Phrases to know before travelling to the Maldives – communicating with the locals

Airports always have English as a secondary language, and in the Maldives as well, the condition is the same. English instructions are there in every document that you get to fill in, and most of the tour agents also speak good English. But, since you get to deal with speed boat riders, tuk-tuk drivers and taxi owners sometimes, it's always better to know some basic phrases. Know how to give directions (left, right, turn, straight, etc) in Dhivehi which is the official language of the Maldives. Also know how to ask where a certain place is and then, the way to ask how much will it cost for the ride/drive.

With resorts the likes of Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, your Maldivian holiday is going to be super impressive and that's guaranteed. Any Maldives luxury resort of this sort is capable of handling their guests from different parts of the world, and because of this, they know other languages as well in addition to English. So you don't need to worry about communicating with the hotel staff at any point. But, it'll always be better if you know the basic terms to say when something in the room is not working, to ask about the laundry, etc.

Say you are island hopping to a rural island in the Maldives. Although staff at star-rated touristy restaurants are fluent in their English, the ones at rural restaurants may not be. This is where you need to know some Maldivian terms, and that will make your dining experience much better. Learn how to order some food items (the 'can I have' phrase), and then the way to say that you are allergic to some ingredient. It's also a wise thing to know how to ask where the bathroom is, and also the way to ask whether the tip is included in the bill.

If you get to visit the faraway islands in the Maldives, you will surely want to buy something from the small vendors there to remember your journey. Some vendors are not even 12 years of age, and if you don't know their language, they may sometimes run away when you start questioning them in English. So, just know how to ask a price of a certain item, and the way to ask if they have changed with them.

At street and night markets, it's a fact that you can always bargain. In addition to knowing how to inquire about the prices, it will also be beneficial for you to know how to ask about discounts as bargaining pays a good role there.