An Instagram influencer is out to prove you can holiday in the idyllic Maldives without breaking the bank – and unbelievably, she claims she spent less than £50 on her first day
If you thought the Maldives was an unaffordable paradise – think again.
When thinking of a ‘budget holiday’, what comes to mind? Perhaps catching a cheap deal to Butlin’s, or a boozy weekend in Benidorm, while steering clear of long haul flights.
But one influencer is now out to prove you can holiday in the Maldives without breaking the bank – claiming she spent less than £50 in her first day. Shockingly, holidays in the Maldives can cost around £1,700 per person each week (according to Travel Republic) so thousands of people were keen to know she did it.
Taking to Instagram, Kara (@okay.kara.travels) explained: “We just landed in Mali because we’re attempting to travel the Maldives on a budget and already I’m so shocked with how affordable everything is… We’ve just flown from the UK to Male, it took us 24 hours to get here, so, it’s already been a very, very long travel day.
“But we still need to get to our hotel which is on one of the local islands. Me and my friend Tasha found out that if you stay on the local islands in the Maldives instead of a resort island it is far, far more affordable.”
Centred in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is comprised of 1,192 islands, with most of them uninhabited. Milaidhoo, Komandoo and Baros are some of the most popular among tourists, hosting various luxury all-inclusive resorts.
Instead of travelling here, Kara and Tasha opted for Thulusdhoo Island. While it’s just 26km away from the Male, the Maldives’ capital, it’s less crowded than other islands in the area. But some know it as a hidden gem, boasting idyllic surfing spots and vibrant coral reefs.
“I did not think the Maldives was gonna be this affordable but already it’s shocked me,” Kara continued. “We got picked up from the ferry terminal by our hotel and we were taken to our beachfront hotel which is literally only £28 per person per night, which includes the Maldives tourist tax and breakfast every morning.”
Kara’s choice of transport also helped her avoid unnecessary costs. From Male’s airport, most people will take ‘expensive’ seaplanes or £25 speedboats to reach their final destinations.
But opting for two local ferries costs just £1.97 per person. Kara explained: “We did have to wait in Male for a couple of hours for the next ferry because there’s only one a day at 2pm.
“Half two then came around and we jumped on our second ferry which took as to Thulusdhoo island. This does take quite a while, it takes two hours, whereas, the speedboat will take you half an hour.
“But whereas the speedboat is £25 minimum, this local ferry was just £1.20 per person. So, for all our transport today, it’s cost us less than £2 which blows my mind.”
Concluding her first day, Kara then ate out at a traditional Maldivian restaurant, where she opted for a curry, roti, shared rice and two drinks. Unbelievably, this cost £6.50, with her expenditure for the day totalling just £41.67.
“Day 1 of budget travel in the Maldives has (thankfully) been a massive success,” she added.
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