How to Travel the Maldives on a Budget
They're not the easiest to find on a map, but the islands of the Maldives are well known around the world.
The country is made up of about 1,200 small islands in the Indian Ocean. With warm weather year-round, it's a dream destination for many — and famously quite an expensive one.
But it doesn't have to be! Here are some tips for visiting the Maldives on a budget:
When you think of the Maldives, you might picture little huts on stilts above the sea. These are private island resorts, and they could cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars a night.
For a long time, resorts like these were the only places tourists were allowed to stay when visiting the Maldives. But in 2009, the government began allowing tourists to stay on smaller local islands.
Today, there are many guesthouses on these islands, costing as little as $30 a night.
Travel between the islands by boat
One of the most popular ways to get between the islands is by seaplane. But with tickets typically costing at least $250 for a one-way trip, it's a lot cheaper to travel by boat.
You can get to most of the islands from the capital, Male, by local ferry. The ferry takes a lot longer than a seaplane, but most tickets cost under $20.
Guesthouses on islands not too far from Male also often organize their own private boat transfers, which usually cost under $50.
Visit during the rainy season
Most people visit the Maldives in the dry season between December and April. But if you don't mind some rain, a great way to save money is by going during the rainy season between May and November.
Prices in these months are usually a lot cheaper and the weather is still hot — and it's unlikely that it will rain all day, every day during your stay.
