Couple Shares How They Did a 9-Day MALDIVES Trip Spending Only P21K Each Including Airfare

9 days in The Maldives – 1 day in Malé, 3 days in Fihalhohi, 1 day in Gulhi, 1 day in Fulidhoo, 3 days in Maafushi
travel period: AUGUST 11 – AUGUST 19, 2016

expenses are as follows:

Php 3,268 / USD 70 (2 pax, 1 night) – Marble Hotel, Malé, capital of Maldives (no breakfast because discounted)
Php 0 (2 pax, 3 nights) – Fihalhohi Island Resort (highly recommended!) – thanks to our friends for the free treat! (original price USD 150 / room, with whole day buffet!)
Php 2,450 / USD 52 (2 pax, 1 night) – Silver Shade, Gulhi (with breakfast)
Php 2,110 / USD 45 (2 pax, 1 night) – Sancia Lodge, Fulidhoo (highly recommended with free breakfast)
Php 7,450 / USD 160 (2 pax, 2 nights) – Kaani Beach Hotel, Maafushi (highly recommended, with breakfast buffet!)
Php 2,110 / USD 45 ( 2 pax 1 night) – Zest Cabana, Maafushi (highly recommended, with breakfast buffet!)
Php 7,000++ / USD 145 – pocket money for food, transport, etc

transportation: public ferry – prices start at USD 1, private speedboat – prices start at USD 12
internet : pretty fast wifi connections in our hotels
currency: US Dollars and Maldivian Rufiyaa (MVR is preferred)

quick info:
being a Muslim country, all beaches in local islands have what they call “Bikini Beach”. they are beaches surrounded by walls made out of dried leaves.
bear in mind that you can sunbathe and swim in whatever outfit you want but once you step out, cover yourself to respect the locals.
a lot of foreigners exit the Bikini Beach and just wander across town in their bikinis. big no-no!

for ferry trips to and from the airport on Fridays, not a single ferry travels in the entire country so you would need to ask help from your accommodation to arrange a speedboat ride. it starts at USD 12, we got our for USD 10, Maafushi to airport, less than an hour.

MALÉ tips:

Caption: “Overnight at Male, capital of Maldives. cheapest accommodation found: Php 3,268 (USD 70) for a comfy hotel room for 2.”

1. ferry from the airport to Malé takes only 15 minutes and is priced at USD 1
2. airport – Malé ferry route runs non stop every few minutes and leaves once the boat is full
3. exchange USD to MVR to save extra cents because you would need USD only to pay for your accommodation and everything else would be in MVR
4. you can roam around the island city by walking, perhaps reaching one end to the other in 30 minutes
5. shops close pretty late, many eateries in alleyways, hard to find food on Fridays because everything’s closed
6. make a short trip to Villingili or Hulhumale island if you have extra hours to spare before heading to the airport
7. taxi from the ferry terminal to your hotel shouldn’t be more than MVR 30
8. transportation – just walk and wander

must eats (of course):
– basic fried rice with fried egg for Php 123 (MYR 40) – it’s everywhere

FIHALHOHI tips:

Caption: “Room for Php 7,000++ (USD 150) comes BREAKFAST, LUNCH, and DINNER BUFFET! “

1. free return transport, pick up and drop off at either the airport or Malé via private speedboat
2. speedboats have to be prearranged. contact the resort beforehand.
3. small private island, 15 minutes by foot from one end to the other

Caption: “a private resort island with perfect white sand is badass.”

must eats:
– all day every day buffet included! so worth your money!

GULHI tips:

1. ferry ride from Malé, 1 hr and 15 mins, Php 68 (MVR 22) per head
2. nothing to do aside from chill in the bikini beach
3. not a touristy island which means you sometimes have the beach all to yourself!

4. you can arrange island hopping tours with your guesthouse
5. wander across the island and take photos of colorful doors and walls
6. don’t forget to try out Maldivian hammocks as you can’t find them anywhere else

7. the bikini beach is where the sun rises, across the island near the ferry terminal is where the sun sets. beautiful!

must eats (of course):
– Surfista cafe is the only cafe we eat at when in Gulhi.

Tuna noodles for Php 137 (MVR 45)
– ask your local guesthouse to arrange a Maldivian breakfast for you. normally, they wouldn’t ask and would just serve you toast and jam and coffee. Mashuni Roshi is so much more delicious!

FULIDHOO tips:

1. ferry ride from Maafushi, 2 hours, Php 162 (MVR 53) per head
2. small island, at the time we were here, there were only 4 guesthouses
3. nothing to do aside from chill in the bikini beach
4. the emptiest island we went to, aside from us, there were only 2 other people in the bikini beach. most of time, it was just the 2 of us!
5. you can arrange island hopping tours with your guesthouse
6. the bikini beach is where the sun rises, no sunset session here.

must eats (of course):
– ask your local guesthouse to arrange a Maldivian breakfast for you. normally, they wouldn’t ask and would just serve you toast and jam and coffee. Mashuni Roshi is so much more delicious!
– for lunch and dinner, eat at Sancia Lodge. this is the cheapest restaurant we found in the island, coincidentally, it’s our guesthouse too.

MAAFUSHI tips:

1. ferry ride from Gulhi, 20 mins, Php 68 (MVR 22) per head
2. ferry fride from Fulidhoo, 2 hours, Php 162 (MVR 53) per head
3. BEST LOCAL ISLAND!!! watersports, cheap places to eat, a lot of accommodation options, perfect!
4. we stayed in Kaani Beach Hotel.

Php 3,800 for a room with buffet breakfast for 2.
5. after staying 2 days in Kaani Beach Hotel, we tried a much cheaper place, Zest Cabana, Php 2,150 for a room with buffet breakfast for 2! love it!
6. you can arrange island hopping tours with your guesthouse, or with tour shops across the island
7. bikini beach is too crowded and isn’t so beautiful anyway.
8. the reason to come to Maafushi isn’t because of the beach, but because of its super chill vibe.
9. sunset session right at the Bikini Beach

must eats (of course):
– since the whole island is very much filled with cafes and restaurants for tourists, head to the heart of the island to a restaurant called Hotel Rocket. this is where locals eat and the prices are super affordable. less than half of what tourist restaurants offer. what?!?
– Php 170 (MVR 55) tuna noodles
– Php 15 – 30 (MVR 5-10) brownies, donuts, etc!