New Maldives Fees ?

[Jon Hacking]

When we visited the Maldives in 2007 & 2009 we avoided the high fees in Male ($500+) & just went to Gan in Addu Atoll (the southernmost atoll). Gan (& Ulagan, the northernmost atoll) were always essentially free for the first couple weeks, then a small fee if you stayed a month.

Now we hear rumors that Gan may be charging very high fees, like Male. Can anyone confirm or deny this, please?

In early 2011 we are planning to sail to the Andemans, Madras (now Chennai) & then Gan on our way to Chagos. (And yes, we know about the increasing Chagos fees). Thanks!

[goboatingnow]

there a fairly recent link on this on noonsite

Noonsite: Maldives – Amendment to Regulations

Dave

[Jon Hacking]

Thanks Dave. I think the official position has always been high fees, but Gan has not always seen eye-to-eye with Male (Gan is the home of the opposition party). Gan tended to charge much less, despite the official word.

That article mentions fees but seemed to be more about boats now being allowed to stay up to 3 months than a change in fees at Gan. The main Noonsite page on Gan still says "Stays up to 72 hours are free, apart from a $4 anchoring fee" but it's dated 2009.

When the Brits had their air-base in Gan, they also put in schools - nominally to educate the service-folks kids, but they also educated the local kids. The level (& type) of education in Addu has long been "better" than the rest of the the archipelago.

[Laidback]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

Now we hear rumors that Gan may be charging very high fees, like Male. Can anyone confirm or deny this, please?

In early 2011 we are planning to sail to the Andemans, Madras (now Chennai) & then Gan on our way to Chagos. (And yes, we know about the increasing Chagos fees). Thanks!

Hi,
was told yesterday by a boat crew going to Chagos that the "checkin" fee being levied by GAN (Addu Atol- Maldives) is now $500.
They have decided to give Maldives a miss for last stop provisions etc.

NB . in addition to new fees for Chagos, all new permits in 2011 will be limited to 28 days.

[dana-tenacity]

Or in other words they don't want visiting sailboats there.

[alpha maldives]

if you need any information regarding cruising in Maldives , please send us request on info(AT)alphamaldives(dot)com

[SvenG]

Welcome to Cruisers' Forum !

Originally Posted by alpha maldives

if you need any information regarding cruising in Maldives , please send us request on info(AT)alphamaldives(dot)com

If you have information about the fee structure and how it is enforced could you post it here ? Having everyone contact you individually is a lot less efficient and might leave you with a lot of work

Thanks,



-Sven

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by SvenG

Welcome to Cruisers' Forum !



If you have information about the fee structure and how it is enforced could you post it here ? Having everyone contact you individually is a lot less efficient and might leave you with a lot of work

Thanks,



-Sven

Hi

www.alphamaldives.com redirect to www.maldivesyachtsupport.com

I believe it is na agency so they are expected to do some work...

[Jon Hacking]

Originally Posted by DoubleWhisky

...www.alphamaldives.com redirect to www.maldivesyachtsupport.com...

Unfortunately, that Maldives link is still under construction. I agree with Sven - if anyone has recent info on Addu Atoll (or the rest of the Maldives, but Addu is usually different) could you please post it here? Thanks!

[DoubleWhisky]

Originally Posted by Jon Hacking

Unfortunately, that Maldives link is still under construction. I agree with Sven - if anyone has recent info on Addu Atoll (or the rest of the Maldives, but Addu is usually different) could you please post it here? Thanks!

Sven view is O.K. of course, but on the other hand I wouldn't expect the professional yacht agency to post their knowledge there...
For cruisers, with some Maldives experience - completely other thing

[Pete7]

Given, the rest of the problems in the Indian Ocean, I am suprised that the fee for stopping is so high. Good to see someone refusing to pay it too.

Pete

[Jon Hacking]

Yeah, over 100 cruisers seem to cross the Indian every year, but very few stop at Male. We'll probably only stop in Addu for 3 days, for fuel & fresh fruits & veggies before a month in Chagos.

The Maldives is really shooting themselves in the wallet by charging such outrageous fees for a cruising permit, especially since much of the coral in the northern atolls got bleached. But it seems they actually don't like our heretical ideas polluting the minds of the locals. They'd rather we just spend our money & leave, so they put their resorts far away from their villages. Cruisers sort of upset that, especially in Addu, where locals & foreigners can mingle (the Brits built causeways between the western motus).

I wrote to Alpha Maldives & told him that if he wants more business from cruisers, he's got to convince his government to change their fee structure. Now that Guyoom's(sp?) party is out, we were hoping they'd become more yacht friendly. We Shall See...