What is the difference between local islands and resort islands in the Maldives? And which one do you want to choose when you go on vacation? There is a big difference between local islands and resort islands in the Maldives for budget and accessibility. Below we tell you more about this and show you which is right for you.
Content of this blog:
Local islands in the Maldives
We start with the local islands in the Maldives. These are islands where locals live and thus where the daily life of Maldivians takes place. On these islands it is important to respect the culture. 100% of the population of The Maldives is Muslim, this is even written in the constitution.
Bikini beach
It is therefore forbidden to walk around the local islands in bikini. You do not always have to cover up completely, but you should put on a shirt and shorts. There are beaches called bikini beach, where you are allowed to lie down and swim in a bikini. So here you will automatically encounter most tourists.
No alcohol
Because of the Islamic faith, alcohol is not served on the local islands. You will see beer, wine or cocktails on the menu, but these will all be non-alcoholic. Alcohol is served on the resort islands.
Cost of local islands
The Maldives is known as a super expensive destination. However, you are fairly in control of how expensive you make it. The local islands, for example, are not that expensive at all. You can find a good hotel starting at $60 per night and a local (surprisingly delicious) meal costs between $5 and $10. Also the activities and tours from the local islands – especially from Maafushi – are not very expensive at all. We stayed on the local islands in the Maldives for 2 weeks, did all the tours and activities we wanted, and spent an average of $80 per person per day. Not crazy, right?
Traveling to the local islands does not have to be expensive either. There are local ferries that sail 3 times a week between some of the islands and Malé (the capital). For the ferries you pay on average $3 per person for 2 hours, so very cheap! On all the islands we visited (Fulidhoo, Maafushi and Dhigurah) you can use the local ferry. Because they only go 3 times a week you need to plan your trip well in advance. Read more about transportation in The Maldives here where we share a tip that can save you dozens of dollars.
The resort islands in the Maldives
The resort islands are probably exactly what you imagine when you think of the Maldives: pearly white beaches, shacks on the water and an tropical blue sea. These heavenly resorts with all the luxuries surrounding them bring the ultimate vacation feeling: delicious (in many cases unlimited) food, sunbathing, swimming and enjoying the peace and beauty of the island every day.
Cost of resort islands in the Maldives
Of course, the cost to stay on such an island is quite a bit higher than on a local island. First you have to get to the island, which in many cases can only be done by seaplane ($200 – $300 one way), or speedboat (+/- $100 depending on the location of the island). So this is already a big expense right away, especially if you would only want to stay there for 2 nights, this may not be worth the money.
Then, of course, you have to pay for your overnight stay. There are 3-star, 4-star and 5-star resorts. Based on the season, luxury and type of lodging (bungalow on the water or a cottage on the beach), the price is determined. On average, think $400 – $1,000 per night. At almost all resorts at least breakfast is included and you can choose to book lunch and dinner inclusive as well.
We have listed the 8 best budget resorts in Maldives: good value for money where you can completely immerse yourself in the luxury and beauty of the resort islands in the Maldives.
A day trip to a resort island
If you don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to stay on a resort island, but would like to enjoy a day of luxury, you can also take a day trip to a resort island. This is the easiest (and cheapest) to do from Maafushi. You can choose which resort island you like best from the tour companies. Always ask carefully what is included in the price. For most day trips you pay between $100 and $130 for a full day on the island, including transfer and lunch where only lunch includes drinks. At most resort islands, you can pay a small extra fee ($10) and then you can have unlimited drinks all day, including alcohol.
In the morning you will be taken by speedboat to the resort island where you can stay until 5:00 p.m. Lunch is included and in most cases unlimited drinks for a small additional fee. It is a very nice way to experience the resort islands without spending too much. We went from Maafushi to Sun Siyam Olhuveli on a day trip and it was fantastic.
So you can see that there are many differences between the local islands and the resort islands in the Maldives. Which one you choose is entirely up to you and your budget. Do you want to know more about the costs in The Maldives? We made an overview of our costs with extra tips how to travel the Maldives on a budget. In any case, we really enjoyed doing a day trip to a resort island and this certainly tastes like more. Just save up for the next few years and then maybe we can go back again.
Want to read more about the Maldives? Check out all our comprehensive articles about Maldives here or ask your question using the contact form below and we will try to answer you soon. Have fun in this paradise country!
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