Did you think you had to be rich for a holiday in the Maldives?
Think again.
Kara Wildbur reveals that her travel firm, Say Yes Adventuresoffers a nine-night package break in the Indian Ocean paradise for as little as £1,099 – about the same as a seven night holiday to Marbella in a three star hotel (£1,124 in July).
And here, Kara, whose TikTok travel videos captured her 133,000 followers, also reveals top tips for making any trip to the Maldives budget-friendly, having recently enjoyed a cheap trip there herself.
The common Maldives booking mistake
Kara tells MailOnline: ‘People mistakenly assume that their trip to the Maldives must be expensive – when it’s not! If tourists book their Maldives trips through (regular) package holiday websites, they will only see resort islands (which are very expensive).’
Instead, Kara recommends heading to the local islands, but notes that travelers booking accommodation here usually need to research and book flights, accommodation and transport individually.
She continues: ‘That’s why we started Say Yes Adventures – to offer a budget-friendly package tour to the local islands instead.’
She explains: ‘Our 10-Day £1,099 Maldives Package includes three local islands, nine nights of shared accommodation in three-star beachfront hotels, 16 bucket-list activities, 12 meals and much more from just £1,099 per person.’
Kara Wildbur (pictured above), who runs Say Yes Adventures, explains how to holiday in the Maldives on a budget
Kara recommends Thulusdhoo Island (pictured above), describing it as ‘famous for surfing’
Kara revealed: ‘(On our trip) I never thought it would be possible and seriously thought we would “fail” to do it on a budget once we got there. But it really was easier than we could have ever imagined.’
Top tips for sticking to a budget
The travel pro explains: ‘Staying on the local islands gives you a unique opportunity to save money while also experiencing this beautiful country.
‘The local islands are much more affordable than resort islands and still offer the same white sand beaches and crystal clear waters, with the added bonus of also being able to experience the local Maldivian culture.
Our Say Yes Adventures group tour includes three beach hotels that are just a five-minute walk from the nearest bikini beach (beaches on local islands where tourists can wear swimwear). We could have breakfast on the beach every morning and watch the sunset from our balcony – so dreamy!’
Average spend per day
“Hotels range from £25-£100 ($30-$122) per night, depending on the type of accommodation you book,” explains Kara.
The travel content creator adds: ‘Meals cost around £6 ($7.50) each and there are great local food options.
Pictured above is Dhigurah Island, one of Kara’s top recommendations
Kara explains that local islands are ‘much more affordable’ than resort islands. The travel influencer adds that the local islands have the same ‘crystal clear water’ as the resorts
‘Activities are definitely the most expensive part – usually around £63-£79 ($80-$100) per person – so on chilly days you’ll spend very little. But on days where you want to pay for an activity, you’ll spend a lot more.
‘To stick to a tighter budget, we made sure to limit the amount of extra activities we did, which meant we spent around £35-40 ($43-$50).’
In a TikTok video where Kara shares her budget for a day in the Maldives, the content creator spends £1.77 ($2.22) to take two local ferries from the airport to the island of Thulusdhoo.
She enjoys a Burger King in the capital, Male, for just £7 ($8.77) and stays in a beach hotel for £28 ($35) a night, which includes breakfast. The traveler then eats a local dinner for just £6.50 ($8.15).
Best islands for first timers
Kara reveals: ‘The islands we visit and offer tours are Thulusdhoo, Dhiffushi and Dhigurah. They are close enough to Male Airport that you don’t have to waste much time getting there – while also being absolutely beautiful.
‘Thulusdhoo is famous for surfing and has beautiful bikini beaches on the doorstep of the hotels.
‘Dhiffushi is slightly larger and offers more varied food options and beautiful marine life.
Dhiffushi Island (pictured above) has ‘beautiful marine life’, reveals Kara
The travel content creator loves the local islands’ ‘white sand beaches’ and explains that ‘snorkeling in the Maldives is just on another level’. She is pictured above on the island of Thulusdhoo
‘We have enjoyed several trips from Dhiffushi to see sharks, manta rays, sea turtles and more.’
Favorite restaurant
‘Our favorite meal in the Maldives was on Thulusdhoo from a restaurant called Bandaha cafe‘, says the budget traveller.
Kara explains: ‘The whole meal cost us £7/$8.70 per person, which included local Maldivian curries, rice, a roti and a soft drink.
“I still think about that curry often because it was absolutely amazing.”
Where to avoid
Kara warns: ‘As someone who likes adventure and keeps busy – I would avoid the resort islands on any of my Maldives trips.
‘I would much prefer to experience local culture by staying on local islands and meeting local Maldivian people.’
Best thing to do
The travel influencer explains: ‘Snorkeling in the Maldives is just on a different level than anything I’ve ever experienced.
‘You can step out of your hotel and feed rays on the beach, spot mini reef sharks from your breakfast table or snorkel with an incredibly wide variety of marine life.
‘We had the best time snorkeling when we were there so we made sure to include that for our guests too!
“They will be able to see manta rays, sea turtles, sting rays, coral gardens and hopefully whale sharks!”
Want to find out more about Say Yes Adventures? Check out the website – www.sayyesadventures.com – for more details about trips, or check out on Instagram – @sayyes.adventures.
