How to do the Maldives without a five-figure budget

The Maldives has a reputation for being out of reach, and if you only look at private-island resorts that reputation is earned. But the country opened its local islands to tourism over a decade ago, and a very good week there now costs less than a comparable one in Europe.

Guesthouses on islands like Maafushi, Dhigurah and Thoddoo run at a fraction of resort rates and put you within walking distance of a bikini beach, a house reef and a dive centre. The trade-off is that alcohol is not served on local islands.

Speedboat and public ferry transfers replace the seaplane, which is where a surprising amount of a Maldives budget usually goes. Ferries are slow but inexpensive; speedboats sit comfortably in between.

Our favourite approach is a split trip: four nights on a local island for snorkelling and whale sharks, then two nights in an overwater villa to finish. You get the postcard without paying for it seven times over.