Political tension in Male, the capital of the Maldives, is continuing in a standoff between police and supporters of deposed president Mohamed Nasheed.
The ex-president’s supporters have rampaged through the capital, setting alight police stations, although the unrest has taken place far from areas frequented by tourists.
Tourists usually land at an airport on an island near Male and go directly to the various resorts in the 1,200-island archipelago by speedboat or seaplane.
The Maldives gets about one million visitors a year.
The Australian government’s Smart Traveller website says its overall advice on travel to the Maldives has not changed but it is advising people to reconsider their need to travel to Male at this time “due to the current political tensions and risk of unrest and violence”.
Britain advised this week against all but essential travel to Male because of protests in the capital, but it noted the international airport and resort areas were operating normally.
