A few simple but useful tips for those who travel to the Maldives - not to refined resorts, but to local islands.
We went to the Maldives for 9 days and spent only $ 700 on vacation for two! To have a cheap holiday on these paradise islands, you need to be well prepared. I hope our tips will help you organize an interesting and budget trip.
Money: what to carry, ATMs and currency exchange
American dollars are in use. They are accepted even more readily than the local currency, the rufiyaa. Bring dollars are not old (such advice is given by tourists).
There are ATMs at the airport, on Todda and in the capital, Male. But on Todd's day, the bank's schedule is very strange, and we never got to see it open. So don't rely on ATMs - bring cash. You can withdraw from an ATM in the Maldives only in Rufiyah, and the ATM takes a commission.
Course. Ask which course is in cafes and hotels. It is more profitable there than in a bank. However, there are exceptions - once in a store on Toddoo we were told a rate as much as 1 to 12!
How we did: we had dollars, some of which we exchanged for rufiyaa. Local currency was used to pay for small things - on ferries, in cafes and shops. Cash was not withdrawn from ATMs. Hotels and transfers were paid in dollars.
Transport: ferries and speed boats
The main thing to know is that ferries and speed boats are closed on Friday, so don't buy tickets for Friday.
Another important thing is that ferry and speedboat schedules change frequently, for example, due to the weather. We advise you to write to the owner of your hotel and find out the current schedule. And also transport runs very rarely and not even every day. Because of this, it is difficult to plan a trip to several local islands at once. Not sure that the ferry will not be canceled and that your schedule is correct.
And so we did it. We have planned a visit to three local islands - Toddu, Rasdhoo and Ukulas. We decided to move on cheap ferries. We checked the timetable on the Internet, thought over the logistics. On the spot, it turned out that one of the ferries had been moved to another day! I had to go to the airport on an expensive speedboat ($ 80 for two).
Life hack for the unpretentious: how to get from Male to Todda for only $ 10.
Food: how not to starve to death
On the local islands where we lived, the food in the cafe was disgusting and expensive. If your hotel cooks and the guest reviews of the food are good, and the price is adequate, feel free to eat there. Don't waste time and money in cafes.
In our guesthouse on Toddoo, lunch or dinner cost $ 10 per person - for soup, grilled fish, rice, juice and salad. For comparison, in a not the most expensive cafe for the same money, we received a main course and juice. We also bought snacks in the supermarket - nuts, yoghurts, cookies, ice cream, fruits.
Some more helpful tips:
- Ask if the restaurant has fresh seafood and fish. They can easily cook frozen.
- The trouble with fresh juices is mostly highly diluted ones.
- Check how long it takes to cook. According to reviews, sometimes it takes 1 or 2 hours (although we never had more than 30 minutes).
- Water brought with food is not free - $ 0.5 per small bottle.
Find out: How much money do you need in the Maldives.
Dress code in Maldives
On local islands, you cannot appear in a swimsuit among the locals. It is desirable that the shoulders and knees are still covered, but few people follow this rule - we saw many tourists in short shorts and open tops and blouses.
Swimming and sunbathing in a swimsuit is possible only on the bikini beach - a guest beach. In other places, including on the beaches for locals, only in closed clothes.
We followed the rules - we always wore T-shirts and light long trousers.
Mosquitoes
In the Maldives, there are small and annoying mosquitoes. They bite even in the shade during the day. Protect yourself with clothing and repellents. You can buy them in supermarkets on the islands.
Medicines
Take important medicines with you - there are very few assortments on the islands. We always have a tourist first-aid kit with medicines with us. See how to put together the right first aid kit.
