A THRIFTY holidaymaker has revealed how to travel to the Maldives on a budget, while still having amazing experiences.
For many people, the prices of resorts at the Maldives are prohibitively expensive, with some charging thousands of pounds per night.
TIkTok/@cheilanickiCheila still swam with sharks and turtles on her budget-friendly Maldives holiday[/caption]
TIkTok/@cheilanickiShe was also able to visit amazing beaches and stayed for a fraction of the price of a private island[/caption]
However, there is a way that visitors to the islands can pay as little as £39 per night, as long as they stay at the right place.
Tiktoker Cheila Nicki (@cheilanicki) revealed how she saved money on her tropical island holiday by avoiding private hotels and resorts.
In a video, she said: “Here’s how I went to the Maldives on a budget – and this is how you can do it, too.
“First and foremost, you’re going to stay at a local island for most of the time.
“A local island is simply an island that is inhabited by locals. By staying on a local island, you’ll pay a fraction of what you would pay at a private resort.
“You can literally pay £39 to £59, depending on the local island that you choose.”
Avoiding the private resort islands can help holidaymakers save money in other ways as well, as Cheila explained.
She continued: “By staying on the local island, you’re also saving money on transportation.
“Some private islands you have to pay for a seaplane, whereas with a local island, you can decide to get the local ferry, which is normally around $2.
“You also will have access to various different tours for much cheaper prices.
“During my recent stay in Fulidhoo, I personally paid $50 for a trip where I went to a sandbank, I saw dolphins, swam with turtles, and also nurse sharks.”
Cheila’s video has been seen more than 100,000 times since she shared it, with plenty of people considering their own cheap visit to the Maldives.
One wrote: “Looks like more fun than the ‘luxury’ one… this one puts money into the local’s pocket rather than some billionaire.”
Another said: “Sounds like a more authentic experience.”
A third added: “Thanks for pointing this out. I did the same. I hated staying at a 5-star resorts.”
Cheila did point out some rules that may put some people off about visiting “local islands” including drinking and clothing rules.
She said: “You cannot drink alcohol on the islands as it is a conservative country.
“You can only wear bikinis on certain parts of the island, there are normally tourist-designated beaches called, ‘bikini beach’.”
Meanwhile, this beach in the UK has been compared to the Maldives.
And this European holiday destination has Maldives-style beach huts.
GettyCheila recommends staying on “local islands” instead of private resorts[/caption]