Don’t let the budget stop you

While the Maldives is known for its A-list resorts and the exorbitant cost of food and drink – a burger and soft drink can easily set you back £50 – it is possible to find packages with prices on a par with Mexico or the Caribbean. The most effective way to rein in costs is to go all-inclusive, but be sure to check the small print, as some are more generous than others. Amilla Maldives Resort and Spa (00960 660 6444; amilla.com; double rooms from £1,266), LUX South Ari Atoll (00960 668-0901; luxresorts.com; double rooms from £1,175) and Emerald Faarufushi (00960 658-8000; emerald-faarufushi.com; double rooms from £540) throw in stacks of extras, including mini-bars, unlimited ice cream, massages, free non-motorised watersports and sunset dolphin tours.

More savings can be made by going independently. Book an airline ticket well in advance – looking a year ahead, we found a return fare from London with British Airways for £552 in September 2024 – and go local. Following a promotion by Visit Maldives, a number of new small hotels and guest houses have sprung up on local islands, with rooms from as little as £40 a night. Most are located around Malé. Maafushi is the best known, but it’s maxed out with backpackers. Instead, head to Thundi Guest House (00960 779-6860; Sosun Magu, Fulidhoo, Maldives), a charming beachside lodge, owned and managed by Maldivian former five-star hotel staff, set on the ravishing island of Fulidhoo, which has an astonishing house reef, a population of resident grey reef sharks and its own shipwreck.

i LUX South Ari Atoll has double rooms from £1,175