Woman bags luxury Maldives hotel stay for £416 with activities and food

Natasha Whitley, 28, had always dreamed of visiting the Maldives but never thought she would be able to afford it – until she saw a TikTok video about budget travel to the tropical islands

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Travel

Sophie FosterTravel News Reporter

Samuel Wightwick

16:04, 17 APR 2024

Natasha Whitley, 28, on her budget holiday to the Maldives (Image: No credit)

A lass from Bournemouth named Natasha Whitley, aged 28, has spent a tiny £416 on her total holiday expenses for six days to the Maldives including meals, activities, and a room with an ocean view.

A trip to the Maldives, in the Indian ocean, usually costs around £1,300 per night at the pricy resorts and that's before the hundreds spent on flights, sea plane or boat transfers and activities. However, Natasha discovered a way to see the popular honeymoon spot on the cheap.

Originally planning a trip to Sri Lanka, she opted for a detour which meant she would only up in the air for 90 minutes extra. Where luxury water bungalows resorts are typically costly, Natasha's clever choice landed her in the local islands – ones that have only been tourist-friendly since 2009.

Although booze is not allowed – the region is a muslim nation and as such alcohol is only legal on the resort islands – and bare skin can be on show at specific bikini beaches only, she walked away with a room deal of just £25 a night overlooking breath-taking blue waves.

In Natasha's own words: "It had always been high on my bucket list but I never thought I would be able to afford it. Since I saw a TikTok about doing the Maldives on a budget, I googled it and looked at what hotels were costing and was shocked at how cheap it was."

Natasha Whitley, 28, with friend and fellow traveller, Kara Wildbur (Image: No credit)

Our budgeteer jet-setter, together with her mate Kara Wildbur, 23, kicked off their sunshine-filled journey on April 1, clocking six blissful days in the Maldives before hopping over to Sri Lanka. They divided their stay between Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi, two local islands, settling in two ravishing beachfront rooms at the Beach House by Sii Hotels and the Batutu Surf View Hotel.

Natasha exclaimed: "Rooms on Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi islands were around £30 a night for a room per person! Ferries and transport were also cheap so it was much more affordable than it looked."

Natasha in a yellow dress — Natasha enjoyed the sun, sand and sea on her budget holiday (Image: No credit)

The savvy travellers, Natasha and her mate, made the most of the bargain prices, getting stuck into a heap of activities. They braved a swim with sharks that set them back £88 and hopped over to a deserted island for just £28 both adventures came with a bonus jet ski ride. For a mere £12 each, they even managed to enjoy a jaunt to a floating bar – a nifty workaround since local islands can't serve booze on land.

Natasha gushed: "We went swimming with sharks and we got an excursion to visit a deserted island. We also took a jet ski ride and spotted dolphins, manta ray, stingray, turtles and flying fish! Booze is a no-go on the islands due to religious rules, but we found our way to a floating bar out at sea!"

Natasha headed to the Maldives on a budget spending just £58 on a room overlooking the ocean. (Image: No credit)

Grub was a steal too, with the daily meals costing about £7 per head, and that's with brekkie thrown in with their digs. The biggest dent in their wallets? The flights they shelled out £905 for the round trip from London to Male, then Male to Colombo.

Natasha and Kara are all about sharing their globe-trotting adventures on TikTok, check 'em out at @okay.kara.travels and @travelsbytash. Natasha's not stopping there; she's now organising budget-friendly group tours for lone wanderers, with Iceland and Costa Rica in her sights.