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If you ask someone what tops their travel bucket list, chances are the Maldives is high up there. The Maldives is synonymous with crystal clear waters, insane marine life, and some of the most luxurious resorts you've ever seen. People don't know that you can experience the Maldives on a budget.
With over 1200 islands making up the Maldives and over 130 different resorts, in this video, we will take you to three different types of accommodation in the Maldives: budget-friendly options, boutique luxury, and one of the most luxurious island resorts available.
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First Budget Island Experience: Fulhadhoo Island
Fulhadhoo is a locally inhabited island just 27 kilometers northeast of the country's capital Malé. We grabbed a speedboat from Malé, which only took 30 minutes and cost $30 per person each way. Alternatively, you can take the local ferry for only $3, but it will take longer.
Crystal-clear turquoise waters surround Fulhadhoo, which has iconic white sandy beaches. It is a locally inhabited island with a population of approximately 1400 people and is most famous for being home to the Maldives' best surf breaks, Cokes and Chickens. It's safe to say that Fulhadhoo is a surfer's paradise.
This island has approximately 50 different stays, including boutique B&Bs, guest houses, and hotels. We stayed for three nights at the Akira Surfer Trip, which only cost $60 per night.
One of our highlights on Fulhadhoo was a memorable sandbank trip we took. It is located near the island and one of the most picturesque sandbanks in the middle of nowhere. We spent the day there relaxing, snorkeling, and enjoying the beautiful turquoise waters.
If you're coming to the Maldives to kick back, relax, and enjoy a beer cocktail, alcohol is strictly prohibited on Fulhadhoo. However, it offers affordable accommodation and allows you to explore local Maldivian culture, cuisine, marine life, and more.
Luxury Boutique Resort: Fushifaru Island
Fushifaru is one of the smaller islands north of the capital Malé. To get there, you must take a 35-minute scenic flight via seaplane, which costs around $450 per person for a return ticket. Alternatively, if you're arriving from a neighboring island, a speedboat is the most likely mode of transport.
Fushifaru is made up of a mix of beach and overwater villas. It is the quintessential meaning of a paradise desert island, fringed by powdered white sandy beaches and turquoise waters. We opted for a beach villa with a sunset view.
The island has many activities, including swimming with manta rays and enjoying a romantic picnic on Fushifaru's private sandbank. The resort also offers an in-house spa and incredible snorkeling opportunities.
The resort has one colossal infinity pool with a fantastic view over the beach and ocean, and right next door is a pool bar perfect for sipping on those afternoon cocktails.
We stayed for three nights at Fisher Pharaoh and would have happily extended for longer. The activities were great, the food was freshly cooked daily, and the staff was terrific. We have a sneaky feeling this won't be our last time visiting Fujifiru!
So last but not least, this brings us to our final resort in the Maldives: the Intercontinental.
The Intercontinental is everything you expect luxury to be in the Maldives. It opened in 2019, and we were one of the lucky few to visit during the first month of being open. The island is in the Raw Atoll, so you must arrive via seaplane.
Upon arrival, you are paired with your very own island curator, who you can call upon at any hour of the day. Your curator will show you around your villa, check you in, book any restaurants, activities, or excursions you want to do, and be there for you during the day.
As you would expect with any luxury resort in the Maldives, you have a range of villas to choose from. We had a one-bedroom overwater estate with our pool and stairs that accessed the ocean.
There is a lagoon in the middle of the resort, which is the giant lagoon in all of the Maldives, with one or two-bedroom lagoon villas adorning one side, which all have their pools, and one or two-bedroom beach villas on the other side, again with their collections.
The spa itself is out of this world. Each private room is in its water hut with 180-degree views of nothing but the blue ocean and the enormous huge round bathtub you've ever seen.
Overall, we spent three nights at the Intercontinental, and there are easily enough things to do, see, and eat to extend for way longer on this beautiful luxury island.
That rounds up our three incredible places to visit in the Maldives at three different price points. There are thousands of islands with hundreds of other resorts and hotels to stay at, all with unique styles, activities, and ways to share this incredible part of the world.
There are no words to describe this place other than paradise, and we wanted to show you that it's possible to enjoy the Maldives at all budgets and still have an incredible time.
We'd love to know if this has made you consider booking a trip to the Maldives, and of course, we'd love to know which one was your favorite.
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