The Maldives is a unique place, captivating with its beauty and a dream for many travelers around the world. This archipelago is especially popular among newlyweds, choosing it for their honeymoon. The Maldives attracts tourists from all corners of the planet with its unique landscapes and warm climate. It is considered that the best time to visit the Maldives is from December to April, when the weather is dry but pleasant without precipitation. In the last decade, many guesthouses have opened on the local islands, offering affordable accommodation, making the Maldives an attractive destination even for tourists on a budget.
Maldives Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips
The Maldives is an amazing country and the most dreamt-about place for a vacation for many people around the world. Especially for newlyweds, who strive to spend their honeymoon in the Maldives. Tourists from all corners of the earth come here, mainly for a honeymoon. In simple terms, the Maldives Islands is the most popular place for a honeymoon in the entire world.
Although the Maldives is considered a suitable place to visit at any time of the year, the best time is usually considered to be from December to April. During these months, the weather is dry, but pleasant, as there is no rain. In the last decade, many guesthouses have opened on the local islands, offering affordable accommodation for those who want to visit the Maldives on a budget.
If you want to go to the Maldives for a honeymoon or just a vacation, here we provide a complete guide to planning the perfect vacation in the Maldives with some hints and tips.
Things to See and Do in the Maldives
Here are several places worth visiting during your vacation:
- Maldives Beaches: Most tourists come here to explore and relax on the beaches with white sugar sand and bright blue water, creating ideal conditions for a beach vacation. Private resorts offer their beach sections with lounge chairs and umbrellas. If you prefer Western-style clothing, then you should visit two famous beaches in the country - Rasdhoo and Maafushi, where there are designated 'Bikini Beaches'.
- Scuba Diving and Snorkeling: This country is one of the best places for diving in the world thanks to clear water and rich marine life. Diving with whale sharks creates a magnificent environment for scuba diving and snorkeling. Prices start at 60 USD.
- Malé City: If you want to explore local life in the Maldives, be sure to visit their capital city Malé. This city is spread over an area of just 2.2 square miles and is known as the world's smallest capital city. Be sure to visit the Hukuru Miskiiy mosque from the 17th century and learn about the historical overview of the country.
- Spas in the Maldives: If you are traveling on a modest budget, it's worth including a spa treatment in your travel plan for ultimate relaxation at a minimum amount of about 65 USD for a 30-minute massage. Some private resorts offer their own spas on-site.
- Water Sports: Among the popular water sports here are parasailing, water skiing, banana boats, jet skiing, kayaking, and snorkeling. The expected amount to spend on snorkeling is about 8 USD, and for parasailing - 200 USD.
- National Museum: If you want to know about the history of the Maldives, visit the national museum located in Sultan Park.
- Submarine Tour on 'Whale Submarine': One of the most fun activities during your honeymoon in the Maldives is to explore the depths of the ocean on the 'Whale Submarine'.
- Glowing Beaches in the Maldives: One of the best spectacles at night is the "Sea of Stars" on Vaadhoo Island. Here, the sea waters glow under the moonlight due to bioluminescent plankton.
- Sea Scooter Ride: If you want something adventurous, go underwater on a Sea Scooter to explore the magnificent tropical blue ocean.
- Maafushi Island: During your trip, be sure to visit Maafushi Island for snorkeling to explore the underwater Coral Gardens of Maafushi Island.
Besides this, there are many other beautiful islands to visit. And many places and activities to explore and relax.
Cost of a Package to the Maldives
The cost of travel from Ukraine – round trip from Kyiv to the Maldives starts at 1000 dollars per person depending on how many days in advance you book your ticket. The best option for finding cheap tickets is to use Google to book tickets and view the prices and offers of airlines.
Accommodation: In the Maldives, there are no convenient hostels or dorms across the country. On Thulusdhoo Island, there is one hostel, but they charge about 40 dollars per night. The best option is to find a guesthouse and book a private room at the same price. Prices for resort accommodation start at 250 dollars per night.
Food: Traditional Maldivian cuisine includes fish, coconuts, and rice. Most guesthouses, resorts, and hotels include meals in the price. In general, alcohol is prohibited, but it can be found in luxury resorts. In the Maldives, you will have to spend about 20 dollars on a three-course meal at a budget-friendly hotel, but in a five-star resort, you will have to pay about 150 dollars.
Water sports and other activities: If you want to engage in all kinds of water sports and activities, then you will have to spend up to 300 dollars.
Where to Stay in the Maldives
Hostels and dorms are generally non-existent, but there are a few hostels that are not worth their money, so it is better if you stay in a good and cheap hotel or guesthouse if you are traveling on a budget. Here is a list of hotels and guesthouses:
Hotels
- Koimala Hotel
- Sunrise Beach
- Arena Beach hotels
- Salt Beach hotels
- Icom Marina sea view
- Dream Inn
- Hanifaru Stay
Guest Houses
- Rashu Hiyaa (Dhiffushi Island)
- Kuredhi Beach inn (South Malé Atoll)
- Noomoo (Hulhumalé)
- Elite Beach inn (Hulhumalé)
Resorts
- SAii Lagoon Maldives
- Meeru Island Resort & Spa
- Kandima
- Kuredu Maldives Resort & Spa
- Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa
- Makunudu
- Medhufushi Island Resort
- Velassaru
- Kurumba
How to Get Around the Maldives
The boat is the best option for getting around the Maldives. The public ferry is very affordable for individual travelers and costs from 2 to 10 dollars depending on the route. But if you want to travel on private speedboats, you will have to pay a minimum of 25-35 dollars per person. You can also travel from island to island by air transport, but it is expensive and not recommended if you are traveling on a budget; the cost of flying from Malé to the surrounding islands is about 300 dollars per person.
Best Resources for Booking Packages to the Maldives
Here are some websites you can use to book budget hotels and flights, offering the best deals. Google for booking flights is my favorite flight search engine because they search a wide range of sites and airlines and show me the best budget results, as well as indicate where in India the cheapest direct flights to the Maldives are available. They also show discounts and booking offers available on several websites in one place. For home and apartment rentals, Airbnb is the best website when searching for budget accommodation.
For booking hotels, resorts, and guesthouses, Booking.com, Yatra, and MakeMyTrip are best for Indian residents as they search a wide range of options and show you the best-rated hotels by user experience.
Gear and Packing Guide for the Maldives
Here are some of the best tips for packing your travel backpack when going on a Maldives trip:
For Men:
- Carry a 60-70 liter Travel backpack.
- Preferably take 5-6 pairs of shorts for traveling to the Maldives.
- One pair of Jeans.
- Carry 5-6 T-shirts and one full sleeve.
- Sneakers and socks.
- Towel.
- Small toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Small shampoo bottle.
- Small face wash.
- Deodorant.
- Shower gel.
For Women:
- T-shirts.
- Denim shorts.
- Long sleeve tops.
- Spaghetti tops.
- Swimsuit.
- Bikini sets (if you want to go to designated 'Bikini Beach').
- Shampoo and hairbrush.
- Sneakers or crocs.
- Makeup kit.
- Other important products you use.
How Much Does a Maldives Tour Package Cost?
The price range of Maldives packages starts at about 520 US dollars. There is a wide range of Maldives packages to choose from, depending on the choice of flights, hotels, sightseeing, and much more. You can opt to travel by spending a lesser number of nights for a longer vacation, depending on the holiday you want.
The cost of Maldives packages depends on several factors including things to see and do, the cost of traveling from Ukraine round trip, food, accommodation, and how to get around the Maldives, etc. Tour and travel companies like Booking.com, Yatra, MakeMyTrip offer Maldives packages starting from 780 dollars for 3N/4D. For a honeymoon, their packages start from close to 1,300 dollars for 4N/5D.
Every company has their package features and conditions, most of the Maldives packages include all things like traveling from Ukraine to the Maldives round trip, accommodation, food, water sports, scuba diving, etc. Before you book any package from the travel website, we recommend that you must read their package details.