Best Sim Card in Maldives For Tourists 2024

Sim Card in Maldives

In the Maldives, there are two ways to get data, texts and calls. Physical SIM cards and E Sim cards. E Sims are only available on certain phones so be sure to check before you purchase an E Sim.

If you are planning on island hopping the Maldives it is advised to get a sim to stay connected on your holiday. The data, calls and texts work throughout the Maldives even in the middle of the Indian Ocean. If it is your first time visiting the Maldives you can find out more information here. It is also useful if you plan on taking public ferries as they are slow so staying connected can keep you occupied.

How to get sim card in Maldives

Maldives Sim Card Airport

Velena International Airport in Male (the capital of the Maldives) Airport is the best way to get a physical sim card when you arrive in the Maldives. There are physical stores where you can see someone to get a physical sim and they also have sim card vending machines. There are people around to help you with the vending machines if you do need help. Also to note the vending machines only accept cards.

I had a look around and both the physical stores and the vending machines are exactly the same price so it doesn’t matter which one you go for. They are all priced in United States Dollars (USD) which is widely accepted in the Maldives as well as their local currency Maldivian Ruffiyya. If you would like more information about currency in the Maldives you can click here.

Maldives Tourist Sim Card

You will be looking for a tourist sim. The only providers that offer these are the Ooredoo and Dhiraagu networks.

I was advised to get one of these two providers as they both cover the whole of the Maldives. As I was island hopping this was a great option. If you get a physical sim on a local island it may only work for that particular island – just so you are aware.

Maldive Sim Card Price

Ooredoo Sim Card Maldives

	Tourist Pack 40	Tourist Pack 50	Tourist MiFi 100
Price	$40	$50	$100
Data	20GB	100GB	100GB
Local Minutes	150 MINS	300 MINS	–
Local SMS	150 SMS	300 SMS	–
Validity	30 DAYS	30 DAYS	30 DAYS

Dhiraagu Sim Card

	Traveller Lite	Traveller Premium
Price	$40	$50
Data	20GB	100GB
Local Minutes	150 MINS	300 MINS
Local SMS	150 SMS	300 SMS
Validity	30 DAYS	30 DAYS

In my opinion, 20GB is plenty as all hotels and guesthouses have Wifi you can use for free. You will only be using data when you are on a boat or navigating around the island. The minutes included in the package is very handy especially if you need to call your hotel for any reason.

Best Sim Card in Maldives

Ooredoo

I would say Ooredoo is the best sim card you can get. I got the 20GB E Sim from Airalo which cost me £31.50 (you can pay in pounds sterling). If it is your first time using Airalo you can use my code and get £2.50/$3 off your first purchase. You can also get 30GB for £39.

The Ooredoo connection was amazing I had no issues at all island hopping. I travelled to Male, Thulusdoo, Maafushi and Gulhi. What was even more impressive was the connectivity whilst on a boat in the ocean. It made my journeys fly by and it didn’t drop once.

If you are planing on taking the slow public ferry I would highly recommend getting a SIM card of some description.

Prepaid Sim Card in Maldives

All the tourist sim card in Maldives are prepaid sim cards. They do have a lot of data and cost from $40 upwards depending on how much data you need.

E Sim Card Vs Sim Card

E Sim card vs Sim card there are a few factors to consider:

1. Is your phone compatible with an E Sim ?- if you do have an older phone it is less likely it would have E Sim compatibility so it is best to check to be sure, you don’t want to purchase an E Sim if it doesn’t work as that would be a waste of money.

2. If you decide to get a physical sim do you have the eject tool to take your home country’s sim card out?

3. Do you need your home country’s sim card for any reason? sometimes you may need a code via text message to sign into an account so it is best to get an E Sim for that reason, otherwise, you need to change your physical SIM card back and forth.

Note: Do not turn your E Sim line off. Airalo has said that if you turn your E-Sim off it may not work and you will need to purchase another E-Sim so don’t turn the line off!

Sim card in Maldives Final thoughts

For convenience it is a lot easier to purchase and install an E Sim – this is for people who have a compatible phone. It is the same price as a physical SIM card in Maldives. You can purchase an E Sim before you depart and activate when you arrive in the Maldives.

Find out more about Ooredoo Sim Card in Maldives here. You can find out more about Dhiraagu here.