Maldives Digital Nomad Experience - How to work from home remotely in Maldives.

Is Maldives good for remote work or work from home?

Maldives is  a great place for digital nomads because you have everything you need to work from home. If you enjoy the beach, warm tropical weather and if the ocean calls your soul to come and play then Maldives is the place for you. Most hotels have great internet connectivity and most of the time it’s free. You can customize a remote working package that meets your particular needs. 

Is the wifi fast enough?

So first things first. The most important thing when you are a digital nomad working from home is to know whether the wifi in Maldives is good enough. According to fast.com the internet speed here at this moment is 48Mbps. I worked for my previous company in Hong Kong from here for three months with no internet problems and since then I have had guests work here who have said they have had few problems. If the wifi does go out I recommend getting a local SIM.

If you get a local SIM which costs around 50USD per month, you will have connectivity most everywhere in Maldives and the 4G connection is not bad at all. There are two providers Ooredoo and Dhiraagu both with good coverage. You can pick up your local sim at the airport, convenience shops in local islands and also at most resorts/hotels. 

Is Maldives Safe for a digital nomad?

The short answer is yes. As with any country when you are traveling, I recommend that you lock your room when you go out, and keep your valuables within sight when you are out. Take normal precautions. For example in Male’ the capital, I as a woman wouldn’t walk around alone at night. Here in Hanimaadhoo I feel completely safe. This is a small community so people tend to know each other and are very neighborly. Do a little research on the island that you are going to as each island community can be a little different. 

Isn’t Maldives tourism just resorts?

Definitely not. Over the last few years local islands in Maldives have been able to open city hotels and guest houses which allows vacationers and digital nomads a way to really experience true Maldives. This is many times much more affordable than staying at a resort and lets you get to know the people, the culture and have a completely immersive experience as a digital nomad.  Islands such as Maafushi are full of guest houses and are very popular with tourists but if you are looking for something a bit more off the beaten path, then a place like Hanimaadhoo is perfect. 

Do I need a visa to remote work from Maldives as a digital nomad?

On arrival everyone receives a 30 day visa, you just need to have a hotel booking for your entire stay. For updated information on visa requirements please visit the Maldives Immigration Website.

How much does it cost to work remotely from Maldives?

The cost of your stay can vary depending on the type of hotel/guesthouse/resort you choose. This also varies based on if you opt to work with a property to customize your  remote work package. You can find packages for as little as 500USD a week. Guest houses normally can range from 30 USD a night upwards, again this depends on the type of guest house/property. You can usually find a good meal at a restaurant for less than 10 USD. While we don’t have a lot of guest houses here on Hanimaadhoo, you can expect to find different price ranges as well as different quality of accommodation and services. 

Some guest houses on the island other than us here at Vilvuveli Holiday Retreat are: Cerulean View residences, Himeyn Beach Retreat. We also have the Barefoot Eco Hotel on Hanimaaadhoo which is a larger city hotel and is more remotely located from the town proper. 

When is the best time to work remotely from Maldives?

Personally I enjoy working here year round but I am obviously biased. November to April are the best times to visit Maldives as the weather is relatively nice with few storms. November to April are our peak tourist months in Maldives whether you are working remotely or here for a vacation. May to November is when we have some rain and storms but it is also when we have bigger swells so this is a great time to come if you love to surf. Even when it rains in Maldives you will find some sunshine. Nevertheless, during this time we just need to take a little extra care and check the whether when we are on the water or doing excursions. 

How to be a Digital Nomad in Maldives

1. Figure out when you would like to come to Maldives and look for tickets. Give yourself some time to find the best flight deals if you are working towards a certain budget. 
2. Get health insurance. We always hope this is never needed but it is a good security blanket to have when you are a digital nomad working from Maldives or anywhere. 
3. Think about the time difference and how it may affect your work day. If you are working at random times you want to stay in a place that gives you the flexibility to do things around your schedule. For example some hotels and guest houses have fixed meal times and are not very flexible. 
4. Decide what you would like your dream digital nomad work life balance to include – would you like to experience resort life, would you like to experience the local culture and more have more flexibility? Do you dive? Do you surf? What are you looking for?
5. Take some time to research the different options for accommodation that fit your dream digital nomad experience in Maldives. 

Viluveli – everything you need for your Maldives digital nomad experience

At Viluveli, because we have experienced it ourselves, we know what it’s like to work remotely in different time zones with distributed teams. We know the importance of being connected and having a comfortable work space. Thus we want you to feel at home while remote working in whatever time zone. Other than free wifi, we can help you set up your workspace to your requirements for your ultimate work from home setup. Just let us know in advance what you need. Also if you are having something like a group remote working retreat – we can provide space for conferences and workshops as necessary.  We aim to make you feel at home so if you are working from Viluveli as a digital nomad long term, we will customize the remote work package to your needs.