Maldives Honeymoons That Won’t Break The Bank
-
by Harriet JonesA wave of brand new, affordable hotels has opened in the Maldives, meaning that cheap Maldives holidays do exist and you can honeymoon there from just £120 a night. Yes, really (keep it under your sun hat…). And to make it even better, we've personally visited every single one of these five cheap Maldives holiday destinations - so that regardless of your budget, you can still honeymoon in style. Click through to discover your dream Maldives honeymoon destination...
-
Mercure Maldives Kooddoo Resort, Gaafu Alifu Atoll
Mercure’s first foray into the Maldives, the idea behind this was to create a small, seriously bang-for-your-buck, contemporary retreat. This atoll is pleasingly unspoilt and known for its marine life, so dive enthusiasts will rejoice at the kaleidoscopic underwater world. Villas are a lovely mix of rustic vs modern, with thatched roofs and pristine decor: art deco-style rugs, plush sofas and gold-trimmed tables. All bedrooms have a retro map of the Maldives behind the king-sized bed, just in case you forget where you are (as if you could, with the lullaby of waves and the bright starlight dappling your terrace).
SAVVY-TRAVELLER TIP: Kayaking, snorkelling and even sailing (a real rarity) are free to guests (yippee!). No sneaky mask-hire cost.
GO: From £120pp on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a beach villa; mercure.com. For more information, go to visitmaldives.com
WHERE TO TRAVEL FOR YEAR-ROUND SUN -
Kandima, Dhaalu Atoll
Fancy wallowing in the largest pool in
the Maldives? Well, Kandima can deliver:
a 100m, bright blue infinity version. And that
sums up this resort: large in scale, but suitably
serenity-inducing for a honeymoon. It’s far from the
main island of Malé (you need a 30-minute seaplane
journey and a 20-minute boat ride to reach it),
which is what you’ll be looking for – that feeling of
seclusion. But be prepared for BIG when you arrive
– there are a whopping 274 rooms, from studios to
beach and water villas, and all have private terraces
(tick), tropical or sea views (tick) and clever tech as
standard (tick) – no more lost key cards: everything
is loaded onto your own sleek wristband for your
stay. The design is fun and modern – think pops
of pink, green and yellow against stark white. It’s
more get-up-and-go than soothing, one for active
couples who like a bit of a pepped-up atmosphere.
SAVVY-TRAVELLER TIP:
Go for the half-board
option – it’s incredible value and food is seriously
plentiful (that’ll be down to the 10 restaurants
and bars). It’s likely to save you £££s.
GO: From £160pp per night, based on two adults
sharing on a half-board basis; kandima.com -
Hurawalhi, Lhaviyani Atoll
Yes, it may not be at the ‘cheap’ end of
the affordable scale, but for a five-star
property, its rates are genuinely brilliant
value. So with that in mind, you can
expect luxe touches everywhere, from the
chic, Riviera-style blue-and-white-striped
fluffy towels elegantly rolled into place
on every sunlounger, to 24-hour afternoon
tea, to the Champagne Pavilion, where,
because it’s positioned on the resort’s
westernmost spot, the sunsets are
jaw-dropping and the dolphin-spotting
radar is set to HIGH. There’s not a plethora
of restaurants at your fingertips like on
other, more buzzing islands: there are
just the three, in fact, and if you’re on
a budget, the main buffet-style one
(Canneli) is where you’ll have every meal (food changes daily, so don’t panic).
But there’s also an undersea restaurant…
yep, you’ll be dining on fresh ceviche
whilst surrounded by an all-natural
aquarium. Totally surreal, utterly magical.
We’re not going to lie, this restaurant will
cost you extra pennies – but really, it’s
oh-so worth it, if only to try chef Bjoern’s
take on a mini lobster roll (meringue being
one of the main ingredients). Don’t expect
to do too much here – as it’s adults-only,
it’s all about soaking up the endless
honey-hued sunshine in total quiet.
Turns out silence really is golden.
SAVVY-TRAVELLER TIP:
The free,
regularly scheduled assisted snorkelling
trips are a real bonus. Book onto one
when you first arrive and learn the best
entry points onto the reef for fish and
turtle spotting. Then you can go it alone
for the rest of the trip. Ideal.
GO: From £250pp per night for a beach
villa; hurawalhi.com -
Drift Thelu Veliga Retreat, South Ari Atoll
This lo-fi retreat is the
Maldives at its most simple
and rustic – ideal for couples
who yearn for the unhurried
life. With zero televisions and
a resort geared more towards
adults (it’s not child-free, but
Brides didn’t see any children
during our stay), peaceful days
are spent swimming around
the house reef, spotting baby
black-tip sharks and snoozing
on sunbeds under egg-yolkyellow
umbrellas. A path
lined with banana trees and
bougainvillea leads from the
open-air thatched bar and
restaurant on one side of the
circular island to the intimate
spa and the beach and
overwater villas on the other
(the best are numbers 22 and
31, at the end of the jetty, with
180º ocean views from the bath
tub). Much of the furniture
was sourced from Indonesia
and drift wood is in evidence
everywhere, from the
bookshelves in the bar to the
decorative sailboat on the
beach. T ere are snorkelling,
fishing and picnic trips on
offer, but a stay on this sandy
speck is really all about
disconnecting and kicking
back (Drif is even on ‘island
time’, one hour ahead of Malé,
to make the most of the light).
Wind down with sunset
drinks followed by dinner: an
all-you-can-eat buffet (don’t
expect Michelin-starred
gourmet delights: it’s good,
honest, down-to-earth grub),
a Maldivian curry night
or a beach barbecue under
the vast, inky sky.
SAVVY-TRAVELLER TIP:
Go in shoulder season (start of
April to end of May) to make
the most of low-cost flights:
they can start from just £500.
GO: Angelfish Travel
(angelfish.travel) offers a beach
villa from £280 per night. -
Lux*, South Ari Atoll
You might remember this dazzling island as
LUX* Maldives, and even back then, it was
a gorgeous fly-and-flop marvel. But now it’s
been rebuilt, refreshed and reborn, it has
double the dazzle. 193 villas stand in a line
over a crystal-clear lagoon, each with its
own private infinity pool. No trad loungers
here: expect a double sofa on your terrace
and (the best bit) a wicker hanging pod
full of pillows – you can spend hours holed
up in it, gently swaying in the breeze and
staring out over the ocean. Another
favourite addition is the Med-style bar,
Beach Rouge. T ink chilled beats by
international DJs, rosé on tap and soft pink
lighting – you’d be forgiven for thinking
you were in Saint-Tropez, it’s that cool and
classy. But that’s where the ‘scene’ factor
ends – the rest of the resort is all about
switching of and doing nothing… oh,
except for calling home (for free) in the
red British-style phone box, to gloat about
where you are. That, you must do.
SAVVY-TRAVELLER TIP:
Find the
roaming rickshaw (from 11am-12pm
and 3.30pm-4.30pm every day) and you
can eat as much ice cream as you like
for free. It’s the little things, right?
GO: Hayes & Jarvis (hayesandjarvis.co.uk)
offers seven nights in a beach pavilion from
£1,599pp. Includes seaplane transfers and
return international flights from London
Heathrow with Sri Lankan Airlines.
