Last Updated on 04/06/2024
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Maldives Local Island Guide
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What can you expect when visiting local islands in the Maldives? So far I have loved visiting local islands. They are cheap, authentic and the best places to visit in the Maldives. Staying at Maldives resorts has some advantages but they are not the real authentic Maldives experience. Local islands are full of life, families, cats, beautiful beaches, greenery and great Maldivian food. They are also the best budget islands in the Maldives as you can find affordable hotels on local islands (costing around 50$ per night). They are the best places to go in the Maldives for cheap scuba diving.
The beautiful bikini beach on Gulhi, Maldives – a Local Island near MaleLocal People in the Maldives
In my experience, the locals are friendly, honest and very welcoming to tourists. I believe many Maldivians are happy to meet tourists who are interested in their culture and visiting the authentic Maldives, rather than just staying at an expensive resort. The local language is Dhivehi, which has a beautiful and unusual script, but most Maldivians speak excellent English, particularly the younger generation so it’s very easy to travel around and to find people who will help you.
Religion in the Maldives
The local population is Muslim (by law) and therefore tourists, male and female, are expected to respect Islamic customs like covering shoulders and knees, even when swimming. Following Islamic law, all local islands are dry and you will not be able to purchase or drink alcohol.
Alcohol in the Maldives
Tourists are only able to drink and purchase alcohol at resort islands. Alcohol is forbidden in all local islands in the Maldives. It is also not permitted to bring any alcohol into the country.
Drink coconuts instead of alcohol on local island – GulhiDress Code in the Maldives – Local Islands
My first question when moving to the Maldives was what to wear when visiting local islands. In order to respect local customs, it is best for men and women to cover shoulders and knees when visiting or staying on local islands. In my experience, lots of local islands seem very relaxed about this rule and I have felt comfortable showing my shoulders in islands like Fuvahmulah where locals also have the freedom to bare some skin.
Wearing beach wear in Maafushi Local IslandCan I wear a bikini on local islands?
Many local islands have recently opened up “bikini beach” areas which means that you can wear bikinis or swimsuits on the beach. It is only for this specific area on the island though so pack cover ups for walking to and from the beach. Some more touristy islands like Maafushi local island don’t mind people wearing shorts to the beach.
What are the differences between staying in a resort and staying on a local island?
The number one difference, in my opinion, is that in a resort you can drink alcohol and wear bikinis whereas local islands are dry and bikinis are only acceptable in designated areas such as “bikini beaches”. Local islands will have a slower pace of island life and a relaxed attitude to customer service. Spending your Maldives trip on local islands is the best budget stay in the Maldives. Visiting local islands are by far the cheapest alternative to staying in an expensive resort. Resorts can cost anywhere from $300 a night up to $18,000 a night! Local islands have the same natural beauty of the Maldives like white sand beaches and clear, turquoise waters. The benefits are also more choice of places to stay, budget Maldives accommodation, choice of restaurants, shops and dive centres meaning there is more competition and prices are extremely cheap.
Drinking alcohol on local islands
Alcohol is forbidden by law on local islands and therefore you will only be able to find non-alcoholic beer sold on these islands. If you are looking for a party island in the Maldives, then I recommend staying in a resort island where alcohol is allowed and there are bars. Alternatively, you could stay on a local island and consider spending an evening at a resort to enjoy a sunset cocktail. Many resorts will offer day passes or you can hire a boat to take you there for an evening dinner and drinks. You are not allowed to bring alcohol into the Maldives or bring from resort islands to local islands. However, some islands have liveaboard safari boats that have bars where you can drink and they dock near local islands. Read about Maafushi and its party boats on this blog post.
Snorkelling trips on local islands
Snorkelling trips on local islands are much more reasonably priced than on resort islands. We paid around $20 per person for a half day of snorkelling which included three different snorkelling sites and a sandbank stop. The cost of excursions like dolphin spotting will also be much cheaper on a local island than at a resort. Recently, I saw the cost of a dolphin cruise as advertised at $10 per person.
For the cheapest snorkelling with turtles consider a stay on Thoddoo island, where you can snorkel with turtles just off of bikini beach – no boat required!
Read here for more information about snorkelling with mantas in the Maldives.
Snorkel trips to see manta rays in the MaldivesAffordable Maldives Holiday: Best Price Maldives Holiday
Guesthouses on local islands are the best place to stay in the Maldives when on a budget. This can help keep the cost of your Maldives trip cheap. Guesthouses can start from $50 a night per room upwards and when eating in local restaurants, dinner can cost as little as $5 per meal. Consider staying in a guesthouse and book via booking.com to compare guesthouse prices and facilities. For my Maldives full local island guide – read this article here.
Island Hopping in the Maldives
Local islands are well connected with public ferries, speedboats and private speedboats all which mean it is very easy to travel between local islands and to travel cheaply. Staying in a resort means you rely upon resort speedboats to take you there which is often a significant additional cost.
Budget Maldives: Where to stay in the Maldives?
Local islands that welcome tourism have a range of budget guesthouses and it completely depends on how developed the island is for tourism. Some islands may only offer rooms for rent, while others have hotels and guesthouses. I usually compare prices on Agoda, booking.com and/or consider contacting the guesthouse. Recently I found that booking on an external website like Agoda was cheaper than the price quoted directly from the hotel. Calling hotels is usually more effective than emailing in my experience.
What currency can I use on local islands?
Both US dollars and Maldivian Rufiya are accepted on local islands. Bear in mind if you use US dollars in local shops then you are likely to receive Maldivian Rufiya as change.
Cash or Credit Cards
For local islands it is definitely better to have cash to pay for things. Card machines are not always reliable and most guesthouses will have to charge an extra credit/debit card fee because of the bank (even when paying with a Maldivian card). Smaller shops in Male or on local islands may also only accept Maldivian Rufiya so I recommend having some small change
Budget Maldives: Local Island Day Trips
Even when staying in a resort, you can visit a local island as a day trip. Some resorts offer guided tours to nearby local islands. Tourists could also consider splitting the trip between a resort and a local island to experience both sides of the Maldives.
Electrical Plugs
Most places in the Maldives use the English three pin plug. Resorts often provide adapters whereas local island guesthouses may not. For more information on what to pack for the Maldives then read this post.
Visas for the Maldives
Most nationalities will be granted a 30 day on arrival tourist visa. Check on your government website to confirm this.
What to not bring into the Maldives
Bringing alcohol into the Maldives is forbidden as is bringing in pork products and pornography.
Marine Life in the Maldives
The underwater world in the Maldives is incredible making it one of the best countries for snorkelling and scuba diving. If you are new to diving then consider getting qualified with PADI or SSI during your trip. For more about the best scuba diving in the Maldives, read this post.
You can see manta rays, whale sharks, tiger sharks, turtles and much more marine life when visiting the Maldives. For specific information about snorkelling with manta rays in Baa Atoll, read my manta post here.
For the best diving islands consider visiting Fuvahmulah, Rasdhoo and Guraidhoo.
Cheap Diving in the Maldives on Local Islands
Diving on local islands is the best budget scuba diving in the Maldives. Resort dive centres can cost from $100+ for one dive whereas local island prices are approximately $40 a dive. From an appearance perspective, local dive centres may not look as swish as the resort dive centres and the equipment may not be as brand new. However, I have always felt safe when diving with local centres and I have found the locals to be extremely knowledgeable and professional dive guides.
Photobombed by an oceanic manta on local island Fuvahmulah- dive goalsLocal Island Wildlife
While staying in local island be aware that there will be more mosquitoes than at resort islands as resorts fog regularly and local islands do not. Take insect repellent. Harmless snakes, geckos, mice, rats and lizards may also be seen on local islands but can also be found in resorts. Resorts will have a team of pest controllers to deal with any unwanted insects or wildlife whereas on local islands do not expect people to run around after you because of a gecko on the wall!
Mosquitoes in the Maldives
Mosquitoes are abundant on local islands and I therefore recommend purchasing insect repellent (I use DEET 50% which you can buy from Amazon here) as the insect spray available from local shops in the Maldives is not particularly strong (only about 5% DEET). The Maldives is not malarial, however there are cases of dengue fever and therefore I recommend covering your shoulders and legs in the evening and use insect spray, particularly on local islands.
Unmarried Couples in the Maldives
So far on local islands I have not experienced any problems with staying as an unmarried couple. This is never a problem if both guests are foreigners. However one Maldivian and one foreigner of the opposite sex can cause problems as technically this is frowned upon and one hotel that I am aware of forced a mixed nationality (Maldivian and foreigner) couple to pay for two rooms even though they shared one room. This seems to be very rare and most places I have stayed and heard of respect the freedom of their guests.
Local Food in the Maldives
Most Maldivian food consists of tuna and other fish like reef fish. These are often mixed with rice and/or chappatis. My personal favourite is a Maldivian take on a Sri Lankan dish called Kottu Roshi. Local restaurants can have a very relaxed attitude to customer service and I have waited up to two hours for dinner before! (restaurants in Fuvahmulah!) Therefore when visiting local restaurants, bring along patience and a sense of humour and also consider going to a restaurant before you get too hungry! Vegetarian food is not very common, however most restaurants will still cook vegetarian dishes on request. Make it clear that vegetarian means no fish and no meat when ordering (and this may need to be repeated several times to make sure!). Many local restaurants still use plastic straws (resorts tend to be more eco-friendly) so to travel responsibly make sure you say “no straw” when ordering drinks. Many drinks like Coca-cola are sold on local islands in plastic bottles instead of cans so I always make sure to ask before ordering to reduce my plastic consumption. I always take a refillable water bottle to fill up from like these metal ones from Amazon.
Best Local Islands to Visit in the Maldives on a Budget
Many people, including locals and expats living in the Maldives often ask: which islands to visit in the Maldives?
The islands that I have visited so far are below. Each Maldives island I have visited has it’s own blog post on my Maldives travel blog which includes what to do in the Maldives, island hopping prices, budget diving price in the Maldives and everything you need to know for an affordable Maldives vacation.
Fuvahmulah Island – read here for the best diving in the Maldives (and I’m not exaggerating!)
Gulhi Local Island – most beautiful bikini beach on a local island
Thoddoo Public Island – most beautiful bikini beach and best snorkelling with turtles
Maafushi Local island and closest to the airport- read my blog post for the best party island and the cheapest water sports in the Maldives
Thulusdhoo local island Maldives- read my blog post now for party, surfing, hotel destination with the best rooftop pool in the Maldives
Dhiffushi local island Maldives- read my Maldives blog post for a tiny island near Male
and for what to bring to the Maldives – read this blog post for packing lists
For the best budget resort read my honest review about Kihaa resort in Baa Atoll
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What an awesome itinerary. You seem to be very observant. Like many, I would find The Islamic customs quite uncomfortable but I’m glad they have sites with relaxed rules.