Honeymoon planning was always on top of my checklist even before getting married because I wanted to give my wife a honeymoon surprise that she’d never forget. She always talked about how Maldives was her favorite place, the dreamy sunsets, the villas over water, the perfect Instagramable spot. However, planning the trip wasn’t easy for me especially because Maldives isn’t really a budget friendly destination. I had a very limited budget and planning the honeymoon within my means was a real challenge.
However, I was really determined to make my wife’s dream come true and with some strategic planning, research and some trade offs, I did help fulfil her dream without blowing through our savings.
Today, I’m going to share all of my trips and tricks with you, how I managed to get great deals on food, accommodation and flight tickets and what smart choices helped me create this beautiful and unforgettable memory with my wife in Maldives.
Setting A Realistic Budget With Complete Honesty
Before booking anything or looking for any deals, we first decided to set a budget that we could easily afford. Neither of us wanted to take any loans or use our emergency funds for this trip, instead we set up a dedicated goal to save for our honeymoon and then started setting aside that amount. Our goal was to enjoy our 5-day trip to Maldives within $4000 to $5000 together.
Here’s a breakdown of our budget;
● Flight tickets usually cost $800 to $1200 per person
● For hotel, we had a budget of $150 to $200 per night
● For food and extras we set $500 to $600 aside.
● Excursions were around $400 to $500
● For emergencies we had $500
Finding Affordable Flights To Maldives
The biggest chunk of your budget goes into booking flights because Maldives is quite far away and the tickets are really expensive. However, as I was determined to find tickets within my budget, I did! We compared different options and luckily found some great itinerary on Air India. When I did my final check, I found a promo code at GetTopDiscounts and got $50 off on my tickets. We booked two round trip tickets that cost us $800 each and it really was a fair deal considering how expensive flights to Maldives can get.
Choosing An Affordable Resort Without Compromising On The Quality
Maldives is quite famous for its overwater villas and they really do offer some breathtaking views but at the same time, it does come with a hefty price tag. Instead of villas, we opted for resorts because they are more affordable and they offer more value. Here are some important things we considered when choosing our resort;
● Classic bungalow or a beach villa
● Inclusion of meal plans
● Affordable transfer costs
● Good service, location and reviews
After searching different online websites and going through different newsletters we finally came across a resort that was offering a complete “honeymoon package”. The package included a suite, a welcome bottle of sparkling wine, free dinner and discount on the spa. As we were traveling in the mid of May (low season), we got another 30% discount and paid $210 per night.
Managing Our Food Cost
Managing your meal budget is quite important or else it can add up really fast. Due to our resort’s half board cover package, we had our dinner and breakfast managed. We brought some snacks from the Male’s convenience store from the Airport as it was a lot cheaper. From fruits to chips and water, everything was really reasonable.
While traveling on a ferry to a local island, we tried seafood from a shack for $15 and once we tried the sunset cocktail from the bar of our resort. It also wasn’t really expensive and we did manage to stay within our budget throughout the trip.
Smart Spending On Extras And Excursions
When exploring Maldives, you need to be careful about the tourist trap territories. They can cost you a lot! We instead tried exploring other, more affordable activities like snorkeling (the gear was complimentary). Most importantly, instead of going for private experiences, we chose group excursions like sunset cruises and sandback picnics. Such activities cost a lot less when you go in groups. To make it a more romantic experience, we opted for DIY beach picnics. We packed light lunches and took some snacks to the beach and spent hours there. It really was a delightful experience. At the end we also tried a couple’s spa massage that cost us $200 (discounted).
Final Thoughts And Some Useful Tips
When traveling to Maldives for your honeymoon, you should always prioritize experience instead of extravagance. Especially if you want to make the most out of your honeymoon without breaking a bank then smart planning is crucial. It all starts with budgeting. When you know how much you can afford to spend, things just get easier and more manageable. If you are planning a similar trip, here are some useful tips that I’d give you;
Try Low Or Shoulder Season: The best way to save money on your honeymoon to Maldives is to be a little flexible with your timing. Peak seasons are really expensive, if you want to enjoy the tropical vibes without going overboard with your budget then low season is the best – cheaper tickets, cheaper accommodation.
Value Matters More: You don’t necessarily have to spend hundreds on expensive overwater villas or bunglows. Instead, a great beach villa can work wonders for you especially if you know how to make the most out of your trip.
Create A Balance Between Your Savings And Your Splurges: If you’ve tried one luxurious paid excursion and one spa, you can balance it out with free activities like snorkeling and watching sunsets etc. Believe me when I say that watching a sunset in Maldives with the person you love can become the most beautiful memory of your life.
Track Your Budget: It’s best to use applications to track your day to day expenses. It’ll help you manage your budget in a more convenient way and you’ll know how much extra money you are left with.
We had absolutely no financial regrets when coming back from such a romantic getaway in Maldives. I must say, it was an unforgettable week for us, exactly what we wanted. We were proud of ourselves and how we managed to enjoy one of the most famous honeymoon destinations within our budget. You don’t need a luxury only affair to make the most out of your honeymoon. With patience, planning and smart budgeting, you can literally enjoy paradise on Earth without draining your wallet!