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One of the first questions you ask yourself when you think about this paradise: how much does it cost to travel to the Maldives? The answer is not simple, prices in the Maldives vary greatly, but in this article we will try to explain the main factors affecting prices.

Now in the Maldives you can organize not only luxury travel, but also budget holidays. About ten years have passed since the Maldives government allowed locals to open small hotels and guest houses on local islands to serve budget travellers.

Prices in the Maldives range from about €/USD 50 per night in hotels and guesthouses on local Maldivian islands to €/USD 3,000 per night for basic rooms (up to €/USD 15,000 per night) in the most famous resorts such as Four Seasons, St Regis, Soneva. To give you an idea: on one of the local islands you can find inexpensive but acceptable accommodation from 40 euros per night. In the seaside resorts it is difficult to find less than 150/200 euros per night.

How to plan the perfect vacation in the Maldives: tips for travelers.

Budget trip to the Maldives: when is the cheapest time to go to the Maldives

In the high season, which lasts from November to April, prices in the resorts of the Maldives rise sharply, especially in December and January, as at this time in Europe there are winter holidays. The rest of the year is considered the "low season" in the Maldives.

From May to October is the low season in the Maldives, so prices are significantly lower. Keep in mind that this is the rainy season, although it usually rains rarely.

The tourist peak is in winter: so do not plan a holiday in the Maldives from November to March/April, when it is very difficult to leave for less than 2000 euros/person. Christmas and winter holidays (February/March) are very expensive (at Christmas they can easily triple and reach 3/4000 € per person).

Price of air tickets to Maldives

When planning your budget for Maldives, you should consider international flights to Mali. Booking in advance will help to reduce costs.

Several airlines offer flights to Maldives from Europe, Middle East and Asia. To give you an idea, from Europe you can fly to Maldives for $500-1000 USD/EUR for a round trip flight.

To combine the trip, there are cheap flights to Maldives from India and Sri Lanka and you can fly for around 100/150 USD/€, one way.

We recommend checking prices on a search engine such as Skyscanner, which searches many online agencies.

How to get to your island: inter-island connections

Once you reach the archipelago, you will need to decide, within your budget, how to reach your destination.

The atolls are connected by several fairly efficient means of transport: speedboats (if you're in a hurry) or a local ferry to the local islands.

- The cost of local ferries starts from about 2 euros.

- The cost of a speedboat trip to local islands is at least 35 euros and it varies from island to island.

- For more remote islands you will have to use a seaplane, which costs more. The feeling of flying by seaplane is really fantastic, but you have to add about 500 euros to your budget.

Local islands can only be reached by ferries and speedboats, and private island resorts can only be reached by speedboat, seaplane or domestic flight. Ask the hotel to arrange the transfer and make the necessary reservations.

Please note: seaplane transfers are usually overpriced. If the resort you want to visit is near one of the other airports in the Maldives, you can consider the option of a domestic flight and a speedboat transfer. You will surely be surprised how much you can save!

When deciding which transfer method to choose, you need to consider the time you have at your disposal and the budget you have planned. For example, speed boats reduce the travel time by three times compared to the local ferry, but they are more expensive. But the best part is that you control your own route.

However, speedboats are cheaper and more frequent than local ferries. Depending on the landing time of your flight, it may be worth considering the speedboat option if it can get you to your destination half a day earlier, or if you can stay an extra half day.

Travel budget to Maldives: food and drink prices in Maldives

Food and drinks in the Maldives are expensive, so we usually recommend traveling with a plan that includes these expenses as much as possible. The high cost of rest is explained by the fact that there is practically no land for agriculture or livestock breeding on these islands, so almost all food and drinks are imported from other countries.

Food prices depend on the hotel category, but to give you an idea, we can say that in basic resorts meals will cost 20 euros or US dollars per person, and in more luxurious hotels - up to 40 euros / 45 US dollars +.

Meals in various restaurants on the local islands are around:

- Breakfast: €5

- Lunch: €8-10

- Dinner: €10-15.

On the local islands you can always book bed and breakfast accommodation.

Cost of resorts in the Maldives compared to accommodation on local islands

In our opinion, we do not recommend going to the Maldives just to visit the local islands and save money, unless you are one of those who like to get acquainted with the culture of other countries, enjoy the pristine beauty of the place and escape from modernity there.

In this case, you can book a vacation on one of the local islands and spend time discovering these unspoiled places away from the paved roads.

However, if you have always dreamed of living in a Maldivian paradise, we recommend combining these two worlds in your booking, spend part of your time on a local island and part on a resort island.

Local islands are receiving more and more tourists every year, and to meet the growing demand on some islands, work is underway everywhere.

Another money-saving suggestion is to choose a resort that can be reached by speedboat. Of course, there is a distance limit. If the journey is very long, there is no other option but a seaplane or a domestic flight.

What is the cheapest way to travel

Independent international flights land at Male International Airport, located at Hululi Island Airport, near Male Island.

Beware of overnight arrivals: you will have to wait at the transfer point to your island hotel - no overnight transfers are allowed. Spend the night at the airport hotel or in Malé, which can be reached in 10 minutes. Most package deals offered by tour operators include an early morning arrival, but if not, this night is usually included (check carefully).

Often it is on Middle Eastern airlines (Qatar Airways, Etihad, Emirates) that you will find the best value for money and the best chances to find a cheap flight to Maldives. Connections are usually made at the respective hubs: Doha for Qatar, Dubai for Emirates, Abu Dhabi for Etihad.

Qatar Airways is often the cheapest airline. Its special offers are usually very profitable: there are excellent prices for long periods and interesting departure dates (even in high season). Fares from €550/650 round-trip with advance booking.

Total budget: from €600/650 in the first minute outside the peak tourist season. Allocate a large budget for Christmas/New Year holidays (at least €1500 A/R in the first minute. Prices can reach more than 3/4000 euros if you leave on Saturday and book too late)

Many other companies offer flights with more or less long stops: Swiss (transit in Zurich), Srilankan Airlines (stopover in Colombo). Fares are approximately from 900/1000 euros.