Maldives - currency

The currency in the Maldives is the Rufiyaa (MVR).

The first currency used in the Maldives were cowry shells, but these days you’ll need to carry rufiyaa. You can only get it in the Maldives, so don’t try to exchange sterling for rufiyaa in the UK before you fly.

As a rough guide, one rufiyaa is worth just less than 5p. So, if you bring £200, you will get about Rf4,400 in return. You’ll use notes most often, from Rf5 (worth just over 20p) to Rf500, just over £22. There are also one and two rufiyaa coins. One rufiyaa is made up of 100 laari and there are 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 laari coins. A 10 laari coin is worth less than a halfpenny.

You can pay in some resorts using sterling or euros, while the US dollar is legal tender throughout the Maldives. So you could use up any American currency you might have or change your sterling into dollars before you leave the UK.

If you don’t have time to pick up your spending money before you leave, bring some sterling notes and swap them for rufiyaa at the airport. The Bank of Maldives counter in the arrival hall is the only dedicated foreign exchange in the islands. The alternative is to exchange money at banks in Malé, but queues are common.