- Accommodation
- Transport
- Nutrition
- Entertainment
- Purchases
The Maldives are strongly associated with the bliss of secluded relaxation on the white beaches washed by the azure sea, with unique nature and first-class hotels.
The Maldives has always been considered an expensive country to travel to. The reason is simple: the state is located on a group of atolls in the Arabian Sea, so literally everything, from fresh water to most food products, is imported from the mainland. Plus the expensive generation of solar energy on floating platforms-power plants and no less costly strengthening the soil of the islands. In short, the maintenance costs fall mainly on the shoulders of the guests, because tourism is the basis of the economy of the island state.
The high cost of travel is compensated by the quality of recreation and the magic of local landscapes. In addition, some travelers manage to save money in the Maldives. The main thing is to plan your budget correctly. How much money do you need to take for the trip and in what currency?
The official unit of monetary settlement, the rufiyaa, is used only domestically, and exportation is prohibited. The exchange rate ranges from 15 to 15.5 rufiyaa per dollar. By the way, dollars are in circulation and are used in everyday settlements on a par with rufiyaa. You can pay with a bank card almost everywhere, but it is not always profitable. Better to have cash.
Accommodation
There are two types of accommodation on the islands. The first is an island hotel with postcard landscapes and full infrastructure. Room rates start at $ 200 per night for two, bungalows - from $ 800. Moreover, these prices are not considered the highest. In top five-star hotels in high season, the cost of a double room reaches $ 1,500 per night.
The second housing option is guesthouses. If you try very hard, you can "catch" a very cheap option when booking: $ 35 for a double room, with all taxes. But you shouldn't really count on such luck. The actual price for a hotel with breakfast is between $ 45 and $ 60, which is good. Because if you do not book on time, the cost of the room will be $ 70-100 per day, and it will not be better than the one that costs $ 60.
On the islands of Guraidhoo, Toddu and Maafushi, there are many guesthouses where you can rent a decent double room with air conditioning and breakfast for $ 50. In addition, in the "guest houses" there is a common kitchen, where you can cook products brought with you or purchased.
- When booking yourself, be sure to keep in mind that the room rate usually does not include taxes, and they are considerable. The service charge is 10 percent and 12 percent VAT. Plus six dollars per person is an environmental fee. You will find out all this when you pay for the room already on the spot, so it is worth calculating everything in advance.
- When booking yourself, check if the transfer from the airport to the hotel is included in the total amount. In guesthouses, when booking a room, you can also order a transfer, for an additional fee - so as not to make spontaneous and not always profitable decisions at the airport.
Transport
Transfer from the airport can be done in different ways:
- A dhoni boat ride to the capital will cost only one dollar, but it is a rather slow form of transport. It will go even slower and the local ferry will cost the same.
- On a seaplane (here it is called an air taxi), prices start at $ 250, depending on which island you are heading to.
- There is also a high-speed boat that will take you to any island "with a breeze", the cost of the transfer starts from $ 30 and depends on the distance to your destination.
Public transport, in the conventional sense, exists only in Male. A taxi ride is also possible only in the capital. It has some peculiarities. Getting in a taxi costs one and a half dollars, any, even half a minute, stop on the road is considered the end of the trip. And you will have to pay the same amount for landing again.
The congestion of cars familiar to our eyes is not here. A widespread form of movement, besides the sea, is motorcycles and bicycles. They move between the islands either by air taxi or by sea. The local sea taxi is called doni or dhoni - a small wooden boat with a diesel engine.
Nutrition
The local cuisine is mainly borrowed from the gastronomy of neighboring countries: an abundance of hot sauces with curries and spices, the dominance of rice and fish in various variations. Moreover, all this will be more expensive than in Sri Lankan and Indian cafes. In addition, service and environmental fees and VAT are added to the cost of any lunch.
Meals are just that point, because of which opinions differ, which is better - an all-inclusive tour or independent accommodation with breakfasts at the hotel. In the first case, tourists receive decent lunches / dinners at the hotel. Budget travelers to the local islands will have to work hard to find a place where they cook well and not too expensive prices. On the popular islands, there is a greater choice of cafes, respectively, the prices are slightly lower - competition. If you focus on catering for local residents, you can eat $ 15 a day.
Prices in a cafe for main dishes:
- A serving of curry costs between $ 4 and $ 10.
- Soups - $ 4 to $ 6.
- Salad, depending on the ingredients, costs $ 4-9.
- Grilled seafood (large plate) - $ 50
- Fried shrimp - $ 10
- A plate of tropical fruits - $ 6.
- Ice cream, milkshake - $ 3.
Of the fish dishes, tuna is the most delicious here, the cheapest is reef fish. Both are inexpensive.
In a hot time of the day, when the beach is no longer comfortable, it is quite possible to go shopping, they can be found on any local island. Prices:
- A liter of milk costs $ 2.
- "Loaf" of bread - $ 1.5.
- One and a half liters of drinking water is a dollar.
- A kilogram of cheese can cost anywhere from $ 5 to $ 10.
- A dozen eggs - $ 2.
- For a dollar, you can buy a pack of instant noodles.
- Fruits, oranges, bananas, apples, cost 3-4 dollars per kilo.
- But coconuts are sold by the piece, for 3-5 dollars.
In a Muslim country, even a secular one, very expensive alcohol is a common thing. Its cost is three to four times higher than the Russian one. And alcohol is sold only in hotel bars and duty-free shops.
Entertainment
The main attractions of the Maldives are the crystal clear sea and the wealth of the underwater world. Therefore, all entertainment will be associated with the sea.
- If you want to swim with fins and a mask near the island, the equipment will cost $ 5-10. On the high seas, snorkeling will cost between $ 15 and $ 30, depending on the number of passengers in the boat.
- A boat trip or a trip to the dolphins will also depend on the occupancy of the boat - from $ 25 to $ 80. The more people there are, the cheaper, naturally. An individual boat trip is always more expensive.
- Diving in the islands is considered expensive, so experienced divers come with their own equipment. Renting it will cost about $ 500. With your equipment you will have to pay only for the diving sessions. If there is a diving center on the island, ten dives will cost between $ 300 and $ 400. In so-called resorts, the cost of sessions is much higher.
- Usually, independent tourists diversify their vacation by visiting the beaches of the resorts of neighboring islands. It should be borne in mind that for hotel guests the entrance will be paid, from $ 20 to $ 50.
- For an hour of riding a jet ski, pay from $ 70 and more. You can ride the sea on a more budgetary basis - on a kayak, for only $ 10-15.
- Fishing on the islands is always successful. Several hours of renting a dhoni cost only $ 60. You can rent a speedboat for the company. This safari fishing will cost $ 300. Night fishing costs $ 500, but for that amount you get a private cabin and all the gear. The entire catch is considered the property of the fisherman, it will be prepared completely free of charge.
- You can rent a speedboat for the whole day and go around all the islands, it will cost $ 350.
- A seaplane flight over the Maldives costs from 150 to 300 dollars - depending on the time spent in the air. Stunning impressions and photos will remain.
Spa sessions on the islands can also be classified as expensive entertainment. A simple massage can be obtained for $ 20, while a relaxing massage for an hour starts at $ 50.
Top 15 attractions in the Maldives
Purchases
Clothes and shoes are brought to the islands mainly from neighboring Sri Lanka. Shopping in the Maldives is primarily about buying local souvenirs. The islanders' hobbies for a variety of crafts are also focused on tourism, so there will be no problems with the choice of gifts.
- Coral jewelry is the first thing that is bought in the "coral" state. From $ 30 you can pay for a set of necklace and earrings.
- Shark jaws are also considered a popular souvenir among tourists, especially among men. Small ones will cost from $ 10, especially large ones - up to $ 150.
- Handicrafts made of wood of various species - beautiful lacquered dishes, handmade figurines, jewelry boxes, jewelry, miniatures of ships, smoking pipes. The range of prices is from $ 20 to $ 300.
- Coconut fiber pillows are known for their medicinal properties, starting at $ 10.
- The price of all kinds of shell souvenirs and simply beautiful lacquered shells starts at $ 15.
It is worth paying attention to rugs and boxes woven from cane, products made of coconut, figurines carved from stone, fans, etc.
At the entrance to the country, they can check the availability of a minimum amount per day per person. According to local law, it is $ 25. But you should not focus on this amount when planning your trip financially. The roughest count for ten days is this. For an all-inclusive vacation, the cost will be between $ 400 and $ 500 per person.
For independent tourists, the cost of food doubles this amount. For living in a guesthouse, you need to add about $ 500-700 here. If at the same time you are diving, the expense item increases by a thousand dollars with your equipment, by one and a half thousand - with equipment for rent.
