals call it. You can charter a dhoni at your resort or take your pick from the many at the harbour. Speedboats can also get you around, with the smaller runabouts costing you less than the huge multi-deck ones. Dhonis are quieter than speedboats, come equipped with a sun roof, and serve as good diving boats.
As Malé is the only island where you’ll need to travel by road, you’ll find cars, taxis and motorcycles here. You can also cover the island on foot; walking from one end to another doesn’t take up a lot of time. It’s really easy to find restaurants, shops and other commercial establishments in Malé. If you don’t feel up to it, you can take a cab but you will only be driven to your destination and there will be no stopping in between. Bicycles are also another cost-effective option, with some island resorts renting them out for as low as $3 per day.
