The US State Department has maintained its travel advisory for the Maldives at level two after an annual review, citing the high risk of attack by a terrorist group at any time.

American citizens were advised to exercise caution when visiting the Maldives after a review of the annual travel alert for the Maldives by the State Department.

The travel advisory for the Maldives was raised to level two in 2017 in connection with terrorism and political unrest.

“Terrorist groups may conduct attacks with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Attacks may occur on remote islands which could lengthen the response time of authorities,” the US travel advisory stated.

Cautionary steps advised for travel from the US to the Maldives

• Read the US Embassy's web page. 
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and be prepared to adjust your plans.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
• Review the Country Security Report for Maldives.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.

Terrorism was among the reasons for maintaining the travel advisory in recent years. The American government has been maintaining close ties with the current Maldives government.

Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer travelled to Washington recently and met with Secretary of State Tony Blinken for official talks.