The Maldives on a Budget

 

When you hear ‘Maldives’ what comes to your mind? Pristine waters, pure sand, and bungalows over water with breathtaking scenery. When you ask the same question to budget travelers, you will just get one response, Impossible.

The Maldives is by no means the most budget-friendly destination but this article will outline some ways you make this trip on a limited budget. If you look at general packages it may be well over $1000 for the flight to get there and close the same or even more to stay there per night in the top resorts on private islands with private transportation. You will want to steer clear of such packages if you plan on using your money wisely. There is no doubt that these packages will include accommodation in resorts with a mind blowing view but you can get similar accommodation at a much better price and spend the remaining money on other experiences.

The reason why the Maldives is an expensive country to take a vacation is because its GDP is primarily dependent on tourism and the country markets itself as an intimate and private luxury tourist destination to attract top dollar from tourists who want the best. The isolation of the island from mainland Asia doesn’t help either. Everything has to be imported into the country driving the prices through the roof.

If you are a traveler on a tight budget then the inter-county travel can put a huge dent in your budget as the 1,192 islands that make up the country are spread out across 35,000 square miles. This means that you will have to take long boat rides or even seaplanes to get to places in this country. This can cost you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars if not planned properly.

It is not all bad news, there are ways to go around all the expensive travel problems associated with travel to this country. You will have to give up some amenities to be able to make the most of your journey. Alcohol is banned in the whole country except for some expensive resorts so you will have to give it up for the duration of your travel. Activities like snorkeling in crystal clear waters, bioluminescent plankton, and fine white sand are available to everyone regardless of their budget.

Here are some tips that can help you plan a trip to the Maldives on a budget.

Savings on Airfares

If you are traveling to the Maldives from across the globe, direct flights are very few and the prices are considerably high for this very reason. Look for connecting flights or plan your own connecting flight route through popular neighboring locations like Bankok, Kuala Lumpur or even Dubai. Flights to the Maldives from these countries are quite frequent and cheap ranging anywhere from $200 to $300. This will be a little inconvenient but you can save a considerable amount.

Affordable Accommodation

If you search online on travel sites you can find some guest houses or Airbnb’s at a fraction of the price of the overwater beach houses that are synonymous with the Maldives. Even though the view from these budget-friendly accommodations may not be as good as the one you will get from such resorts, for the price you will not be let down.

Budget Transport Within The Country

If you book a resort on a private island, you will be limited to just the transportation provided by the resort. These are generally priced extremely high. If you stay on a local island you can save a lot by choosing to travel on the ferry. There is a well-connect ferry network present in the Maldives. Tickets for the ferry cost just a few dollars so there is definitely a huge saving if you can wait and travel on the ferry.