Everything people ask before they fly.

Yes. Most seaplanes land on the lagoon at a resort's floating platform, and a speedboat takes you the last few minutes to the local island's harbour; a few islands - Thoddoo, Fulhadhoo, Kamadhoo, Velidhoo - also have a scheduled seaplane that lands at the island itself on set days. Seaplanes currently land at 78 resort lagoons across the atolls, and most inhabited islands in Ari, Baa, Lhaviyani, Vaavu, Faafu, Dhaalu, Meemu, Raa and Noonu are within a short boat ride of one. Seaplanes.mv arranges the flight and the boat together.

Roughly 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the atoll. Estimated from the distances: South Ari 25–35 minutes; North Ari 20–25 minutes; Baa 30–35 minutes; Lhaviyani about 40 minutes; Vaavu 20–25 minutes; Faafu about 40 minutes; Dhaalu about 45 minutes; Meemu about 40 minutes; Raa about 45 minutes; Noonu about 45 minutes. Add a short speedboat ride from the lagoon platform to the island, usually 5 to 20 minutes.

Seaplanes fly in daylight only, roughly 06:00 to 18:00, because they land visually on open water. The working rule is to land in Malé by about 15:30; for the longer routes to Noonu, Dhaalu or Meemu, earlier is safer. Land later and you spend a night in Malé or Hulhumalé and fly the next morning.

Mostly not. Seaplanes to resort lagoons are planned each day around who is flying where and when their international flights land, and your slot is usually confirmed the day before you travel - you book against your arrival flight, not a flight number. The exception is the scheduled seaplanes to a few local islands (Thoddoo on Thursday and Saturday; Fulhadhoo on Thursday and Saturday; Kamadhoo on Thursday and Saturday; Velidhoo on Wednesday and Friday), which fly on set days.

It depends on the route, and we quote yours in writing before you pay anything. As a reference point, the Malé to Dhigurah transfer in South Ari is USD 283 per adult and USD 185 per child under 12, one way, with taxes and the boat included. Longer routes generally cost more.

It depends on the operator and the route: from 15 kg up to 25 kg per person, including hand baggage, with no single bag over 32 kg. We confirm yours with the booking. Passengers and bags are weighed together at check-in. Excess is charged by the kilo at the counter. Soft bags stow more easily than hard cases.

Usually, yes. Moderate rain is flown through routinely. Thunderstorms and low cloud are what stop flying, since the whole operation is visual. Delays of an hour or so are far more common than cancellations.

For islands close to Malé - Maafushi, Guraidhoo, Gulhi, Thulusdhoo, Himmafushi, Huraa, Dhiffushi and their neighbours in North and South Malé Atoll - a speedboat of 20 to 45 minutes is faster, cheaper and needs no daylight cut-off. The seaplane earns its fare for the further atolls, where the boat takes two to four hours.

Yes. Seaplanes carry around fifteen people and fly full in the high season, roughly December to April. Request your transfer as soon as you have your international flights; a few days ahead usually works outside peak weeks, and we tell you straight away if a date is tight.

Yes. Choose Return in the planner and add the day and time your flight home leaves Malé. The return seaplane has to reach Velana in daylight, so international departures after about 09:00 work; for an earlier flight you take an afternoon seaplane the day before and stay in Malé or Hulhumalé.

Tell us your flight numbers when you book and we watch the arrival. If you land late but still inside the daylight window, you go on a later rotation. If you land after the cut-off, we arrange a night in Malé or Hulhumalé and the first suitable seaplane the next morning.

From the seaplane terminal on the far side of Velana International Airport (MLE). After immigration and baggage, look for the seaplane desk in the arrivals hall; a shuttle takes you round in a few minutes. You check in there, are weighed with your bags, and wait by the water for your rotation.

The seaplane lands on a resort lagoon and taxis to a floating platform. A speedboat meets you at the platform and takes you and your bags to the harbour of your local island, usually in 5 to 20 minutes. Your guesthouse is normally waiting at the jetty.

Yes - that is what this site is for. All 29 islands on Seaplanes.mv are inhabited local islands with guesthouses, reached by seaplane to a nearby resort lagoon and a short boat ride.

Among them: Dhigurah (South Ari), Dhangethi (South Ari), Mahibadhoo (South Ari), Fenfushi (South Ari), Maamigili (South Ari), Rasdhoo (North Ari), Ukulhas (North Ari), Mathiveri (North Ari), Thoddoo (North Ari), Dharavandhoo (Baa), Eydhafushi (Baa), Thulhaadhoo (Baa), Goidhoo (Baa), Fulhadhoo (Baa), Fehendhoo (Baa), Kamadhoo (Baa), Naifaru (Lhaviyani), Hinnavaru (Lhaviyani), Fulidhoo (Vaavu), Keyodhoo (Vaavu), Felidhoo (Vaavu), Rakeedhoo (Vaavu), Magoodhoo (Faafu), Nilandhoo (Faafu), Kudahuvadhoo (Dhaalu), Muli (Meemu), Ungoofaaru (Raa), Manadhoo (Noonu), Velidhoo (Noonu). Islands close to Malé are faster by speedboat.

Near Malé, the speedboat is quicker and cheaper. For Vaavu, Ari, Baa, Lhaviyani, Raa, Noonu, Faafu, Dhaalu and Meemu, the seaplane turns a two-to-four-hour boat ride into under an hour. Domestic flights serve islands with a runway (Maamigili, Dharavandhoo, Kudahuvadhoo, Ifuru) and have no lagoon cut-off, but add a boat or a connection at the other end.

If your island is more than about an hour from Malé by boat, usually yes: it saves most of a day, and the flight low over the atolls is one of the great views in the world. For islands near Malé, the boat is the sensible choice and we say so.

Yes. Children travel with you on the same seaplane; child fares apply under 12 (on the Dhigurah route, USD 185 one way). Tell us their ages when you book so the seats and weights are right.

Yes, arranged in advance. Bags are weighed with you and long items need space on the aircraft, so list them in your request. Excess weight is charged by the kilo at check-in.

Nothing is paid when you request a trip. We reply in writing with confirmed times and a fare, then send a secure card link. You can also arrange everything by WhatsApp.

Seaplanes fly all year. December to April is the drier north-east monsoon, with calmer seas and clear views; May to November is the wetter south-west monsoon, with more showers and occasional weather delays, but also quieter islands.

Licensed Maldivian seaplane operators fly the aircraft - de Havilland Canada Twin Otters on floats. Seaplanes.mv arranges the transfer for you, including the boat to your island, and is not an airline.

Seaplanes.mv is run by Z Foundation Pvt Ltd (company registration C-0047/2013) from Dhigurah, Alif Dhaal (South Ari) Atoll. We arrange seaplane transfers for travellers staying on local islands.