Cheap Maldives options?
Actually found quite a few more options online, but interested to hear of anyones experiences and recommendations or other areas that can access and worth staying at.
We met some guys staying on the island next to Kandooma.(south)You can’t surf kandooma but there is a right and a good left there. No need for a boat either. Close to Male.
Checked a couple of homestays on the island Jails is on. Tidy and nice. No beers though. Hot. But if you stay there you’ll need a boat to access Honky’s and Sultans. A lot of people stay up at cokes. It picks up a lot of swell. Chickens is across the channel. There’s a few accomodation places up there. Brian at Cokes Surf Camp is a good guy. I think they have a bar boat up there now.
There’s good uncrowded surf to be found, just not around Male.
Cheers, yeah i saw that place also.
I think the waves are Foxys and Riptides.
So you could basically surf that main area waves that are not exclusive staying at those two locations.
Yeah, if you stayed at foxy’s, that and riptides are it. Other waves are on the way north. Quarters/ninjas? Day boat Trip. Cokes and chickens are a way north, again expensivish boat trip to Sultans/honkys/jails.
And then at foxy’s/riptides enough east in the swell is an issue.
Foxy’s is a pretty good wave.
Cheers Soggydog
Actually last night i looked on google maps and there is heaps of places all through the Maldives in towns/villages where you can stay for around $50-$60 for a room most allow two adults+child.(so quite reasonable prices per person) and heaps of food places to eat in those towns.
Even in the very South Maldives, not sure why but i always thought all those areas way south and way north were uninhabited islands and only way to reach or surf was by charter boat, but it seems far from the case.
Also marked out all the spots on google earth thanks to a charter boat website that has descriptions and pin points all the waves with a map and quite a few nice sounding waves are located right near budget accommodation options. (obviously a lot of waves out of reach or would be expensive to get too, but still, much different than i had pictured in my head)
Have done cheapish trips to thulusdhoo five of the last seven years and always loved it ..but no doubt it has become noticeably busier each trip. I am done with it now...if I go back I will explore the southern atolls
Never found it a great place to interact with locals...but it's not a nasty vibe either ..mostly indifferent. Some of the guys that make money off tourists are friendly and really cool.
Good luck would be interested to hear how you go...particularly if you head south of male ..as well as how you compare it to indo
After that Maldives video with rights the other day, i was thinking of doing a Maldives taster trip for a week or so (maybe next year or year after) just as an Indo side trip to mix things up, and too keep missus happy, she likes her Indo side trips.
Resorts aren't my scene at all, i want to interact with locals and have some adventure and independence, I was always under the impression it was resorts or nothing in Maldives, but i found a place on Himmafushi Island, for $65USD for a room, little extra for meals, but can still eat elsewhere. walking distance/paddle to Sultans, Jail breaks, Honkeys and can pay extra to surf other waves by boat.
Anybody know of other cheap options?