Maldives on a Budget: 10 Days on Local Islands for ₹1.5 Lakh (for Two)

One night on Fulidhoo, after dinner, the two of us were just sitting on the pier looking at the water when a manta ray came swimming in. We sat there watching it for about 15 minutes. Slowly people started walking over, and soon it felt like the entire island had come to the pier to see it. A manta coming that close was rare even for the people who live there.

That night sums up our Maldives trip. Most people think of the Maldives as overwater villas and honeymoon packages that cost lakhs per person. In April 2022, the two of us spent 10 days there for about ₹1.5 lakh in total, flights from India included.

We didn’t stay in a single resort. We stayed in small guesthouses on two local islands, Fulidhoo and Keyodhoo. A local island is one where Maldivians actually live, with a village, a mosque, a school and a few shops. Resorts are separate private islands where you mostly see other tourists. Staying on a local island costs a fraction of a resort, and you get to see how people really live.

Here is what we spent, the moments we loved, and everything you need to plan your own budget trip.

What we spent

We tracked every rupee. This is exactly what the two of us spent in 10 days:

What	For two of us	Per person
Guesthouses	₹71,286	₹35,643
Flights from India (return)	₹29,220	₹14,610
Activities (snorkelling, sandbanks, scuba diving, island trip)	₹19,210	₹9,605
Boat transfers and local transport	₹15,561	₹7,780
Eating out	₹14,921	₹7,461
Groceries	₹1,810	₹905
Other small expenses	₹1,121	₹561
Shopping	₹385	₹193
Total	₹1,53,514	₹76,757

A few things stand out:

• Guesthouses were almost half of our budget. If you want to spend less, this is where to save, for example with a simpler room or by travelling in the off season.
• Flights were cheaper than you might expect. The Maldives is very close to India, and return flights for two cost us under ₹30,000.
• We spent almost nothing on shopping and extras. Most of the money went on staying there and getting out on the water.

Expect to spend more today. Our trip was in 2022, and with inflation, flights, guesthouse rooms and trips all cost more now. Use our numbers as a guide to how the budget splits up, and check current rates before you plan.

The moments we loved

Taking the local ferry, and Apoorva at the wheel

To get from Fulidhoo to Keyodhoo, we took the local public ferry instead of a speedboat. It was almost off season, so we had the boat practically to ourselves. Then the captain let Apoorva steer the ferry for a while. It cost a fraction of a speedboat and turned out to be one of the best experiences of the whole trip.

The lodge owner who looked after us during Ramadan

We went in April 2022, which was during Ramadan. The locals were fasting through the day and food wasn’t always easy to find. The owner of Island Holiday Lodge on Keyodhoo made sure we never went hungry. He arranged our meals for us all through our stay, and he also took us on our snorkelling trips. That kind of care is something no resort can give you.

Half a day on an uninhabited island

One of our favourite days was a trip to a remote island where nobody lives. No village, no guesthouses, just the island and the sea around it. On the way there we did some fishing from the boat. Then we spent about half a day on the island. We swam, walked out on its beautiful sandbank and had a picnic lunch on the beach. It was so pretty, and honestly one of the best parts of the trip.

Sandbanks and scuba diving

A sandbank is a small strip of white sand in the middle of the sea with nothing else on it. The boat drops you there for a while to swim and relax. We also went scuba diving. If you have never dived before, ask for a discover or try dive, where an instructor stays with you the whole time.

The people we met

The thing that surprised us most was how friendly everyone was. On a local island you walk through the village and see everyday life, and people were genuinely warm and welcoming to us. A few things we didn’t expect:

• Teachers from Kerala. We met teachers from Kerala who had come to teach in the schools on these tiny islands.
• Different family customs. It was quite common for men on the islands to have two wives, which was new for us and a reminder that you are a guest in someone else’s culture.
• The whole island turning up for the manta. Even for the people who live there, a manta coming right up to the pier was a rare sight.

The one thing that made us sad: plastic

The worst part of the trip was the amount of plastic on these small islands. When we went, because of COVID, nobody had been coming to collect the waste, and there was literally a mountain of plastic on the island. Seeing that next to such clear water was hard.

It may be better now, but small islands have very limited ways to deal with waste, so please:

• carry a reusable water bottle and refill it at your guesthouse
• say no to plastic bags and straws
• take any plastic you bring back with you when you leave

Where we stayed

• Fulidhoo White Inn on Fulidhoo
• Island Holiday Lodge on Keyodhoo

Check recent reviews before you book, since guesthouses can change a lot over a few years.

Visa and entry for Indians

Indian passport holders get a free tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives. When you land at Malé airport, keep these ready:

• your passport, valid for at least six months
• your return ticket
• your guesthouse booking
• the IMUGA traveller declaration, filled in online before you fly

Rules can change, so check the Maldives Immigration website before you travel.

How to get to Fulidhoo and Keyodhoo

Both islands are in Vaavu atoll, south of Malé. You have two options:

• Speedboat: faster and more comfortable, but it costs more. Your guesthouse can usually book it and have someone meet you at the airport.
• Public ferry: much cheaper but slower, and it only runs on certain days. Check the schedule before you book your flights. Between the two islands, we’d recommend the ferry.

Ask your guesthouse for the latest timings and prices when you book.

Rules on local islands

• No alcohol. It is not allowed on local islands. Only resorts serve it.
• Dress modestly in the village. Cover your shoulders and knees when you walk around.
• Swimwear only on the bikini beach. Islands with guesthouses usually have a marked beach for tourists. Ask your guesthouse where it is.
• Friday prayers. Shops and cafes may close for a while around prayer time.
• During Ramadan, many places stay closed until sunset. Ask your guesthouse to help with meals, and avoid eating or drinking in public during fasting hours.

None of this was a problem for us. Following it is just part of being a good guest.

Our advice if you’re planning a trip

• Don’t skip scuba diving. If there is one thing to spend on in the Maldives, it’s this. Even if you have never dived before, do a try dive with an instructor.
• Go on excursions. Snorkelling trips, sandbanks and a day on an uninhabited island gave us our best memories, and from a local island they cost far less than at a resort.
• Want an overwater villa? Do it for one night only. Stay one night in a resort villa for the experience, and spend the rest of your trip on local islands. Excursions and scuba diving are much cheaper from the local islands, so you get far more out of the same budget.

Tips for a budget Maldives trip

• Stay on local islands, not resorts. This is the single biggest saving.
• Book flights early and be flexible with your dates.
• Take the local ferry at least once. It’s cheap, and it was one of our best experiences.
• Book trips through your guesthouse. Snorkelling, sandbank, diving and island trips are often cheaper that way.
• Carry some US dollars. Many guesthouses and boat transfers are priced in dollars.

Final thoughts

The Maldives doesn’t have to be a once-in-a-lifetime luxury trip. Staying on Fulidhoo and Keyodhoo, we got the same clear water and white sand, plus things a resort can’t give you: an almost empty local ferry, a lodge owner who made sure we were fed during Ramadan, teachers from Kerala on a tiny island, and a whole village gathering on a pier to watch a manta ray.

If you are planning a budget trip to the Maldives and have questions, message us on Instagram @mappingminimalists or write to us at [email protected].

We did this trip in April 2022. Prices, ferry schedules and entry rules change, so please check the latest details before you book.