If you live in North America and aren’t a billionaire and/or a frequent world traveler, you probably have never really considered visiting the Maldives. And it’s alarmingly easy to spend your entire year’s salary there in a week. But you totally don’t have to. I can help.
Overview
The Maldives is made up of hundreds of islands—but less than 200 of them are inhabited. To get anywhere in the country, you’ll most likely fly into the capital (Malé) and then take a boat or seaplane to whichever island you’re staying on. Many resorts are on their own private island, or share an island with just one other resort. But there are hotels in Malé and on other “local islands” (as opposed to resort islands) as well. And the crystal-clear water and incredible undersea scenery doesn’t know the difference.
Of note: The Maldives is a Muslim country. Please do not wear skimpy/revealing clothing at the airport or on any local islands, and make note of when Ramadan is (it changes every year), since you should not eat, drink, or smoke in public during daylight hours on a local island during that time period.
Timing
The first thing to consider when booking a trip to the Maldives is the season. May to November is the rainy season, and it’s generally cheaper to visit during that time. It *is* the rainy season, though, so expect at least a little rain. We visited for a week in late May and only had one rainy day, but the weather is pretty unpredictable in the tropics.
On the timing note: If you’re planning to scuba dive or snorkel and look for specific sea creatures, check the timing and locations of that as well. For example, while the Maldives are for manta rays and whale sharks, you can’t just roll up to any of the islands at any time of year and see them. They have certain areas and migration patterns.
Flights
I lived in Bahrain when I visited the Maldives, and it’s much cheaper (and faster) to fly from the Middle East. But even from other locations, there are ways to make it less expensive. Using credit card points or frequent flyer miles is the most obvious, but if you don’t have those, consider finding a stopover country. What I mean by that is a country that you can fly to and spend a day or two, then fly more cheaply from there to the Maldives.
Sri Lanka would be the first place I’d check for a stopover, but also look at Dubai, Doha, Singapore, Mumbai, and Hong Kong. Use something like Kayak or Google Flights to check the prices from there to the Maldives, as well as the flights from your location (or the closest major airport) to there. Set up alerts so you see when those flights go on sale.
Just make sure that when you book, you give yourself cushion time so that if your flight into the stopover location is late, you’re not going to miss your flight on a different airline into the Maldives. I’d allow at least a full day in between, and maybe more if you’d also like to do some sightseeing in the stopover. And check the time of your flight into the Maldives as well, because if you land in the middle of the night you may not be able to go to your resort until the next morning.
Lodging
You may have read that you can stay in a guest house or hotel on one of the local islands for MUCH less than a fancy resort. And that is definitely true. But there are tradeoffs to be made, and there are also some resort options that can give you the amenities you may be looking for at a lower price than you might expect.
Starting with the local islands and local hotels: One of the first things you’ll notice about the local hotels and guest houses is that they are mostly just that: places to sleep. Some will have a small restaurant and/or pool, but that’s about it as far as amenities. It is possible to travel to some of the resort islands just for the day, but that will mean paying for a resort pass as well as the transportation.
And something you may not notice or realize immediately is that the locally inhabited islands also prohibit alcohol, and bikinis are not allowed on public beaches. Depending on what you plan to do in the Maldives, that may sound perfect. But if you’re looking for more of a luxurious resort experience, where you can lounge around in a bikini sipping cocktails, you will need to go to a “resort island.”
Two of the more affordable resorts that offer plenty of amenities (and come recommended by multiple families I know) are Sun Siyam Iru Fushi and Holiday Inn Kandooma (which I guarantee is unlike any other Holiday Inn you’ve ever seen). Tripadvisor also has a list of “cheap” resorts to check out, and you may be able to find a great package deal through a site like ShermansTravel. And if you can find a resort that’s just recently opened, that is also likely to be cheaper than it will be once it becomes more established.
When considering resorts and prices, make sure to factor in the transportation to and from Malé (some resorts include the cost of the boat or seaplane, others don’t), as well as any other freebies or perks that are included in the cost of a night’s stay.
To bungalow or not to bungalow
If you’re hoping to experience one of the more expensive resorts for a few days, or you just really want to stay in an overwater bungalow, you might consider what my husband and I did: Stay in a more affordable resort for the first few days, then switch to a pricier one. We started our vacation with a few nights in an overwater bungalow at Baros, then ended the trip with a few nights in a beach villa at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa. This method does require some extra thought if you’re planning to scuba dive, though. You will need at least 18 hours between your last dive and getting on a plane, even if it’s just a sea plane.
Another way to do it would be to start out in a less expensive room and then move to an overwater bungalow at the same resort. Just don’t stay in the nicer resort or room first!
So are those overwater bungalows worth it? I’d say yes… with an asterisk. Obviously the resorts are not all the same, but overwater bungalows tend to be built pretty close together and also be relatively open on the water side. This translates to really beautiful views and the ability to hop right into the ocean from your balcony… but also means very little privacy. Think about it this way: If you keep the curtains open to see the view, that means that anyone swimming/snorkeling around that area can see right in. Even more so if you’re hanging out on your patio, since you may have neighbors just a few feet away. If we went to the edge of our balcony closest to the ocean, we could see our next-door neighbors on their balcony.
That isn’t to say that overwater bungalows aren’t epic. You are just more likely to get actual privacy in a beach villa with foliage around it and walls on either side.
Food
I thought I was prepared for the cost of food at resorts in the Maldives. I was not.
If you are not staying at an all-inclusive, you should bring a ton of snacks, and also plan to eat as much as possible at breakfast (assuming it’s included). Toby also made sandwiches at the breakfast buffet and put them in our room’s mini fridge for lunch (this was actually recommended by staff members!). Fish will generally be less than other proteins, but everything is extremely pricey. Like $40 cheeseburgers pricey. Local island restaurants will not be as expensive, but you have to be able to get there and get back to your hotel.
Activities and souvenirs
Laying on the beach, swimming in the pool, and taking relaxing walks are all free. But if you want to snorkel, scuba dive, visit the spa, or do other excursions, that could be an extra charge. Check before you go to see what activities are included with your room charge. Can you just use a mask and snorkel for free? Is there anything free to do if it rains? Then pack accordingly. Maybe you bring your own mask and snorkel, or some books and a pack of playing cards. And for activities like scuba diving or the spa, reach out to the resort to find out if there are any specials or discounts. You may be able to get a better price if you book in advance, or buy some kind of package.
As for everything else: Bring it from home. Double check to make sure you’ve packed reef-safe sunscreen, aloe, your GoPro (and the memory card!), flip flops, bathing suits, sun hat, rash guard, medicines, etc. (We also brought that big pineapple floatie in the photo earlier in this post, but I should have brought something to inflate it with!) While most resorts will have a shop with necessities, everything will likely cost several times more than what it costs at home. Just be aware that your airline or seaplane may have more restrictive weight limits for bags than you’re used to.
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