Ten Things You Should Know About the Maldives

Christina M. Horn, 04.01.2023

We reveal which animal species are endemic, why the sand doesn’t get hot and what the “forbidden islands” are all about.

For a long time, the 200 or so “local islands” were off-limits to tourists but in 2009, they were opened up and now small hotels, guesthouses and Airbnbs welcome travelers from all over the world. However, locals are still only allowed to enter the tourist islands to work as staff.