Fees · Destination Guide
Channel drifts, soft-coral walls, and an iconic night dive in a quieter Maldives atoll
Key fee: Green Tax
USD $12 per person per day (resorts, tourist vessels, and hotels); USD $6 per person per day (guesthouses and
hotels with 50 rooms or less)
Confirm these fees before you book so your operator plan and day budget match what you will pay onsite.
Vaavu does not work like a pay-per-reef-tag destination, but the Maldives has mandatory tourism taxes that affect trip cost. The two big line items travelers notice are the Green Tax (charged per night) and Tourism GST (charged on most tourism goods and services). These are usually added to your accommodation and excursion invoices rather than paid as a separate permit at the dive site.
| Fee | Amount | Applies to | Where to pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Tax | USD $12 per person per day (resorts, tourist vessels, and hotels); USD $6 per person per day (guesthouses and hotels with 50 rooms or less) per night | Tourists staying in registered tourist accommodation | Collected by your resort, guesthouse, or liveaboard operator and remitted to MIRA | Rates were updated effective 1 January 2025. Children under 2 years old are exempt. |
| Tourism Goods and Services Tax (TGST) | 17% (effective 1 July 2025) on tourism goods and services per invoice line item | Most tourism services (accommodation, excursions, diving, transfers where applicable) | Added to bills by resorts, guesthouses, dive centers, and excursion providers | Many resorts also add a service charge, so review the tax and fee breakdown on quotes. |
Fee
per night
Rates were updated effective 1 January 2025. Children under 2 years old are exempt.
per invoice line item
Many resorts also add a service charge, so review the tax and fee breakdown on quotes.