Emily Jablon: Daraius and I used our miles and points to have a fabulous honeymoon in Bora Bora.
We heard that the Maldives Islands rivaled the beauty and splendor of Bora Bora, so we planned a trip to decide for ourselves!
The Maldives is known for its luxury resorts, and most resorts have their own private island. There are beautiful white sand beaches and crystal clear blue water. The islands also have fantastic snorkeling and scuba diving!
We booked 5 nights using Hilton points at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is a 30-minute seaplane ride from Male, the capital of the Maldives. We booked this trip to make the most of our Hilton points before the Hilton devaluation last year.
Our $27,000 Vacation to the Maldives for ~$4,300 & How You Can Do It Too Index:
- Part 1 – Introduction & Planning
- Part 2 – Flights from US to India
- Part 3 – Flights from India to the Maldives
- Part 4 – Conrad Airport Lounge and Seaplane Ride
- Part 5 – The Grounds of the Conrad Rangali Island Hotel (Conrad Rangali Island Base Room)
- Part 6 – A ~$1,300 per Night Beach Villa for Free
- Part 7 – Saving ~88% on a $3,000 per Night Overwater Bungalow
- Part 8 – Activities at the Conrad Maldives
- Part 9 – Breakfast in the Maldives
- Part 10 – Cheap Food
- Part 11 – Dining Under the Sea
- Part 12 – An Afternoon in Male
- Part 13 – Male Airport and Plaza Premium Lounge
- Part 14 – Conclusion & Blog Giveaway
The Maldives are located in the Indian Ocean, just south of India. Getting to the Maldives is a long journey, but the trip is definitely worth it! Daraius and I have been to many beach destinations such as Bora Bora, Maui, and Kauai on miles and points, but the Maldives tops them all!
Traveling to the Maldives is also very expensive, but you can do it for much less than the retail cost! This trip would have cost us ~$27,000, but we only paid ~$4,300!! These series of posts will show you how you can also take a trip to the Maldives on miles and points!
An Afternoon in Male City
After our seaplane ride from the Conrad Maldives Resort, we took the ferry from the Male airport to Male city. The airport is on a separate, smaller island.
The boat fit ~50 people and costs ~$1 per person.
We hired a private guide to show us around the city. It looked much like the small cities you find in the US.
We saw the Ministry of Defense…
…and another government building.
Then we went to Sultan Park.
It was very secluded.
Next, we went to the Grand Friday Mosque.
Women are expected to cover their heads. So I brought a shawl with me. I noticed many women in Male dressed in a scarf. I wore mine around the city to be respectful of their customs.
The mosque is only open during certain times.
It was the biggest mosque in the Maldives.
We took off our shoes at the staircase.
I loved all the intricate details inside.
We took a quick look at the cemetery alongside the mosque.
Mopeds are the main method of transportation on this small island. They were everywhere!
We continued our walk along the pier. There were a lot of cargo boats with men loading and unloading their goods.
Our guide took us to the market, which sold fresh and dried fruit and vegetables. There were some unique fruits that we had not seen before.
It was fun to browse the shops.
Next, we went to the fish market which was across the street.
There was a variety of fresh seafood.
Our guide also took us into some very expensive souvenir shops.
We thought we could find souvenirs cheaper so we didn’t buy anything.
Any shops that have air conditioning mean they will probably charge more. Also when prices are in dollars you can expect to pay a premium.
The guys were hungry so stopped for lunch.
There was a display case filled with food.
There were so many choices!
So Daraius ordered a bit of everything.
After lunch, we walked back to the ferry station and took the boat back to the airport.
How You Can Do It Too!
Our favorite way to get to the Maldives from the US is with American Airlines miles on Etihad or Qatar Air.
If you’re willing to book separate award tickets (i.e. 1 award ticket from the US to Hong Kong & another from Hong Kong to the Maldives), you could even fly on Cathay Pacific or Malaysia Air using American Airlines miles to the Maldives.
Here are ways to get lots of American Airlines miles. And here’s my series on using American Airlines miles. It could also be worth using an award booking service to book the flights for you.
You can also use Alaska Airlines miles on Emirates or Cathay Pacific. And folks say you can get the Alaska Airlines credit card multiple times.
We used United Airlines miles because we wanted to go to India first. But folks who only want to fly from the US to the Maldives would likely use American Airlines miles or Alaska Airlines miles.
1. Using American Airlines Miles
Link: American Airlines Award Chart
A flight from the US to the Maldives costs:
- 45,000 American Airlines miles 1-way in coach
- 67,500 American Airlines miles 1-way in Business Class
- 90,000 American Airlines miles 1-way in First Class
You can use American Airlines to fly many different ways to the Maldives, including on Etihad, Sri Lankan, Qatar, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airways. If you want to book on Etihad, first find the available flights on the Etihad website and then call American Airlines to reserve the tickets. See this step-by-step guide for more information.
2. Using Alaska Airlines Miles
Link: Alaska Airlines partner award chart to Middle East
From the US to the Maldives you’ll pay:
- 42,500 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in coach (Emirates)
- 50,000 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in coach (Cathay Pacific)
- 62,500 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in Business Class (Cathay Pacific)
- 70,000 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in First Class (Cathay Pacific)
- 72,500 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in Business Class (Emirates)
- 90,000 Alaska Airlines miles 1-way in First Class (Emirates)
You can book Emirates flights on the Alaska Air website, except for Cathay Pacific, which has to be reserved by calling Alaska Airlines customer service. See this post for more ways on using Alaska Air miles to get to the Maldives.
And folks say you can get the Alaska Airlines credit card multiple times.
3. Using United Airlines Miles
Link: United Airlines award chart
To fly from the US to India, you’ll pay:
- 42,500 United Airlines miles 1-way in coach
- 70,000+ United Airlines miles 1-way in Business Class
- 140,000 United Airlines miles 1-way in First Class
Here’s a post on how to use United Airlines miles.
And here’s how you can get the airline miles and hotel points for your trip to the Maldives!
Bottom Line
The best part about Male city was seeing the local culture and getting some good deals on shopping. While the guide took us to some overpriced shops, we were able to find cheaper spots on our own. The prices were about 75% less than the resort! We found magnets for $2, t-shirts for $10, and cute leather wristlets for $10.
If you want to get a feel for the culture of Maldives, it is definitely worth the quick ferry ride to Male city.
@ Scott- We don’t have any sample prices, but I remember it being very cheap. Daraius may have more insight to add.
Any sample prices for the lunch options in the city? This looks like more my cup of tea. I love a beautiful, serene beach…for a couple hours, and then I begin to grow bored. It’s best IMHO when the city option and the beach option are in walkable proximity to each other (Aruba comes to mind).
Je Suis Charlie