Greetings, beach bums,

You may think that the Maldives and anything short of full-blown luxury cannot go together and you'd be oh so wrong!

While a lot of the tourism is geared towards splendor, don't be fooled that there isn't anything else on offer.

Moreover, the less isolated the resort (i.e. the more accessible too), the more chance you will experience the authentic Maldives beyond the sun, sand, and sea of a private beach.

Budget Accommodation

Since 2009, the regulations on where one can go have been removed, so all islands are accessible, and "normal" islands also have cute guesthouses and family-owned hotels to stay at.

In islands like Maafushi, Fulidhoo, Guraidhoo, Rasdhoo, Ukulhus, Thodoo, etc. you can easily find accommodation for 30-60$ per night.

Yes, that's not as cheap as Bali but for the Maldives, it's a bargain!

Budget transportation between the islands

The Maldives is a veeeery spread out country and locals frequently travel from place to place. So can you.

Public ferries cost as little as 1$ and cover every single island in the archipelago. You don't need a private yacht or a seaplane to reach an island, but you may need some patience and a flexible schedule. It's not like the ferries go every 15 minutes, right?

Most public ferries cost no more than 4$ for rides within an atoll. More between atolls, but then we're talking several hours of journey time.

Pick one atoll, and explore the several islands it is comprised of. Less time sailing, cheaper and more time enjoying life.

What about food?

Local food is very affordable. I managed to eat for 3-5$ per meal. It's an island diet heavy on fish and rice. For Western comforts, you will pay more. But there's no fun in eating pizza in the Maldives...

Activities

It's hard to remain on a budget with activities in the mix but they won't bankrupt you either. Snorkeling with wildlife and scuba diving classes are the most popular at around 100$ for a full day.

Parasailing, water skiing, and touring in an actual submarine can be multiples of that though.

I just spent 2 days in the Maldives. It was all on Male, the cramped capital. It was a short time but I was technically in transit. To be honest - I didn't mind it at all. I found its compactness and order fascinating and it's worth at least a day in any itinerary. I spent just 65$!

Now that I've had a glimpse, I have promised that I will go back to visit other atolls too!

And I wanna do it in a casual unplanned way - sail by ferry and let the schedule dictate where and when I go. That ought to be fun.

Have you been to the Maldives? Do you want to go? Hit reply and tell me!

Until next week,

Simon

My top travel resources:

• I book hotels through Booking.com and Agoda...
• ...and amazing hostels via Hostelworld.
• I seldom go on tours, but when I do, it's through Get Your Guide.
• Transport in Asia is easy with 12Go.
• eSIMs are usually more expensive than local SIMs but quite convenient. Use Airalo for a reliable and affordable eSIM.

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​Backpack Moments​

A blog about long-term backpacking and budget travel