An affordable guide to the Maldives: how to have a cheap holiday
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Few beach destinations around the world live up to the bucket list hype like the Maldives. Things have changed considerably since the first hotel resort opened here in the early 1970s and, while it's much easier to hop on a plane headed for the Indian Ocean's archipelagic state than ever, it can be an altogether expensive experience. The country welcomed around two million tourists in 2024, and things are only expected to get busier thanks to a flurry of new resorts opening their doors. However, more competition can be a good thing, as new openings offer reduced “soft opening” rates and older hotels slash prices to fill up sparkly overwater villas during the low- and shoulder-seasons. From considering alternative flight routes and incorporating layovers to planning far enough ahead and weighing up the pros and cons of the all-inclusive experience, there are numerous ways to make a beach escape more cost-effective. Here, our tips explain how to have a more affordable holiday in the Maldives.
1. Go all-inclusive
It'll come as little surprise that Maldivian hotels are primarily stocked with imports. Many hotels catch fresh fish from house reefs, while others have greenhouses and vegetable gardens for basic produce. Still, branded items, meat, alcohol, and other daily essentials travellers crave are shipped and flown in. As a result, bed and breakfast stays can result in a substantial bill at check-out, meaning all-inclusive resorts offer more bang for your buck. Among our favourites is Ozen Reserve Bolifushi, which offers bespoke holiday plans, including everything from transfers to a la carte dining experiences and a handful of activities. Soneva Jani is another great example of a stay that, on the surface, is undeniably on the pricier end – but is worth every penny considering inclusions available in different packages.
2. Look for brand new hotels
Want to experience a smart hotel level you couldn't normally afford? Brand-new resorts often have impressive introductory deals for the first few months of opening – as much as 50 per cent off. Not all of the facilities will necessarily be open, so you might, for example, have a choice of three restaurants instead of four or may need to have wellness treatments in your room rather than the spa, but new resorts also tend to be quieter so you'll get more sandy square-footage to yourself and have a better chance of bagging an upgrade. Resorts don't tend to shout about these offers, so you'll need to ask your tour operator specifically for new hotels. New openings on our radar for 2025 include Centara Grand Lagoon Maldives, Corinthia Maldives, and Nammos Maldives.
3. Skip the seaplane
Seaplane journeys have become synonymous with the Maldives, costing anywhere up to £1,000 for round trips to the furthest islands, but there are cheaper ways to go. There are several atolls near the international airport which can be reached by speedboat, including South Malé, North Malé and Vaavu, with transfers costing between about £150 for a 20-minute hop to about £300 for a one-hour journey per person. These easy-to-reach islands – including Gili Lankanfushi, COMO Cocoa Island and Jumeirah Maldives – are ideal if you are happy to loll on a beautiful beach, unperturbed by a bit of sea traffic and the twinkling lights of nearby resorts. Alternatively, if you're longing for some edge-of-the-world energy, you can book a domestic flight to one of the country's more remote corners – Noonu, Laamu, Gaafu Alifu. The Gaafu Alifu Atoll skims the equator, a 70-minute flight south of Malé. It has larger jungly islands ringed by splendid beaches, big bountiful coral reefs and water teeming with mega-fauna – whale sharks, manta rays, hammerheads, turtles. More remote resorts are often cheaper and willing to throw in extras such as free transfers.
4. Consider going out of season
Weatherwise, the best time to visit the Maldives is from November to April – but it's also the busiest and most expensive time for a holiday. Try the low season instead, when hotels drop their rates by as much as half and regularly throw in free transfers, free nights, bumps to higher room categories and upgrades from half-board to full-board. There is a higher chance of cloudy days, the odd squally shower and choppier seas but temperatures remain in the balmy high 20s. This time of year is also better for surfing and spa breaks, and you'll encounter an even wider range of marine life, including gargantuan whale sharks and mini-bus big manta rays, which congregate in the Baa Atoll in their hundreds between July and October every year. Top tip: the north sees less rainfall than the rest of the country.
5. Don't book last minute
Hotel occupancy rates in the Maldives run at average highs of 75 per cent (higher than most cities), making it hard to bag any last-minute deals. Instead, book at least a few months in advance and choose a tour operator with a lot of clout in the region, such as Scott Dunn or Turquoise for a chance of exclusive offers and free upgrades, even at the most luxurious resorts.
6. Consider alternative flight routes
Direct flights are always preferable, when available, for long-haul journeys. However, there's a lot of money to be saved by committing to a layover. Best of all, these needn't add too much time to the overall journey. At the time of writing (January 2025), British Airways' return flights between London Heathrow and Velana International Airport in December start at more than £1,100 per person without luggage. However, consider layovers in Doha, flying with Qatar Airways, and you'll save more than £400 per person. Use flight search tools such as Skyscanner and Kayak to play around with dates. Saving a few hundred pounds may require separate flight bookings, but that spare change goes a long way in an island resort.
7. Book activities in advance
Booking activities in advance can make all the difference in a destination as remote as the Maldives. This especially applies to larger resorts, where the capacity for expert-led excursions and activities may fill up beforehand. If you're eager to chase dolphins through the glittering Indian Ocean, come face-to-face with unique sea life on a diving trip, or take over a private sandbank for a picnic (or an unforgettable proposal), then it's worth charming tour operators or hotels directly over the phone well before your trip.