Do you have a place you’d go if wanted to get away from the world? I do. Now, I’m not silly enough to post that exact location on the internet. Then it couldn’t remain my hideout. However, I will say this. If I’m ever missing, I’m on my favorite local island in the Maldives. Why the Maldives? Why a Local Island? The Maldives consists of around 1,200 islands and sandbars (1,192 to be exact). Only 187 are inhabited. Of these, there are popular tourist islands where you’ll see the over-the-water bungalows, and then, there are local islands that house residents and (maybe) smaller bed and breakfast type lodgings. When I was initially researching a trip to the Maldives after Nepal, I had a bit of sticker shock. The cheapest rooms on the tourist islands were $300+ a night…and they weren’t even the cool rooms that would make for a good story. I don’t mind spending a little extra money, but I want it to be worth it (and preferably come with a good story). The Instagrammable over-the-water bungalows were $1,000/night in some cases, and my backpacker budget just simply couldn't spring for it. Plus, I was hoping to stay in the Maldives for 5 days or so. I had to find an alternative. Then, I read an article about how staying on local islands really helps the population of the country. When you stay on tourist islands, all your money ends up going to the resort, which is normally a big corporation. However, when you stay on a local island, your money ends up going to the citizens of the country. When I travel, I like to find ways that I can benefit the local economy and communities around me, and if I was going to go to the Maldives, this seemed like a way that I could do it. One of the local houses near my bed and breakfast on the island. How Much Does a Local Island Cost? I found a small bed and breakfast to stay at on a local island for $50/night, and I booked it for 4 nights. There ended up being some additional costs to get to the island from the airport. Fortunately, the bed and breakfast reached out and booked me a speedboat at a rate of $30 each way. While I was there, breakfast was included in my room rate, and I ate at local restaurants on the island. Although I don’t remember all my meal costs exactly, I would put the average meal price around $15. The local harbor where I was delivered by speedboat on October 8, 2019. I treated my time in the Maldives as a retreat. I enjoyed the room. I used the bike provided by the bed and breakfast to get around the island. I visited the local “bikini” beach. And I caught up on work. The bike I used to get around the island (provided by my bed and breakfast). A photo taken at the local "bikini" beach. These beaches are reserved for tourists because the country is 100 percent Muslim, and it's forbidden to practice another faith, which means particular behaviors like alcohol consumption and bikini-wearing are restricted to tourist areas. A photo I took while biking around the island one evening. While there were various excursions I could have done (I remember the bed and breakfast offering to connect me with a snorkeling tour), I truly wanted to leave relaxed and rejuvenated. I didn’t feel the need to pack in a ton of activities. At that point, I’d be on the move for almost six months. It was good to have a few days to enjoy where I was without much hustle and bustle. Where to Find Me Overall, this local island in the Maldives was a time of reflection. The island only has about 1,500 residents and is 700 x 400 meters. It was this tiny island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, and I loved feeling the sun and ocean on an island where no one could find me if I didn’t tell them where I was. For some reason, probably because I was traveling by bike most of the week, it reminded me of the small town, Naomi, Florida, shown in the book/movie Because of Winn-Dixie. In the movie, the main character, Opal, draws a map of all the important places in the town. After spending the week there, I felt like I could have done the same. I frequented the same store, ate at the same couple of restaurants, filled my water bottle up at the same freshwater spigot, and visited the same beaches. The local freshwater spigot was installed by Coca-Cola. So, if I’m ever missing, if I ever disappear of my own volition, search for a local island in the Maldives with the clues in this blog and find me there. It’s my own private getaway. Also, turns out the island life was for me! Check out some of my Hawaii blogs
