Maldives has almost zero covid requirements for entry

When we start talking about failed prevention methods during Covid, countries like The Maldives is a good case study. It is also a great example of a country that suffered more than most by ever implementing the requirements to begin with since the island nation depends almost entirely on tourism for the residents' livelihood.

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Normally I write about budget-friendly, backpacker destinations when doing this blog and I'll get out there right away and say that The Maldives is definitely not that. I was able to go to The Maldives about a decade ago but it was on a heavily discounted group rate double-occupying a bungalow but even then it still cost me more than $100 a day. Budget accommodation for tourists doesn't really exist in this country and it is seen as an elaborate and expensive luxury destination for most. The famous over-water bungalows are really a sight to behold and while there are other places in the world that offer this as well, The Maldives definitely does it right in making you feel like you are somewhere truly special.

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I shouldn't single the Maldives out for mismanaging Covid because I don't think that any country, except for the ones that did almost nothing, actually got the situation right. Everyone that tried to do something to flatten the curve or whatever the catch-phrase was that particular week, failed in doing so and people have to be really creative with the statistics in order to try to prove otherwise. I think this is why most countries don't talk about it anymore since everyone failed.

The Maldives however, was a nation that went full isolation and vaccinated everyone only to have 150,000 cases anyway despite the fact that very strict regulations were in place at the time and the place is not connected to the mainland in any way. It is estimated that the population of The Maldives is just over half a million, so when nearly a third of the population ends up getting it anyway, I think we can say with some level of certainty that the prevention methods in place were all for naught.

Perhaps that is why the nation, when struggling financially, introduced the near elimination of regulations long before other nations did. They actually went a step further and attempted to get a "loyalty program" in place to lure nearby nations over to travel when most of the world was still closed. This could result in frequent visitors receiving perks such as free travel and accommodation upgrades. Unfortunately, at that time I was way too far away to even dream of going and it was still well out of my price range anyway, even with the discounts.

These days all regulations have been dropped for anyone that wants to travel there. You do not need to be vaccinated, you do not need to show proof of previous infection, and you do not need to take a PCR test or antigen test either. They also dropped the travel-insurance requirement and that is good because I feel as though countries that do this are simply fleecing their visitors by forcing them to buy something that they weren't going to be able to use anyway. Furthermore, all mask mandates have been dropped except for inside hospitals and other health care centers.

So if you have the money and want to go to a completely hassle-free island where nobody is ever going to hassle you if you sneeze, then the Maldives might be a great getaway from you.