Here’s How You Can Satisfy Your Wanderlust To Maldives With An Under-RM2k Budget

By JUICE Malaysia  •  10 Jun 2019 in Features

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The Maldives is world-renowned for both its natural beauty and luxury resorts

Made up of 1,200 islands, the country is famous for its pristine white sandy beaches and crystal blue waters. In the past, holidaying in the Maldives was reserved for the rich and famous as each luxury resort is built on its own island, and one night in an overwater bungalow can set you back thousands of dollars.

But while a getaway to the Maldives used to be seen as an impossible dream, that has since changed.

Here’s how three Malaysians vacationed in the Maldives on a budget:

1. Noor Amalina spent less than RM1,500 on a 4-day 3-night holiday, including loads of amazing water activities

In a viral Facebook post, Amalina gave her top tips to enjoying the Maldives on a budget. Her first tip is book your flights early on AirAsia, although Amalina was actually lucky enough to snag herself free seats during a special promo! Meanwhile, her airport transfer was RM125 return to Maafushi.

When it came to accommodation, she stayed at a hotel called Stingray Beach Inn for RM300 inclusive of breakfast, near Bikini Beach. If you’re thinking about purchasing a local SIM to get Internet, Amalina recommends to just use the hotel’s WiFi instead, which is both fast and free!

Spend your days snorkelling, kayaking, and enjoying the gorgeous beaches.

Amalina spent half a day snorkelling at Banana Reef and Turtle Reef, then experiencing Sand Bank and the Dolphin Cruise, which only cost her RM100. But the highlight of her trip was Shark Bay. Here’s her review:

“I totally recommend it. Snorkelling with the sharks and Fulidhoo Island was beautiful!!! It was hard to swim with the dolphins because they’re just so fast. When you’re snorkelling with the sharks, be sure to follow the guide with the GoPro to ensure you get gorgeous pictures.”

Her day trip in Shark Bay only cost her RM200.

Amalina notes that food is pricey and recommends staying at a hotel that provides free breakfast. Meanwhile, lunch is always provided with snorkelling packages, which leaves dinner. She suggests bringing instant noodles from Malaysia if you want to keep your spending even lower.

Even with a budget, Amalina was able to pick up some souvenirs from her epic stay in the Maldives. For cheaper holiday trinkets, she recommends getting a fridge magnet or keychain for around RM8, while you can get T-shirts for kids and adults for less than RM50.

Let’s take a look at her itinerary and spendings:

Day 1 – Arrival (AM), explore Maafushi
Day 2 – Half day snorkelling
Day 3 – Visiting Shark Bay
Day 4 – Kayaking. Request late check out. Departure (PM).

And here’s how much she spent in total:

• AirAsia return flight tickets: RM500
• Airport return transfer: RM125
• 3 nights at Stingray Beach Inn: RM300
• Half day snorkelling: RM100
• Shark Bay: RM200
• Kayaking: RM40
• Food: RM200 (breakfast included in accommodation, lunch included in day trip packages)
• Fridge magnet: RM10

That brings Amalina’s total spending to RM1,475 for a 4-day 3-night holiday in the Maldives!

2. Romi Zunaidi had the solo trip of a lifetime with his 5-day 4-night vacation that cost under RM1,700

Romi Zunaidi says he spent exactly RM363.10 on his AirAsia return flight ticket to the Maldives in a detailed itinerary he posted on Facebook. For accommodation, Romi opted to stay at a guesthouse called Alaka on the island of Maafushi, which cost around RM155 a night.

During his stay, Romi covered four public islands (Hulhulale, Maafushi, Male, and Hulhumale) and one private island (Adaaran Prestige Vadoo).

While the public islands offer much cheaper rates for activities, Romi recommends taking a private island package to really appreciate the beauty of the Maldives.

He splurged on a private island excursion to Adaaran Prestige Vadoo, which cost roughly RM440. But he says it was totally worth the experience. The package included a buffet lunch at the luxury resort, unlimited drinks, as well as access to the resort swimming pool and private beach.

Meanwhile, he also went snorkelling in Maafushi and swam alongside sea turtles, dolphins, and tropical fish. His snorkelling adventure lasted from 9am until 2pm, and cost around RM100 with lunch included.

The rest of his stay included travelling to other islands by speedboat or public ferry, then exploring on foot, riding a bicycle, and taking the bus.

Here’s how Romi’s itinerary and spending look like:

Day 1 – Arrival (PM), spends the night at the airport
Day 2 – Exploring Male city
Day 3 – Full day private island excursion to Adaaran Prestige Vadoo
Day 4 – Half day snorkelling
Day 5 – Exploring Hulhumale, departure (PM)

And here’s how much he spent in total:

• AirAsia return flight tickets: RM363.10 (plus RM20 for an in-flight meal)
• Sim card: RM67
• Transport (public ferry, speedboat, bus): RM66
• 3 nights at Alaka: RM465
• Half day snorkelling: RM105
• Private island excursion: RM440
• Food: RM135 (breakfast included in accommodation, lunch included in day trip packages)

That brings Romi’s total spending to around RM1,660 for a 5-day 4-night holiday in the Maldives!

3. Farhan Wahab enjoyed a 4-day 3-night holiday with friends for under RM1,800

Farhan’s itinerary, which has been shared over 3,400 times on Facebook, outlines his backpacker trip to the Maldives down to the hour! Similar to Amalina and Romi, Farhan and his friends also enjoyed a half day snorkelling trip. For just US$20 (around RM84), they visited Turtle Reef and Nemo Reef, went on a Dolphin Cruise, and had lunch. Farhan’s tip is to not be afraid to negotiate prices 😉

He also went on a full day private island excursion to Adaraan Prestige Vadoo. Just like Romi, this included unlimited drinks, buffet lunch, evening tea, and shark feeding, as well as access to the private beach and resort.

To get the full Maldivian experience on a budget, Farhan recommends staying at Maafushi as the island has loads of affordable choices of food, hotels, shops, and island hopping and snorkelling packages.

Farhan’s insider tips include shopping at the souvenir shop along the hotel lorong at Whiteshell as it’s the cheapest. Meanwhile the most affordable buffet dinner he could find was just US$10 (RM42). Farhan recommends eating at Sunrise Beach & Spa, where he says the food was delicious and included fresh fruit juices, plus the service was excellent.

Finally, Farhan adds that the people of Maldives are friendly and kind. They never force or pressure you to buy their souvenirs, travel packages, or food. He found that he could inquire about prices and they were always happy to help without getting angry if he later declined their offer.

Here’s how Farhan’s itinerary and spending look like:

Day 1 – Arrival (AM), explores Male city before taking a ferry to Maafushi
Day 2 – Half day snorkelling
Day 3 – Full day private island excursion to Adaaran Prestige Vadoo
Day 4 – Exploring Bikini Beach, kayaking, shopping, departure (PM)

And here’s how much he spent in total:

• AirAsia return flight tickets: RM400 (plus RM27 for insurance)
• Sim card: RM92
• Transport (public ferry, speedboat, mini lorry): RM103
• 3 nights at WhiteShell Island & Spa: RM425
• Half day snorkelling: RM84
• Private island excursion: RM440
• Kayak rental: RM40
• Food: RM146 (breakfast included in accommodation, lunch included in day trip packages)

That brings Farhan’s total spending to around RM1,790 for a 4-day 3-night holiday in the Maldives!

Ready to have your own island adventures? Catch a direct flight from Kuala Lumpur to the Maldives with AirAsia today!

Now, AirAsia has 11 direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to the Maldives every week, including morning flights so you won’t have to spend an extra night.

The great thing about visiting the Maldives is that you’ll be issued a visa on arrival if you hold a Malaysian passport—you don’t have to worry about applying for a visa beforehand. Plus, the Maldives is a Muslim-friendly destination that gives you good value for your money.

Enjoy member fares from RM299 all-in one way and skip the processing fees when you pay with your BigPay card today!

Booking Period: Now till 16 June 2019
Travel Period: Now till 30 November 2019

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