Budget Maldives: 7 tips to visit the Maldives on a budget
- Jul 16
- 4 min read
Everyone knows the Maldives for its picture-perfect scenery: crystal-clear turquoise water, dreamy overwater villas, and white sandy beaches so bright they almost hurt your eyes. It's the ultimate tropical paradise. The only downside? Most people think it's incredibly expensive... but does it have to be?
We've visited the Maldives several times and have learned plenty of ways to keep the costs down without missing out on the experience. Here are our favourite tips for visiting the Maldives on a budget.
Combine the Maldives with Sri Lanka
Of course, you can fly directly to Malé, the capital of the Maldives. There are direct flights from several European cities, although prices can vary significantly depending on the season.
A much cheaper option is to combine the Maldives with another destination. Our favourite combination is Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Sri Lanka is an incredible country to explore and much closer to the Maldives than many people realise. A flight from Colombo to Malé takes only about one hour, and tickets are often available for as little as €50 return.
The Maldives is also well connected to other Asian destinations, including India, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. Flights from these cities are usually under €150, making the Maldives an ideal stop before flying back to Europe.
Stay on a local island instead of a resort
The Maldives can roughly be divided into two types of islands: luxury resort islands and local islands where Maldivians actually live The famous private resorts often charge hundreds or even thousands of euros per night. Staying on a local island is considerably cheaper. Popular local islands include Malé, Maafushi, and Thulusdhoo.
While Malé is the capital and located next to the international airport, it's more of a busy city than a tropical holiday destination. We recommend heading straight to Maafushi instead. Although the island is small, you can walk around it in about 30 minutes, it offers the same stunning white beaches and turquoise water as many luxury resorts.
You'll find plenty of hotels and guesthouses, with rooms starting from around €50 per night, making it one of the best ways to experience the Maldives without breaking the bank.
Travel during the low season
The high season in the Maldives coincides with the dry season, which runs from December to April. During these months, you'll generally enjoy calmer seas, more sunshine, and perfect beach weather. The rainy season lasts from May to November. While humidity is higher and tropical showers are more common, these rainstorms are usually short and followed by sunshine again. Temperatures remain warm throughout the year, averaging between 28°C and 30°C (82–86°F). We've visited several times during July and August and rarely experienced more than a brief shower. The biggest advantage? Hotel prices during the low season can be hundreds of euros cheaper per night.
Use the local ferries
There are several ways to reach the local islands from the airport. First, you can take the free airport shuttle ferry to Malé. From there, local ferries operate to islands like Maafushi.
These ferries are incredibly affordable, usually around €5 one way, but they are also much slower. Expect the journey to Maafushi to take around three hours.
If you'd rather arrive faster, shared speedboats are a great alternative.A shared speedboat typically costs around €25 per person, while a private speedboat starts at approximately €200. Unlike the local ferry, speedboats usually depart directly from the airport, saving you the transfer to Malé.
Avoid expensive seaplane transfers
If you're staying at a luxury resort, you usually won't be able to use the local ferries. Instead, resorts arrange either speedboat or seaplane transfers, depending on how far the island is from Malé.Keep this in mind when booking, as transfers are often charged separately.
Return speedboat transfers generally cost between €75 and €200 per person, while seaplane transfers usually start from around €250 return.
Fortunately, some resorts include complimentary speedboat transfers in their room rates.
Always read the fine print before booking, you might save yourself quite a bit of money.
Split your stay between a local island and a resort
Dreaming of staying in one of those famous overwater villas but don't want to spend your entire budget? A great compromise is to split your trip between a local island and a luxury resort. Start your holiday on Maafushi and spend a few days exploring the island. Book your excursions here, such as: snorkelling trips, sandbank picnics, dolphin cruises and island hopping tours. These activities are usually much cheaper than booking them directly through a luxury resort.
Afterwards, treat yourself to a few nights at a resort to experience the Maldives' famous luxury while keeping your overall travel costs much lower.
Visit a resort on a day pass
Can't justify spending a night at a luxury resort but still want those iconic overwater bungalow photos? No problem! Many hotels on Maafushi organise day trips to nearby luxury resorts. You'll be picked up by speedboat in the morning and spend the entire day enjoying the resort. Depending on the resort, prices generally range between €50 and €150 per person. Some day passes include only access to the resort, while others include meals, drinks, or even an all-inclusive package with a champagne brunch. You'll often have access to the resort's swimming pools, private beaches, restaurants and bars and sometimes kayaks and paddleboards.
It's a fantastic way to experience the luxury side of the Maldives without paying resort prices for accommodation.
