When I think about the Maldives, I just want to describe it as a Paradise Island. Known for its 1,000+ Islands, it embraces people from all over the world. But when you think of how many days are enough for the Maldives? No worries; we’ve got you covered.
With so many must-visit Islands in Maldives and various water activities, Maldives offers a memorable experience. Especially among Indians, it is now the go-to international travel destination. Luckily, if you are in India, you can reach the Maldives in just a few hours.
Are you already in your research mode? Then, don’t miss out on the details this blog gives you. Know more about How many days are enough for the Maldives from India, what the Maldives has to give you, unique islands, accommodation, cost and whatnot.
How many days are enough for the Maldives: Public vs Private islands
Before planning your trip, you must know the stay options you can choose. And decide what suits your preferences.
Public Islands in the Maldives
If you love getting to know different cultures, knowing the country’s people, wanting to live the local life, and eating the local food, your only choice should be the Public Islands in the Maldives.
Only 200 of the over 1,000 islands are inhabited. Consider yourself lucky because, until 2009, tourists were not allowed to visit public Islands. The Suni Muslim Government Decided to avoid any unwanted influence that tourists could have on the locals. So now tourists are allowed and can get cheaper accommodation and pay directly to local business owners instead of to resorts owned by foreigners in private Islands.
But know this before you choose to stay here: The Maldives is a Muslim country, and if you are on a public Island, you must respect and follow their culture. You can not wear a bikini on a public island, but you can wear one on the Bikini beach. Also, no alcohol can be consumed on any local island.
Note: Only some public islands have one or two bikini beaches. Make sure to enquire while booking your stay.
Private Islands in the Maldives
If you want to experience a luxury stay, go to a Private Island. One private resort usually occupies a whole island. Foreigners and reputed hotel operators own each private Island.
You would be surprised to hear this: Most private Islands are artificially made. The airports you land on are also man-made islands.
Staying on a Private Island is not as restricted as staying on a public island. You can wear bikinis in any resort and enjoy the alcohol of your choice. But you might not be able to get to know the people of the country or learn about the culture.
The Must-Visit Islands in Maldives
There are 1000+ islands in the Maldives, but there are three that are never missed. Why I suggested these three, out of all the other islands, has a reason. Just visiting these three will give you the whole experience of Maldives. Experience the calmness, agriculture, local buzz, and adventure and have a romantic getaway, all in these three islands.
Thoddoo Island
It’s an inhabited island that is different from other islands in the Maldives. The Island is known as the Fruit Island. It has major agricultural land, among other islands. To truly live the Maldivian agricultural life, this is your best pick.
Thoddoo Island has the whitest beaches, amazing tropical fruits, vegetables growing all around, and the largest watermelon fields in the Maldives. Feel free to walk around the plantation, and you can also participate in the cultivation. The locals would be glad to have you there to talk about their lives and share their experiences with you.
Things to do in Thoddoo Island
- Roam around the agricultural field.
- Participate in the cultivation and listen to the stories locals tell you.
- Thoddoo has two bikini beaches, so relax and sunbathe.
- Do Turtle snorkelling and swim around
- Cherish and eat the farm-to-table food.
You can spend 2 full days in Thoddoo Island. However, a day is sufficient if you want to visit other Islands. A stay in Thodoo Island per night can start from approx 6,000 rupees.
To book a stay in Thoddoo, you can use platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.
Here are a few more Islands if you would like to visit.
- Komandoo and Boros: For Romantic getaway.
- Lankanfinolhu and Olhuveli: For family time.
Vaadhoo Island
It’s one of the most added islands on anyone’s budget list. For the question, how many days are enough for the Maldives? You can’t put a number on this glowing beach on Vaadhoo. You will wish to sit and gaze every night and never get enough of it.
Things to do on Vaadhoo Island
- Scuba Diving
- Snorkelling
- Watch the sea of stars and jump in to get lost in its beauty.
- Fishing
You can spend up to a day or two just for the mesmerising glowing beach experience. If you choose Vaadhoo, then stay with Avanti Vaadhoo.
At Avanti, you can get to do a lot, their hospitality will keep you longer. They help you get to know Maldives better with guided tours, cooking classes and keeping you engaged. Also don’t worry about booking activity, they will sort it out for you based on your requirements. To book a stay or learn more, contact Dimaak Tours and shoot your questions.
Maafushi Island
Maafushi is one of the most famous public islands in Maldives. It is large and also the most populated island. To try the maximum of water activities in your budget, then Maafushi is for you.
Things to do on Maafushi Island
Maafushi gives you a variety of activities, unlike other islands, which have very few water activities.
- Water sports – Parasailing, Jet skiing, Snorkelling, Wakeboarding, Fun tubing, Sailing, canoeing, Fishing, and more. To get precise details on the water activities, you can check ActiveMaldives.
- Buy handcrafted gifts, you can find a few small shops around Maafushi.
- Eat the best street food.
If you would like to experience the adventurous and calm Maldives in Budget, you can stay at Maafushi for 2 – 3 days. The cost of stay can start from approx 6,000 rupees per day. You can book your stay directly through Booking.com. To make your stay trouble-free, Dimaak tours can help you find the best places to stay.
How to Plan Your Stay
Choosing the stay is one hell of a task because Maldives has many fantastic accommodations. The stay you choose varies if you are on public or private islands. Let’s look into the stay options available in Maldives in detail.
Water Villas in the Maldives
Taking a water villa can be an expensive stay compared to other stay options. At times, it doesn’t matter how expensive it is, Maldives Water Villas are a popular choice among tourists all over the world. You get to stay on top of the water; some of it has glass floors, making you feel like you are walking on water. Also, you get to see unique colourful fish through the glasses.
Though with excellent luxury stays and views these water villas are to give you, there are a few cons. You can not quickly access the resort facilities. You must carefully walk up to the facility or the beach as the path is made of steel, which makes it slippery. The best part is that most of the villas have private pools.
A water villa can start from 40,000 and cost over 150,000 rupees per night. You can book your stay with Sun Siyam Resorts, VARU by Atmosphere, or through Expedia for more options. Or, if you would like to make the process easy, travel organisers are your go-to.
Note: Water Villas are surrounded by water, so having kids in the water villa isn’t recommended. Make sure to call before booking or read the description of the villas you choose.
Beach Villas in the Maldives
Beach Villas can seem less expensive than Water Villas. But still, it’s no less than water villas when it comes to luxury.
You can get easy access to the hotel facilities, unlike Water villas. If you need any room service, it will be much faster.
Booking a beach villa will give you direct access to the beach. Just hop out of your room, feel the sand and sit on the shore to watch the beautiful sunrise.
Beach Villas can cost you approx 70,000. To book, you can check out Sun Siyam Resorts, Anantara, and Booking.com
Note: Water Villas and beach villas can cost you more than a lakh. So book that suits your budget.
Stays in Public Islands
If you are on a budget, water and beach villas are overpriced. However, hotels and guest houses on Public Island have amazing facilities that will save your pocket.
Stays in the Public Islands are not as dreamy as the resorts in Private Islands, which also makes it less expensive. So you can splurge your money on activities, street shopping and other experiences.
Public Island doesn’t have the magnificence of Over Water Villas and luxury beach villas, but it has its uniqueness.
- Spa Stays
- Bicycles to peddle around
- Open lounge area. Best to get to know other tourists and make friends.
- Romantic dinners and events are organised by the facility every night.
- Water activity packages
- Huge Balcony space to enjoy your sunrises and sunsets
Based on the stay you pick, the services and packages change.
The price for a stay can cost you anywhere between 8,000 and 25,000 rupees in approx per night.
Note: Staying on Public Island, you must follow Maldivian culture. So, no alcohol and bikinis unless you are on the bikini beaches. Also, it is good to learn about their religious customs before or after you land.
Split stay options in Maldives
A split stay in Maldives is famous and recommended for enjoying different experiences. With this option, you can stay in Water Villas and Beach Villas. Some resorts do offer split stay options, so you don’t have to worry about the arrangements.
Split stay: How does it work?
Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma offers a split stay: two nights in a Beach Villa and two nights in a water villa with a sea view. When you change your accommodation, they offer transfers. The entire 4 nights cost approximately 95,000 rupees per person.
Still, before booking, know what that particular resort offers you.
You can choose a travel agency that makes a customisable stay. For a fun and friendly itinerary planning, you can reach out to Dimaak Tours. You could also request to stay on the public Island for 2-3 days. Then, choose a beach villa or water villa for a day. This can save you a lot of money and also extend your stay by experiencing everything.
Factors That Determine Your Ideal Trip Duration
Half board vs Full board vs. All-inclusive
- Half board: Accommodation, Breakfast, Dinner
- Full Board: Everything on half board + Lunch is also included.
- All-inclusive: Accommodation, All 3 Meals, Non-alcoholic drinks, Alcohol with snacks, and activities.
With All-inclusive, the resorts will arrange few activities.
You can have a romantic dinner by the beach, a floating breakfast, cooking classes, kayaking, fun tube, snorkelling, jet ski ride, scuba diving and much more.
Note: You will be offered just 2 – 3 complimentary activities; depending on the resort and the plan, the activities change.
Depending on the plan you choose, the cost may vary. If you are someone to explore, then half-board is recommended. You can choose full board or All-inclusive if you like to stay in and enjoy the luxury.
Budget Consideration
Cost of flights, Accommodation, Food, and Activities.
A round trip to the Maldives can cost you approx 25000 rupees per person from India.
Accommodation is a huge decision you have to make. This is where all your money is. I suggest considering a minimum of 10,000 rupees per night on a public island. However, you can choose to stay in private resorts and water villas for an approximate cost of 60,000 rupees per night.
Activities can be expensive on private islands, but few activities are included in your stay. You can still consider many activities on the Public Islands. Whether it’s a tour, water sports or fishing, each activity starts at approximately 2000 rupees and can exceed 12,000 rupees, depending on the activity. Visit ActiveMaldives to book activities and view prices.
Budget vs. luxury Travel in the Maldives
The Maldives is not what is shown on Instagram. It’s not just for people who want to spend lakhs a day. The Maldives is for everyone. For a budget trip, choose to stay on a public island; for luxury travel, book a stay on a private island.
The money you spend is not just on your stay. The way you choose to travel around the Maldives can impact the budget.
You can take a public ferry for island transfers; it will only cost you around 50 rupees to 350 rupees. But a speed boat can cost you approx 16,000 rupees for a shared trip. You are on a trip to Maldives just to live in richness, then choose seaplanes; it will cost you approx 50,000 rupees for a round trip.
Maldives 4-Day itinerary for couples
Looking for a peaceful and also adventurous romantic time? I’ll tell you how to make that happen in Maldives.
- Day 1 – Land at Male International Airport, and take a speed boat or seaplane to your resort. The way you travel within the Maldives is a fun experience by itself. Once you arrive at the resort, have the finest means provided and enjoy the hospitality.
- Day 2 – The resort provides a floating breakfast, so indulge and enjoy the clear blue sea. Then, you can go for the activities included in the package, snorkelling, diving, or tour around. These can change based on the resorts and services.
- Day 3 – Try out the experiences provided, like art classes, cooking classes, indoor sports or attending an event conducted by the facility.
- Day 4 – Have a relaxing couple spa and massage. By evening, you can have the best beachside romantic dinner.
For the structured and precise couple itinerary, you can look into honeymoon packages, which can also be customised on request.
Conclusion
It doesn’t matter how many days you plan your Maldives trip. It matters how you plan it. If you are on a budget and choose to stay on a private island without knowing other options available, it can drain your money, and you might end up not experiencing the other parts of Maldives. So in this blog, you can learn the details on different types of stays in Maldives, which island is a must-visit, and how much your stay and activities cost.
We know you might still have questions, and getting answers on the internet can be challenging. If you are planning your Maldives trip, reach out to Dimaak Tours for any questions and plan an itinerary with them. If you still like to research packages, Dimmak Tours has the best Maldives tour package.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 3 days enough for the Maldives?
Three days in the Maldives is enough for a structured short stay. But you will get to see limited islands and fewer water activists. Going for an international trip to Maldives doesn’t happen often in our life. So for a relaxed stay, 4-6 days is recommended.
What is the cheapest way to extend a Maldives trip?
No doubt, just pick a stay in the public Islands throughout your trip. If you stay for 7 or more days, you can divide your stay among different guest houses and hotels available, so your stay will not be monotonous. Also, take public ferries rather than sea planes or sea boats to save more.
If your trip is planned in advance, you can get great deals on Hotels and guest houses, costing approximately 5,000 per night. And that is the cheapest price you could get.
How many islands should I visit in one trip?
There are more than 1000 islands in Maldives. There are 200 inhabited islands and more than 100 resort islands. It’s pretty hard to choose because every island is unique in its way.
I would say a maximum of 5 is best. But it’s up to your trip plan. More than 4-5 that will stop you from being in the moment. The best Islands in Maldives you can never miss are Maafushi, Vaadhoo, and Thoddoo. But don’t limit yourself from learning about other islands as well.
Is the Maldives good for a solo traveller?
Absolutely yes. You can just pack your backpack, land in the Maldives and be really to mingle with the locals. It’s also best when it comes to safety. Still, you must take care of yourself.