My Maldives Travel Guide

Cost: Expensive

The Maldives is known as a luxury travel destination. It can be very expensive, but you only live once.  If you are on a budget, I recommend you travel during the off season/rainy season (May – November).  I traveled to the Maldives in July. The weather was pretty unpredictable, but the rain and winds only last about 30 minutes.  Afterwards, you are greeted with the most beautiful skyline you have ever seen!  The cost for my travels are listed at the end of each post.

Flight: Long

From Orlando, it’s a 28- hour flight one-way.

Lodging: Expensive

It depends on your budget.  You don’t have to stay on a particular island, you can stay in Male (capital city) which is much cheaper.  It is also super congested, so it was personal preference for me to stay elsewhere.  I stayed on the northern Atoll, on the island of Fushifaru.

Weather: Hot

It is hot, very hot! Prep your skin, I repeat – prep your skin! I prepped my face but not much else.  So after 2 days of snorkeling and hanging out in the pool, my skin was stripped of it’s moisture.  This made for a very uncomfortable third day (it felt like my skin was on fire!).  I had to make a trip to the clinic!

Extra(s):

Alcohol is very expensive as the Maldives is a Muslim country.  You can only access it on the resorts. I recommend you do an all-inclusive or purchase a beverage plan.  The tourism taxes are about 22%, so 2 beers could run about $35.

The islands are only accessible by seaplane or speedboat, except in the city of Male.  This is NOT included in your lodging price. Sea planes start at $400 and go up to $600 per person/roundtrip.

You do not need a visa to visit the country.

You can island hop by speedboat, which is about $15 one-way.  This was restricted during my stay, due to Covid.

All the Things

Flight: $1300 round-trip (economy Jet Blue/Qatar Airways).  This included 2 checked bags, one carryon, and a pass to the Qatar lounge (there will be a long layover in Qatar, but the airport is a huge shopping mall/open 24 hours a day.

Lodging/Food/Beverage:  $5200 per person.  6 nights total- 4 nights in a full water villa, 2 nights in a beach villa.  I planned to stay in the beach villa first, as I knew I would be severely jet lagged.  This included the all-inclusive package (food, alcohol, excursions).  My resort was a 5-star boutique resort, Fushifara Maldives.

Sea plane: $460 per person – roundtrip. There are some resorts you can access by speedboat.  Prices range from $35 – $150.