Local Islands

Get away from the coastlines, and explore the islands of Maldives. Maldives on backpacker’s budget was unheard of a few years ago, as it was always meant to cater to luxury travel. Swanky high end resorts with jaw dropping infinity pools, hedonistic spas and international cuisine to satisfy varied palates never gave any reason to look anywhere else. Maldives, whose economy depends entirely on tourism has now opened its arms to backpackers and budget travellers by giving them access to many local islands, such as Maafushi, Fulidhoo and Guraidhoo. Here one can find many guesthouses with an average of $60/night. By staying on these local islands, one can gain an insight into Maldivian life. The downside to these islands is that they are governed under Sharia law like the rest of the country. So unlike the privately owned resort islands, strict dress code would be the norm here which may be a deal-breaker when one is visiting any island. To counter this, the Government has recently designated a few beaches on these islands as “tourist beaches” where the dress code would not be applied.