MaldivesQuest may earn a referral fee from the licensed travel provider when a trip is booked. That is the main way the site is funded, and you pay MaldivesQuest nothing.
This page explains when the fee arises and how we keep it separate from what we recommend. It is part of the trust and transaction clarity hub.
When is a referral fee earned?
A fee may be earned only when a trip is booked. The sequence is simple:
- You send a trip brief and we reply with options and likely costs.
- You tick the separate consent box to ask for a firm price.
- The licensed travel provider quotes, and you choose to book and pay with that company.
- The provider may then pay MaldivesQuest a referral fee.
Reading guides, using the trip cost calculator or receiving our planning reply earns nothing. The full hand-over is set out in who arranges and books a trip requested through MaldivesQuest.
What you pay, and to whom
You pay the travel provider for your trip, at the price on its quotation. Bookings and payments are made directly with the licensed travel company named on your quotation.
MaldivesQuest charges you nothing for guides, tools, the planning reply or the hand-over. There is no fee line from us on any quotation.
How we keep recommendations independent
Recommendations in guides are based on research, not on payments. We choose islands, resorts and trip types because they fit a reader's situation and budget, and we say when a cheaper or different option suits someone better.
Three working rules support this:
- Facts first. Taxes, visa rules and transfer limits come from official sources, recorded in our editorial standards.
- Prices with their basis. Every ringgit figure shows the date researched and whether it is per person or per room, so you can check it.
- Options you can take elsewhere. Our itemised reply is yours to use with any provider.
Sponsored content
If we ever publish content that someone has paid for, it will be clearly labelled "Sponsored" at the top of the page. Guides without that label are editorial.
How to judge a quotation fairly
A referral arrangement is only fair if the quotation stands up on its own. Compare the quotation line by line with our planning reply:
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Price basis | Per person twin sharing, or per room |
| Nights and board | Number of nights and meal plan match your brief |
| Taxes | 17% Tourism GST and 10% service charge included or listed |
| Green Tax | USD 12 per guest per night at resorts, USD 6 at small guesthouses |
| Transfers | Speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight stated |
| Flights | Included or excluded, and baggage |
| Issuer | Company name and MOTAC licence number |
The tax and Green Tax figures above are from MIRA, checked 11 October 2026. The method behind our own numbers is in our price-range methodology.
Who this matters to most
Readers comparing several quotations benefit most from knowing how we are paid. So do company HR planners and group organisers, who often need to show colleagues that a supplier was chosen on merit.
If you would rather avoid any referral arrangement, use our guides and planning reply, leave the consent box unticked and book with a provider you choose yourself.
Why we explain this openly
A Maldives holiday is a large purchase for most Malaysian households, often several months of savings. Readers deserve to know how a free planning site is paid before they rely on its advice.
Malaysian travellers also compare many sources: agency pages, social media posts and friends who have been. Knowing who earns what from each source helps you weigh them fairly, including us.
If our funding ever changes, for example if we add sponsored pages, this page will be updated and the change noted in the corrections log.
What a referral fee does not change
The fee does not change the facts on our pages. Tourism GST, Green Tax, visa rules and seaplane cut-offs are the same whoever books your trip, and we report them from official sources.
It also does not change who is responsible for your booking. The licensed travel company named on your quotation issues the booking and is responsible for the travel services, as explained on about MaldivesQuest.
Questions travellers ask
Does the referral fee make my trip more expensive?
Do resorts pay to appear in your guides?
Do you earn anything if I only use the guides?
How much is the referral fee?
Sources and checks
Last reviewed: · Prices researched:
- MOTAC, Frequently asked questions · motac.gov.my · Checked 11 October 2026
- MOTAC, Semakan TOBTAB licence search · motac.gov.my · Checked 11 October 2026
You can send us your trip brief at no cost, and use our itemised reply to judge any quotation on its merits.
Want options that fit your dates and budget?
Share a short trip brief: when you want to go, who is travelling and the budget you have in mind. We reply with suitable island and resort options and an itemised view of costs.