Maldives Opens Halal Tourism Bidding for Three of 15 Resort Sites

Fifteen islands and lagoons are now out to tender for resort development in the Maldives, and three of them come with halal tourism conditions attached, according to Maldives Independent. Maaldif English Edition, which published a site-by-site breakdown, lists plots in Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Laamu and Seenu atolls, and puts the bid deadline between 17 and 23 November.

Of the 15 sites in this round, only three, the Makunudhoo lagoon in Haa Dhaalu atoll, Fonagaadhoo in Laamu atoll and Dhonhera in Addu, are designated for halal tourism. Resorts built there must exclude pork and alcohol, serve halal-certified food, provide gender-separated wellness facilities and build a pair of mosques, one serving staff and one serving guests, according to Maldives Independent.

How the Fifteen Sites Break Down

Makunudhoo, in Haa Dhaalu atoll, is by far the biggest of the three: the halal site there is a 200-hectare lagoon on the Makunudhoo reef, per Maldives Independent. Fonagaadhoo, in Laamu atoll, covers 8.18 hectares, Maldives Independent reported. Dhonhera, in Addu, is listed by Maldives Independent at 8.38 hectares plus an adjacent 0.85-hectare island; Maaldif English Edition, which files the site under Seenu atoll and spells it Dhonherai, puts it at 10.23 hectares, so the exact acreage isn’t settled between the two outlets. The other 12 sites in the tender carry no halal requirement: 10 lagoons of 200 hectares each across the northern atolls, plus two islands: Nalandhoo, in Shaviyani atoll, and Farumuli, in Noonu atoll. Farumuli carries an acquisition cost of US$2.25 million, Maldives Independent reported.

What the Halal Designation Requires on Site

Maldives Independent reports that developers must operate “barring pork and alcohol, serving halal-certified food, providing separate wellness facilities for men and women and building two mosques, one for staff and one for guests.” Across the whole tender, leases run 50 years with a 36-month construction window, and halal tourism projects receive a 20 percent import duty concession, compared with 15 percent for standard projects, according to Maldives Independent and Maaldif English Edition.

The 2025 Rounds That Came Before

This isn’t the ministry’s first halal tourism tender. Hotelier Maldives reported that in June 2025, the government designated six islands for halal tourism in Haa Alif, Haa Dhaal, Shaviyani, Thaa and Laamu atolls and in Addu, with a package of concessions for investors that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu had authorized. The Ministry of Tourism said at the time that developers would get a “20 per cent reduction in lease acquisition costs” and “duty exemptions of up to 20 per cent on capital inputs required for resort development,” according to Hotelier Maldives’ June 2025 coverage. The government’s stated goal then was positioning the Maldives as a “Muslim-friendly tourism destination” while spreading tourism development to underdeveloped regions. A separate round in November 2025 opened 13 standard resort plots alongside five halal tourism model sites, with bids due 3 February 2026, Hotelier Maldives reported.

Where the Tender Goes Next

The Halal Times has previously reported on Indonesia’s plans to develop Western Sumatra as a halal tourism hub and on the Philippines’ move to accelerate its own halal tourism plans. In the Maldives tender, the halal conditions are written into the terms attached to three specific plots, and bids close between 17 and 23 November, according to Maldives Independent and Maaldif English Edition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Maldives building halal resorts?

The three halal-designated sites in this tender are still at the bidding stage. Bids close between 17 and 23 November, and the terms set a 50-year lease with a 36-month construction timeline, according to Maldives Independent and Maaldif English Edition.

How many islands did the Maldives put up for bid in this tender?

Fifteen islands and lagoons in total, of which three are reserved for halal tourism resorts and the remaining 12 carry no halal requirement, per Maldives Independent and Maaldif English Edition.

What rules must a halal resort in the Maldives follow?

Developers must bar pork and alcohol, serve halal-certified food, provide gender-separated wellness facilities, and build a pair of mosques, one serving staff and one serving guests, according to Maldives Independent.

When is the bid deadline for the Maldives halal tourism sites?

Bids in the current tender round are due between 17 and 23 November, according to Maldives Independent and Maaldif English Edition.

Is this the Maldives’ first halal tourism tender?

No. Hotelier Maldives reported that the ministry designated six islands for halal tourism in June 2025, and that a separate round in November 2025 included five halal tourism model sites alongside 13 standard resort plots.