Author: Irina
Let's go over the price tags on the luxury islands and see if the roads of the Maldives are as they are "painted".
It's trite, but still: prices in the Maldives can vary greatly. It all depends on the level of comfort you require, on the purpose with which you are going to the islands. Therefore, in this article, we will give the minimum prices that are relevant for 2021, and we will accept the highest level as unattainable.
So far, for January-February 2021, it's easier to fly to the Maldives on your own:
- look for air tickets at Aviasales
- hotels book on RoomGuru
Cheap tours to Maldives. Where is the best place to look?
Budget holidays in the Maldives, as a rule, are organized independently. And a luxury trip (i.e. to a resort island) can be considered with a tour operator - experts in the country claim that luxury hotels are cheaper by voucher. Quite generalized boundaries of the cost of a tour package - from 150,000 to 1,000,000 rubles for a week of solitude. The amount is formed from several factors: season / off-season, location from the airport, popularity of the hotel, type of room and food.
Let's show the dependence on specific numbers. The price of a tour to the Maldives with a flight from Moscow to Holiday Island Resort & Spa (4 stars) for 7 days for two:
- in June (low season) - 148,000 rubles
- in December (high) - 220,000 rubles
- with breakfasts - 148,000, + dinners - 152,000, + lunches and dinners - 160,000, all inclusive - 188,000 rubles
On the question of where to look. Tour companies have different prices for vouchers to the same hotels, so you need to go through all tour operators at once. Three aggregators are very convenient in this regard:
- Travelata
- Level.Travel
- Onlinetours
They compare the available offers and display the best Maldives prices for two (child / four - according to your preference) on the selected dates. The services are used by many travelers and detailed reviews are left about each hotel.
Vacation season in the Maldives. When is it cheaper to travel?
When is the best time to go to the Maldives? Ideal dates - they are the same "predatory" - from November to April. During the high season, the islands are sunny and calm, although some lucky tourists can be upset by the weather in mid-January. The tropics are so unpredictable.
The cheapest fly to the atolls in the off-season - from May to October... At this time, it starts to rain and demand drops slightly, as do prices in the Maldives. Do not rush to dismiss this option! Precipitation is short-lived and more refreshing than annoying. humidity rises in summer.
There are also jumps among the budget months: in early May, air tickets from Russia rise in price (holidays); in August - tours and hotels (in the midst of vacations). The most low-cost period is June and July. Last-minute tours appear, and some resorts are generous with cool offers like room upgrades or even free transfers.
Flight price to Maldives in 2021
The average price of the flight Moscow-Maldives-Moscow equals 40-45 thousand rubles... Emirates, Turkish Airlines (with a transfer) and Aeroflot (direct) fly. Flight time in one direction ≈9 hours directly and from 12 hours with a docking.
These same companies often hold promotions, for which the amount drops to 25 thousand per person. By the way, the calendar of low prices suggests that in 2021 the minimum cost of a flight to the Maldives without sales is 39,000 rubles.
Visa for Russians
A visa to the Maldives is not required if the duration of the stay is no more than 90 days. Documents that you should have with you - passport (valid for at least six months at the time of entry), return ticket (required!), Hotel reservation.
About entering the Maldives now.
To get to the islands, you must have a negative PCR test result in English - please note, not older than 96 hours at the time of departure. Plus, the tourist fills out a special online questionnaire ahead of time and downloads the TraceEkee mobile application. Quarantine is not required, you come - you have a rest.
Hotel prices in Maldives 2021
There are 2 types of accommodation in the Maldives: hotel resort and guesthouse... The difference is that the first is located on a separate island, free from outsiders (the same well-known concept of an island hotel with paradise landscapes), and the second is on a piece of island where locals live (with not quite picturesque garbage, greater restrictions, but also with white sand and turquoise water).
How to rent a house on one's own? We recommend the search engine RoomGuru - it finds the best prices by analyzing all the popular booking systems. Equally good at catching special offers for resorts and guest houses.
By the way, the difference in cost between them is huge. Hotels in the Maldives are expensive. In high season the most "modest" Gangehi Island Resort (5 stars) gives a choice of:
- standard rooms for two from $ 200 per day
- villas from $ 300
- bungalows from $ 800
Moreover, by Maldivian standards, this resort cannot be called top-end. True luxury goods - like 5 * W Maldives - charge from $ 1500 PER NIGHT. Do you feel the scope? 🙂
Guest, after all, are not so merciless. During the peak period you can spend the night from $ 33 for 2 people. The key word is to spend the night, because spending time in a closet with artificial light is not very pleasant. Most of them are listed on the island of Maafushi - the most famous where the Maldivians live. There are better options, near the beach - from $ 50 (3 * Royal Pearl Inn).
I must say that inhabited islands are never bounty places with numerous photos on the internet. Rather, it is the Maldives "smoker". There are snow-white beaches, but there are few and it is forbidden to walk in a bikini (a Muslim country), the azure of the water and the greenery of the tropics fade due to garbage, and there is no alcohol at all. So why are guesthouses in demand? They keep the budget healthy, provide more freedom of movement and entertainment. The classic Maldives, along with snorkeling and shark feeding, can be seen on excursions - they are easy to buy from the locals.
Several additional points regarding housing prices:
- Exorbitant amounts - from the beginning of November to the end of April. Even more expensive for the Christmas holidays
- Tax are not always included in the price, but this is + 10% service charge, + 12% VAT and + $ 6 per person for environmental tax
- Transfer from the airport to the resort island is not included in the total if you book the hotel yourself. Plus $ 135-650 (depends on distance) each
6 best hotels
Which hotel to choose in the Maldives? Decide on the purpose of your trip: a house reef is important for snorkeling, a lagoon is important for complete relaxation by the ocean, and a convenient location to the airport and appropriate conditions for families with children.
We will highlight 6 of the best rated Maldives hotels and highlight their strengths to meet the basic needs of tourists.
5 * VAKKARU MALDIVES
Resort Island from magazine covers and Instagram photos. There are no rooms of another class here, except as a villa on the water - from where from the balcony and right into the sea! - and solitude above all else. The island is compact, you can walk up and down, but it is much more pleasant to ride a bike. The age of the hotel is on the plus side, he is only 3 years old... Calm (despite sufficient infrastructure for children), green, there is a reef with fish and its own coconut farm - yes, you will not be denied freshly made coconut yogurt for breakfast.
4 * ANGAGA ISLAND RESORT
There are many hotels with a reef in the Maldives, in particular Angaga, although it is not so impressive here. Among others, this resort is distinguished by a successful combination of the main characteristics: great beach and lagoon without sharp corals, varied food (and the emphasis is not on seafood, but on meat, which is rare), colorful underwater animals and those very villas on the water. According to tourists, the hotel is a good example of price / quality ratio.
4 * THE BAREFOOT ECO HOTEL
The place is unique in its way. This is a hotel built on the inhabited island of Hanimadu, but with a hint of privacy and resort views. So let's say cheap Maldivesbut not at the guesthouse level.On a private territory - your own beach, where you can splash in a swimsuit, spa and fitness, a swimming pool, a diving center, take out snorkelling. There are also positive comments about the kitchen. Of the minuses - a transfer in 45 minutes by plane from Male, the need for closed clothing outside, curious locales nearby.
5 * ANGSANA IHURU
Angsana is the true Maldives bungalow concept with its own private oceanfront corner, palm tree and hammock. An accessible reef with many corals, powdery sand and a wide lagoon. Everything here is brought up to exemplary level - service, food, rooms, lack of contact with guests, but also at an appropriate cost.
5 * SUN ISLAND RESORT
Experienced travelers are advised to look closely at the prices of the Maldives from this hotel, which has been tested by thousands of our compatriots and is, in general, democratic. Sun Island - the most russian the resort, large and spacious, is therefore crowded. Normal lagoon, normal reef, no entertainment and, of course, all inclusive.
5 * ANANTARA DHIGU RESORT
One of the best for holidays with children - half an hour by boat from the airport, kids club with animation, several restaurants with different cuisine, gentle entry into the water, soft sand. Near the island there are two neighboring resorts of the same network, one of them can be freely visited (by boat). With snorkeling, things are not very good - there is almost no reef. Instead, there are surfing, yoga and spa treatments.
Food price in Maldives
Food costs directly depend on where the tourist is staying - in a resort or on a local island.
Resorts. Interestingly, in the Maldives it is not recommended to take "all inclusive" (the exception is if life without alcohol is not nice). They say it's a waste, because, for the most part, the food is not very diverse, and the liquor is from India. Quality alcohol only for money (for example, $ 35-100 for a bottle of wine, $ 10-20 for a cocktail). A hotel will be more economical for half or full board with a separate payment for meals or drinks.
Approximate prices in the Maldives for food in resorts for two:
- Water 1.5 liters - $ 5
- Pizza / pasta for lunch - $ 70-100
- Dinner without alcohol - $ 150-200
Of course, the higher the class of the hotel, the higher the cost of meals.
Local islands. A couple of nuances: food in the Maldives is spicy and does not shine with a wide selection of products used; fruits are expensive because imported (except for coconuts), alcohol is not sold from the word at all; cooking yourself is unlikely to work.
Backpackers eat in local establishments or snatch something in stores. Price tags:
- Salad in a cafe - $ 5-7
- Second (meat / fish) - from $ 20
- Juice pack - $ 2
- Pack of cookies - $ 1
- Water - $ 1-2
- Mango, kg - $ 10-15
Transport cost
Prices for vacations in the Maldives also add up to travel around the country. Here, this is quite problematic: it is possible to move between the islands only by water or by air.
Resorts themselves organize the transfer of guests from the airport (by boat or plane, sometimes hydro), and there is no getting away from it - these are the rules that force you to shell out, on average, $ 300 per person. But between the local islands (for example, from Hulhumale to Maafushi) it is quite affordable to travel on a budget - on national doni boats or, in Russian, a ferry.
In total, we have:
- Doni / ferry - inexpensive ($ 1-2) and rather slow transport
- High-speed boats / cutters: they will go anywhere, and at the same time quickly, "with a breeze." How much it will cost depends on the distance (locally - from $ 20)
- Local air carriers and seaplanes - already from the series "not everyone can afford, but you will have to pay"
Doni on Maafushi
Relevant for the "savages". Maafushi Island is one of the preferred places to live in the archipelago. It is chosen by those who need to stay at an affordable price in a guesthouse.
How to get from the airport if the destination is the above island? Here it should be borne in mind that the airport itself is located on the island of Hulule, from where you need to take a ferry to the capital Male ($ 1 per person). From there, from Villingili Ferry Terminal, doni starts to Maafushi ($ 2).
Price for entertainment and excursions
When calculating prices in the Maldives, budget for a couple of excursions or entertainment, even in spite of the promoted idea of a seal holiday. For resorts, the cost varies greatly, and if very roughly, swimming with manta rays is from $ 100, snorkeling equipment is free or $ 10-20.
In the case of an independent tourist, leisure is a little more fun.
Things to do? Fans of scuba gear or snorkelling can go to Maafushi, where the Maafushi Dive School is very popular. For prices, you need to focus on about $ 60-80 for theory and immersion. Are you extreme? Then to the whale sharks. Real swimming with huge fish is a real pleasure for those who want to tickle their nerves ($ 200 per person).
What to see in the Maldives? There is an excursion to Male, but the reviews about it are 50/50. But trips to the island resorts are being sold out with a bang. Transportation and entrance to the island are paid, plus meals to choose from. For example, from Maafushi to Fihalohi island, such a trip costs about $ 100 per boat (a group is recruited), $ 30 from each admission to the territory $ 70-90 optional lunch.
Beaches in the Maldives. What's the cover charge?
The beaches of the Maldives are what captures the imagination of vacationers. Surely, you, too, paint yourself colorful pictures and look at the photos of the beaches of the archipelago. Don't limit yourself to sightseeing Male 'and scuba diving at Maafushi. Have you seen the glowing beaches? And there are some on Vaadhoo Atoll, and the sight is worth a long journey.
Which beaches get the best reviews?
- Fulhadu island beaches. The island itself is small (250 m by 2.5 km), on one side of it there are wide white beaches. They have a cool intimate atmosphere.
- Biadu - This tiny island also boasts beautiful beaches. If you try, you can find a corner where no one will interfere with enjoying the silence. A special atmosphere is created by a riot of tropical greenery near the coastline. Entrance - $ 30
- The beaches on Fihalhohi Island are also on the list of attractive places to visit. Despite the fact that a lot of tourists rest on the island, the beaches themselves are calm, tourists will be pleased with the rich coastal fauna - fish, small sharks, turtles, stingrays
- The uninhabited island of Maaadhoo is also famous for its excellent beach. The shore and the bottom of the shallows are composed of white sand, the ocean opens about a kilometer from the land. In the shade of the trees, you can cook meat, there are arranged places for this. Picnic excursions are regularly organized on Maadhoo (for example, from neighboring Maafushi), the approximate cost of such an event is about $ 40-50
- Those who go to the Four Seasons Hotel (Baa Atoll) are very lucky with the beach. Comfortable dry climate, no insects, sandy shallow water, well suited for families with children. If you have chosen a hotel of the same chain, but in North Male, then the beach will also delight you with its cleanliness and well-groomed. The coast and the seabed are coral chips and white sand
3 tips for tourists: how to have an inexpensive vacation in the Maldives?
In conclusion, I would like to give a few indications. All this is the advice of tourists who have already been to the Maldives:
- Monitor Maldives flight and hotel prices in 2021 from May to October. Moreover, it is more important to book accommodation, and it is better to do it six months in advance. Cheap flights are more likely to meet a month before your desired date
- Choose islands where you can rent inexpensive accommodation, provided that you are not applying for luxury hotels. The budget islands are Maafushi, Toddu, Rasdu, Male, Mathiveri
- Look for establishments "for your own", and may you have more or less prices for food
