Sun shirt

Take it from our first hand experience, the sun in the Maldives is intense. Couple that with the fact that you spend 99% of your time in the water and it’s a recipe for intense sun exposure and possible sunburn. And trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to have to purchase said sun shirt from the resort. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice that most resorts have little shops for anything that you may forget or need in a pinch, but it will cost you. Long story short, Jon got burnt after a few days (particularly on his shoulders from spending so much time snorkeling) that we had to spend $90 on a Rip Curl sunshirt to save him.  See exhibit A below.  A sun shirt was not something that was initially on our Maldives packing list, but we now know that it should have been.

Water shoes

Yup the same kind your mom used to squeeze your feet into every summer holiday. I promise that you’ll be thanking yourself for having water shoes if you’re going to be snorkeling and kayaking (which you better be doing!)

Sunglasses and Sun Hats

Keep in mind that your daily Maldives attire is probably going to consist of you wearing a bathing suit, hat and sunglasses. While occasionally throwing on your water shoes or a cover up. You’ll be pretty much able to get away with that. 

I recommend packing at least 1 hat and 2 pairs of sunglasses for the Maldives. (Two pairs so you have a backup if one breaks or gets lost).  Below is my go to sun hat and sunglasses!  I love these sunglasses because they are sold in a two pack – perfect!

Swimsuit Coverup or Kaftan

The last thing that is essential for you to pack to the Maldives is an easy swimsuit coverup. Think something to throw on while you’re walking through the resort on your way to getting in the water. This will be what you can throw on for lunch, for heading back to the room, or even to wear on your dolphin cruise! (Interested in learning more about what activities you should do in the Maldives? Read this guide next.

This is one of my favorite, classic cover ups.

Now let’s talk about what else you should pack for the Maldives that might not be as essential.

Other somewhat ‘less’ essential items for your Maldives packing list

Sun or Maxi Dresses

First things first, you’re probably going to want to pack a couple of nice dresses to wear to dinner at the resorts. A lot of these resorts are very high end and luxurious so make sure you check ahead of time if their restaurants have a dress code.  Anything in a bright pop of color will look great on you in the Maldives, trust me! 

Sandals

Yes I didn’t put shoes as an essential item because most of the time in the Maldives you won’t be wearing them! Especially not if you stay at a barefoot resort (yup that’s a thing!). I love being able to walk along the beach barefoot, and since I spent most of my trip in the water, water shoes or snorkeling flippers were the main thing I wore in the way of shoes! 

When you’re headed to dinner or exploring the resort though, a pair of easy to throw on sandals will be handy. Don’t go overboard on packing too many pairs of shoes though. I promise just a pair of sneakers for the flight and one or two pairs of sandals will be enough.  These sneakers are my all time favorite for travel and everyday wear.

On this same notion, ladies, if you intend to take hair tools with you, I strongly suggest looking into dual voltage tools.  I can’t tell you how many curling wands I’ve lost over the years because I did not understand the voltage differences. Not only will this save you in the Maldives but on other travels as well.  It’s worth the investment.  Below are a few of my favorites.

What not to pack for your trip to the Maldives.

Can you bring alcohol into the Maldives?

The short answer here is no. Since the Maldives is such an expensive country, people often think they can get by with bringing their own alcohol to cut costs. However, you cannot bring alcohol into the country. If you try to hide it in your suitcase they will find it and you can get in a lot of trouble. The good news here is that you can drink on the resort islands but nowhere else in the country. The Maldives is a muslim country so they have stricter alcohol laws than other places. 

Will there be weight restrictions on seaplane flights?

As I mentioned in my Maldives travel guide, the islands of the Maldives are not close together. Many of them can only be accessed by seaplane. That being said, do your research before you go. Make sure that your bag isn’t too heavy for the restrictions on seaplanes. You can find this information on your resort’s website usually but if you have additional questions, make sure you reach out and ask them. Again, though, you do not need to pack a ton of clothes, shoes, jackets etc for this trip. You just simply won’t need it all. 

Add the Maldives to your bucket list. 

Even talking about packing for the Maldives has me wishing I was planning my own escape right now! Does this have you excited to take a trip to the Maldives? If yes, make sure to read my ultimate Maldives travel guide because I know that you will love it! 

Do you have questions about what to pack for the Maldives? Drop your questions in the comments below and I’ll help you get ready for your trip. 

Don’t forget to share this Maldives packing list on social media. It’s an easy (and totally free) way to support me and help me continue to create free content for you. I’ll see you in the Maldives!