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‘I managed to holiday in the Maldives for just £70 a day. Here’s how I did it’

Marie-Claire Dorking

·Contributor

18 April 2024 at 0:07 pm·4-min read

The friends stayed on one of the local islands. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS)

The Maldives is one of those once-in-a-lifetime destinations most of us dream of visiting, but the crystal blue waters and picture-postcard beaches come at a hefty price.

But one woman has revealed how she was able to enjoy a six-day holiday on the dreamy Indian Ocean islands for just £416 including food, activities and a room overlooking the sea.

Natasha Whitley, 28, a pharmacist and content creator, from Bournemouth, Dorset had already planned a trip to Sri Lanka, but with the Maldives being just a 90-minute flight away, she decided to incorporate a trip there too.

In the Maldives, which is known for its white-washed, sandy beaches and turquoise water, stays at the famous water hut resorts can cost up to £1,300 per night.

However, instead of booking a hotel in the resort islands, Whitley decided to stay on the local islands and was able to bag a room with a sea view for just £25 a night.

Whitley and Wildbur managed to pack in lots of activities on their trip. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS)

The local islands, which only opened to tourists in 2009, are less popular as alcohol is banned and only certain beaches allow you to wear bikinis.

"It [the Maldives] had always been high on my bucket list but I never thought I would be able to afford it," Whitley explains.

"Since I saw a TikTok about doing the Maldives on a budget, I googled it and looked at what hotels were costing and was shocked at how cheap it was."

Whitley and her friend Kara Wildbur, 23, set off on their travels on April 1 and spent six days in the Maldives before heading to Sri Lanka, where they both are now.

They split their time between the islands of Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi staying in two beautiful beach front rooms at the Beach House by Sii Hotels and the Batutu Surf View Hotel.

"Rooms on Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi islands were around £30 a night for a room per person," Whitley reveals.

"Ferries and transport were also cheap so it was much more affordable than it looked."

The friends had a room overlooking the sea. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS)

Taking advantage of the reasonable costs, the friends decided to book in plenty of activities, including swimming with sharks, which cost £88, and a trip to a deserted island for £28, which included jet ski rides.

They also paid a modest £12 each to take a trip to a floating bar, which is common on the local islands as they can't serve alcohol on land.

Speaking about the excursions they packed into their trip Whitley says: "We went swimming with sharks and visited a deserted island.

"We also took a jet ski ride and spotted dolphins, manta ray, stingray, turtles and flying fish!

"As there is no alcohol allowed for religious reasons, we caught a dinghy to a floating bar in the sea!"

Food was also very affordable with a meal costing an average of £7 a day per person with breakfast included with their rooms.

Natasha Whitley and Kara Wildbur have been sharing their Maldives experience on their TikTok channels. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS)

The most expensive part of their trip were the flights - from London to Male and then Male to Colombo - came up to a total of £905.

During their trip the pair posted content to their TikTok pages: @okay.kara.travels and @travelsbytash and Whitley has also started running affordable group trips for solo travelers, and has trips planned to Iceland and Costa Rica.

Whitley enjoyed a six-day holiday in the paradise destination. (Natasha Whitley/SWNS)

Maldives trip cost breakdown (per person)

Flight: £905

Transport = £32 (four ferries and one speedboat)

Food = £95 (avg £7 per meal)

swimming with sharks: £88

deserted island trip £28

floating bar £12

Miscellaneous = £28 (atm fees, souvenirs, airport storage)

Accommodation: £133

Total (without flights) = £416 per person over 6 days so around £70/day

Watch: 'I managed to holiday in the Maldives for under £500'

Additional reporting SWNS.

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