Budget for Maldives Trip
The Maldives isn't the typical destination for budget travelers like myself, but with extensive research and tips from people who have already been there, I was able to reduce the budget to something manageable. Here is the breakdown of my expenses during my short trip to Maldives:
In USD
119 - Accommodation Arena Lodge on Maafushi
30 - Accommodation Lucky Hiya Hotel in Male City
30 - Boat Transfers to Fihalhohi Island Resort
24 - Entrance Fee for day Tour in Fihalhohi Island Resort
13 - Souvenirs
8.5 - Food and Water
4 - Round Trip Ferry to Maafushi from Villingili Terminal in Male City
4 - Taxi
1.5 - Round Trip Ferry from Airport to Male City
1 - Round Trip Ferry from Male City to Hulhumale
USD$235 Total Expenses for 4 Days & 3 Nights in Maldives excluding airfare
Not really cheap but cheaper than I would have expected. My friend and I booked through an agent to get a good deal out of the accommodation in Maafushi. You can contact the travel agent here: [email protected] and here: http://guesthouses-in-maldives.net/. My friend and I paid a USD$60 down payment to confirm our booking. We paid a total of USD$238 for the 3 days and 2 nights stay in Arena Lodge with full board meals from breakfast to dinner, we split the bill two ways. You can email them to get more information about their packages. The package we got covered all of the meals from breakfast to lunch, and all of them buffet! Good value for money right there. Fihalhohi Island Resort offered buffet lunch for an additional USD$24. We joined another group who was traveling to Fihalhohi, so we ended up spending only USD$30 for the boat transfers.
The Maldives has plenty of construction work going on. There were many buildings being constructed on Hulhumale Island. I saw many resorts, hotels, restaurants, and other establishments being constructed just on this island. The entire country is Muslim, so the women are covered from head to toe, and swimming in a bikini is strictly prohibited unless you are staying in one of the resorts where it is allowed. Thankfully, there are now guesthouses in Maldives that allow budget travelers like me to get a taste of this island paradise. Who says you have to spend more than USD$200 a night to enjoy this island paradise?
