Experiencing the low-cost Maldives is absolutely possible! Who said that the Maldives should be considered a destination exclusively for the rich?! There are plenty of ways to discover this natural paradise in the Indian Ocean without spending a fortune. One way to experience the low cost Maldives is to stay on an island inhabited by locals.
Low-cost Maldives: a paradise for everyone
When you decide to stay in one of those paradise atolls owned by big hotel chains, you are not experiencing the real Maldives. Or, anyway, you are experiencing a less authentic Maldives. The best way to discover these islands and, above all, to experience a low-cost Maldives is by staying on an island inhabited by Maldivians. This, of course, brings with it pros and cons. On the one hand, there is the possibility of living in touch with the local people like real Maldivians. You will happen to shop at the same market or attend the local team’s football match or even bump into the kids on their way out of school. Moreover, the costs of restaurants and excursions are definitely affordable for all budgets. On the other hand, however, one has to reckon with the religious and social rules of the community.
Indeed, the Maldives Islands are a country where religion has an important impact on the lives of its citizens. I don’t like to call them fundamentalist Muslims, but religion is undoubtedly an aspect that also affects tourists who choose to spend their holidays in local islands like, for example, Maafushi. It was here that I chose to spend a few days relaxing after my trip to Sri Lanka.
Rules to follow
The island of Maafushi welcomes me in all its authenticity and I immediately adapt to the local reality. I discover, however, that it is not possible to wear a bikini on any beach, nor to walk around in briefs or bare-chested through the narrow streets of the island, as if we were in Rimini or Ibiza. In fact, to respect local religious traditions, tourists must walk around the island in t-shirts and shorts. One can only wear a swimming costume in a reserved area of the island called ‘Bikini Beach’. Some may turn their noses up at this, but after all, it is the price to pay to experience the Maldives more cheaply.
It is not only a question of mere religious rules to follow but also of common sense. Walking through the alleys of Maafushi, for example, you will come across women dressed in their long black burkas, men going into the mosque to pray, children coming out of school. Another consequence of being on a local island is that on Fridays, prayer day for Muslims, not all excursion agencies work. It is best to organise yourself in good time or look for an agency open on that particular day.
Low-cost Maldives: the costs of such a stay
The idea of experiencing the low cost Maldives does not have to be associated with a second-class holiday; on the contrary, it is something even more authentic and original. On Maafushi, but generally on islands of this kind, you can choose whether to stay in hotels or guesthouses. Whether to eat in hotels or in typical little restaurants scattered around the tourist part of the island.
I chose to stay in a wonderful guesthouse: Island Ambience. A small three-storey guesthouse that had just opened and is run by local guys. The cost for a four-night stay was about 200€ (breakfast included).
To reach the island of Maafushi, however, you have to take a speedboat that leaves directly from the airport pier and costs $25. Excursions vary in cost, ranging from $50 for one-day excursions to $35 for half-day excursions to over $100 for those visiting private islands with paradise resorts. Eating, on the other hand, is quite cheap and in line with European standards. The local currency is the rufiyaa although you will almost always see prices in dollars. The euro is accepted almost everywhere but it is not worth to use it because its value is equated to the dollar and so you will end up losing out.
