A myth about Maldives is that it is unaffordable to a certain section of travelers. In this article, I will be breaking that myth by showing you some budget friendly resorts in Maldives. Is there any particular reason for people to spread this myth ? Yes. The crystal clear waters, the enormous villas, even bigger resorts situated on private islands, the seaplanes, the charter planes and the water slides, etc. Let’s face it, there is no way we can fit all of these facilities under a restricted budget. However, not everybody wants everything and that is the catch. With Maldives tour packages, you can customize your package to make it a budget friendly.

People who are on a budget will most probably look for a resort at a price which they like but which is also have similar amenities as all the big brands like Marriott and Taj. The number of facilities you avail in resorts will partly define the total cost you might incur. It is not a huge hassle to plan a budget friendly trip to Maldives. We can have a deeper look into this in a while. In no particular order, the top 10 budget friendly resorts in Maldives are:

Paradise Island Resort
Adaaran Club Rannalhi
Thulagiri Island Resort & Spa
NAKAI Alimatha Resort
Sun Siyam Olhuveli
Reethi Faru Resort
Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa
Makunudu Island
Bandos Maldives
Angaga Island Resort & Spa

Also check Places to Visit in Maldives.

1. Paradise Island Resort

As the name suggests, this resort is Paradise on Earth. Situated in the Lankanfinolhu island, not very distant from Male city, Paradise island resort offers a slew of amenities at an affordable price. A 5 nights stay in the Superior beach bungalow here might cost anywhere around $1450 per couple during the low season – inclusive of food, transfers from Male city airport and the stay. This is not a bad bet at all. Three basic reasons for this mention are: close to the airport, 5* resort, value for money.

Check out the availability of Paradise Island resort

2. Adaaran Club Rannalhi

This resort belongs to the Adaaran Group of properties. Maldives has almost 200 inhabited islands of which a lot are privately owned islands/resorts. Some private owners have multiple properties under the same name – just like the Adaaran group. The advantage of a venture like this is: multiple resorts can be opened at different locations to cater to different group of customers. Adaaran Club Rannalhi is a great budget-friendly resort. It is a 4* property.

The stays here are not really called villas as in other resorts. They have 2 room categories, namely, Standard room and Water bungalow. Some of the water bungalows have a porthole floor. Club Rannalhi is one of the resorts in Maldives which have an on-site coral reef that augments snorkelling and diving experiences. Not having a common pool might irk a few tourists but hey, there is an endless pool in the form of the Indian Ocean, so don’t frown !

adaaran club rannalhi maldives — Picture Courtesy: Unsplash

3. Thulhagiri Island Resort & Spa

Thulhagiri resort – another 4* stay – is one of my favourite resorts in Maldives. A well maintained resort in the North Male Atoll, takes about 20 minutes on a speedboat from Male City. This resort has become a popular destination for tourists in the times of Covid. The resort has a welcome swing on the beach – a thought provoking spot in front of the wide Indian Ocean. Good quality diving lessons and water sports services can be availed (at an extra cost). Staying at Thulhagiri will turn out to be cheaper than many other resorts nearby.

4. NAKAI Alimatha Resort

A fairly new property in the Maldives of the NAKAI group – who have been operating in Maldives for 20 years now. The resorts of Alimathà, Dhiggiri, Velifushi by Cinnamon, and that of Maayafushi, rise on the four splendid islands of the same name, cared and respected till today. One con about this resort could be the transfer duration from Male city airport. While the other resorts in this list take around 20 minutes to 45 minutes for the transfer, Alimatha resort exceeds this number. You can also check out Dhiggiri Nakai Resort which is similar to Nakai Alimatha but a bit more luxurious.

5. Sun Siyam Olhuveli

This is another resort which comes under a group of properties – the Sun Siyam Group. Widely popular for offering luxury villas at reasonable prices, Olhuveli resort is a boon for travellers looking for budget-friendly resorts in Maldives. Not just Olhuveli but all other resorts under this brand name have done a great job at servicing customers during the covid pandemic. At one point, there were free room upgrades, other during times, free covid testing and free quarantine were provided. Imagine a 1000 sq. ft. Beach villa with a private pool at an affordable rate. The resort is well known for the good food they provide as well.

Also read: Homestays in the Maldives | Best time to visit Maldives

6. Reethi Faru Resort

Reethi Faru is the recently trending resort among Indians, thanks to a few South Indian celebrities who visited the resort through Pickyourtrail. Traditionally, most of the resorts in Maldives operate only speedboat transfers from the Velanna International Airport. Reethi faru offers a seaplane transfer. This in itself is a one-of-a-kind experience which will be etched in your memories forever. Generally, resorts which are far away from the airport offer seaplane transfers to reduce the travel duration to the resort.

Reethi Faru is located well away from the urban establishments and public islands. This gives the seclusion that most people want during their stay in Maldives. A premium 4* star property which has a lot of complimentary activities planned for honeymooners. To top it all, the resort also honours the loyal repeat customers with a special dinner during their stay.

reethi faru resort maldives — Picture Courtesy: Unsplash

7. Centara Ras Fushi Resort & Spa

Ras Fushi is entering its 9th year of operations in Maldives. It has a sister property in the name of Centara Grand Island Resort which is a luxury 5* property. Ras Fushi is an adults-only island, and before you make any assumptions, let me tell you why. The whole infrastructure in the island is built in such a way that it might not be safe for children. Having no railings on swimming pools is an example. This 4* resort has a special island excursion activity which is interesting. Local staff take you around the more secluded places in the island. The Viu Bar and the diving centre in Ras Fushi are two standout experiences.

8. Makunudu Island

This is one of the most budget friendly resorts. During off-season, one may be able to book a 3 night stay in their Deluxe Beach Bungalow for $820 per couple including transfers, food and stay. That’s the deal of the decade ! Makunudu island resort has only one room category. A 50 minute speedboat transfer from Male city will bring you to the small island of Makunudu. The resort provides Maldives honeymoon packages, conducts marriage ceremonies and hosts several water activities, all of it at very reasonable prices.

9. Bandos Maldives

It is not often that you see a resort standing strong for more than 30 years in Maldives. Bandos resort is one such anomaly. Situated close to the International airport, Bandos is more popular among family visitors because of its infrastructure and kids club activities. There are options for day trips from the island as well. Guests might think of this resort as an old and scruffy place. To dispel any such fears, the management had undertaken serious refurbishment activities to adapt to present times and give facelifts to major parts of the resort. One of the historical budget friendly resorts in Maldives is changing itself to accommodate people belonging to different generations of guests and to maintain its glory.

10. Angaga Island Resort & Spa

Angaga is another resort that offers a seaplane transfer to guests. First and foremost, the island itself is too beautiful. The Superior Water Bungalows in particular are large rooms with a high raised ceiling. The house reef which is a small swim away from the resort, offers a breathtaking experience. Although there aren’t a lot of complimentary activities offered to guests, the resort makes up for it in the service they provide. This is yet another deserving value for money property !

As a special mention, people who are on a budget can also check out Embudu Village resort. Although it is a 3* property, the amenities provided by the resort and the cost it incurs makes it a value-for-money resort.

You can also refer to our blog on the Taj Coral Reef Resort and Spa to get a comparison between this and the above-mentioned resorts. I hope that this has been enough to educate you about a few resort options which may suit a budget-friendly travel plan. If you would like to know more about these resorts, please reach out to us at Pickyourtrail and we will help you craft a crisp travel plan. What’s more interesting ?