Your answer: United States → Maldives
Maldives uses Type C, D, G, but sockets there are typically universal and accept your Type A, B. You should be fine without an adapter, but packing a universal adapter is cheap insurance.
United States uses 120V; Maldives uses 230V. Most phones, laptops, tablets, and modern chargers are dual-voltage (check for "100-240V" on the label) and will work with just a plug adapter. Single-voltage devices — hair dryers, curling irons, kettles — will either need a voltage converter or a dual-voltage travel version.
Which of your devices will work?
Your destination is on a different voltage standard, but that doesn’t automatically mean you need a voltage converter. Most modern electronics are dual-voltage — check the label on the charger for something like INPUT 100–240V. Here’s what typically falls where:
Safe with just a plug adapter
Phones, laptops, tablets, e-readers, wireless earbuds (USB-charged cases), most modern camera battery chargers, and most electric toothbrush chargers. These are almost all dual-voltage. Look for "100–240V" on the charger brick to confirm.
- Phone
- Laptop
- Tablet
- E-reader
- Earbud case
- Camera charger
- Electric toothbrush
Check the label before you pack
Older camera chargers, some electric shavers, some CPAP machines, and many handheld game consoles. Dual-voltage versions exist but aren’t universal. If the label says only "120V" (or only "230V"), it will not work on the other side without a voltage converter.
- Older camera charger
- Electric shaver
- CPAP machine
- Handheld console
Bring a dual-voltage travel model
Hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons, travel kettles, heating pads, space heaters. These draw high wattage and are usually single-voltage. Don’t use a cheap plug adapter with one of these — you will trip a breaker or destroy the device. Buy a dual-voltage travel version instead.
- Hair dryer
- Curling iron
- Flat iron
- Travel kettle
- Heating pad
What this means for your trip
United States to Maldives is one of those pairs where the official answer and the real answer diverge. Maldives's national plug type is different, but in practice the sockets there are typically universal — so your United States plug usually fits.
Maldives's official plug is Type C/D/G; United States uses Type A/B. Walls in Maldives commonly take multiple plug types (that's what "universal sockets" means), and yours is usually on the accepted list. If you want to be safe, a pocket universal adapter costs a few dollars and weighs nothing — easier than discovering at a hotel that yours doesn't fit.
United States runs on 120V; Maldives runs on 230V. That's the bigger-than-it-sounds part. Most modern electronics are "dual-voltage" — their chargers are rated 100-240V and handle either standard automatically. You'll find that rating printed on the brick. Phones, laptops, tablets, camera battery chargers, electric toothbrushes, and wireless earbud cases almost always qualify. Hair dryers, curling irons, flat irons, travel kettles, and space heaters almost always do not: they're single-voltage, high-wattage, and plugging them into the wrong side will either trip a breaker or destroy the device. Bring a dual-voltage travel version instead of a converter whenever you can — converters for high-wattage heat devices are bulky and not all that reliable.
One more thing about Maldives: Most sockets in the Maldives are universal ones which accept types A, B, C, D, E, F, G, I, O.
