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Don’t let the pictures of over-the-water bungalows and romantic sunset dinners fool you, the Maldives is more than just a destination for honeymooners.
We compare the Maldives to Bali for honeymooners and family travellers to determine which is more budget friendly and where you can do the activities that you love most.
We love a good, cheap break and Bali has it in spades. It's an exotic location with beaches, villas and delectable eats that won't break the bank.
Bali is a destination that can serve travellers with any kind of budget. The Maldives targets luxury travellers; however, you can cut costs by eating in-resort as most packages include meals and by abusing the resort's complimentary transport options.
If you do choose to make your own way around the Maldives, you can catch inter-island ferries for $2.50-$6.60 and speed boats for $9.70-$27.10. In Bali, taxis and scooters are the norm. A one-hour trip to another area of Bali costs $9.40-$28.20. You can also hire a scooter for $5 per day or a car for $25 per day.
| Feature | Bali | The Maldives |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | According to Skyscanner , you can expect to pay the following for one-way flights:
|
There are no direct flights to the Maldives. Approximate starting fares for one-way trips are as follows:
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| Hotels (3-star hotel) | Find accommodation from $13 per night. Prices obtained from Hotels Finder for a stay on 1 February 2020 | Find accommodation from $69 per night. Prices obtained from Hotels Finder for a stay on 1 February 2020 |
| Beer | $3.49 | $4.92 |
| Meals | $3-$12 | $4.79-$15.97 |
| Tour | Full-day traditional sightseeing trip is $57.25 with Viator | Full-day Malé walking tour is $107.34 with Viator |
Prices obtained on 9 April 2019. Food and meal prices obtained from Numbeo.
AYANA Resort & Spa, Bali Image: Supplied
Meeru Island Resort & Spa Image: Supplied
For choice, Bali can't be beat. Hostels start at $10 a night, homestays at $15, hotels at $30 and villas for $100.
Options in the Maldives are predominantly limited to resorts. Guesthouses are becoming more popular and hotels can only be found in Malé, the capital. Your cheapest option is a guesthouse, with prices starting at $53, while a resort during the low season has prices starting at $79. During the high season, resorts can start as low as $130 but can easily reach up to $1,350 for more luxurious stays.
As a bonus, the Maldives is one of the few destinations in the world that offers overwater bungalows. Bali has none.
In both destinations you'll discover top DJs from around the world spinning decks. In the Maldives, the parties often happen in luxurious settings such as W Retreat and Spa or Niyama Maldives, aka the first underwater club.
Bali's nightlife is less refined, boasting a mix of raging clubs, relaxed bars and beachfronts. Make the most of the day and night with a beach and bar hopping tour.
The beaches in the Maldives are absolutely divine. Image: Getty Images
Bali beaches are often crowded and overrun with litter. Image: Getty Images
Bali offers white sand beaches in places like Uluwatu or volcanic black sand beaches filled with lounge chairs in hot spots such as Canggu. There's no shortage of sand in Bali, but be warned – if you stay in the tourist areas, beaches will be crowded and dirty with rubbish washed up on the shore. Short on time? Book a beach hopping tour to catch the best of them.
The Maldives is truly idyllic because of its soft white sand beaches and some of the clearest and bluest waters you will ever lay your eyes on. There’s no doubt that the beaches of the Maldives are one of the country’s highlights. They're uncrowded, clean and out-of-this-world beautiful. Catch the best of them on an island hopping tour.
Romance in Bali Image: Getty Images
Romance in the Maldives Image: Getty Images
It’s difficult to compare Bali to the Maldives for a honeymoon as both destinations are completely different.
Bali offers a ton of activities for a more active honeymoon. These include snorkelling, surfing, hiking up volcanoes, visiting rice terraces and learning about local Balinese culture.
The Maldives is much quieter compared to Bali. It’s more tranquil and calmer, which is why it's more popular with lovebirds. There are less activities and entertainment, with most options limited to water-based activities such as snorkelling/diving, windsurfing, submarine rides and stand-up paddle boarding.
You won’t have an issue finding family-friendly accommodation in either island destination as there are a large number of resorts that cater to families in both places.
In the Maldives, the focus is on the sun, sea and sand. That means that activities are surrounded by water, such as snorkelling and banana boat rides, most of which are better suited to older children.
Bali has a wider variety of activities including water parks, animal parks, cooking classes and trekking.
| Feature | Bali | The Maldives | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Popular activities |
|
|
Bali |
| Transport options | Bali has no public transport system, so transport is limited to private drivers and some shuttles. | The Maldives has public transport by inter-island ferry. The majority of resorts organise or include transportation. | Maldives |
| Best months to visit | April-September | December-April | Both |
| Landscape |
|
|
Bali |
| Airlines that fly there from Australia |
|
No airlines fly direct from Australia. | Bali |
| Average flight cost from Australia, according to Skyscanner |
|
|
Bali |
| Cuisine | Indonesian cuisine mostly consists of rice, noodle or soup dishes. Dishes are typically fried and are packed with flavour. Western dishes are also popular. | Maldivian cuisine (Dhivehi cuisine) uses a lot of coconut with plenty of vegetarian options and excellent seafood dishes. The cuisine uses mild flavours with an Indian and Sri Lankan influence. | Bali |
| Travel style best suited for |
|
|
Both |
Sorry, Maldives, while you'll never cease to be on our bucket list, Bali comes out on top as the more affordable people-pleaser. It offers various activities and cuisines to suit even fussy travellers and is only a short flight from our shores.
Bali
The Maldives
Skyscanner
Bali flights from $235 return
Valid for travel between September - December 2019 including Christmas season. Sample fare is Perth-Denpasar with AirAsia.
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Virgin Australia
Up to 10% off fares with code
Valid for travel until on select dates. Includes 10% discount on elevate, getaway, freedom and business fares across Australia, Bali, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Port Moresby or Pacific Islands. T&Cs apply.
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Klook
7% off Bali tours and attractions
Save on snorkelling tours, Waterbom entry, whitewater rafting, Mount Batur hiking tours especially on holidays like Christmas, New Year's and more. Sample discount is for a day tour in Bali. T&Cs apply.
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Hotels.com
Up to 75% off accommodations worldwide
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019. Destinations include Bali, Phuket, Miami Beach, Santorini, Athens, Barcelona and more. T&Cs apply.
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Columbus Direct
Get 5% off your next travel insurance policy
Use our exclusive code to get 5% off any Columbus Direct travel insurance policy, domestic or worldwide. Destinations would include Thailand, Bali, Fiji, USA, UK, Italy, France, Japan and more.
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Flight Centre - International
Bali flights from $528 return
Valid for travel from 1 February - 31 March 2020 with Air New Zealand. Sample fare is from Sydney.
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Skiddoo
International flights from $232 return
Valid for travel between October - November 2019 and February - June 2019. Sample fare is Perth-Bali. Destinations include Hong Kong, Bali, Colombo, London, Barcelona, San Francisco, Ho Chi Minh and more.
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Kayak
Bali flights from $394 return
Valid for travel on select dates until December 2019. Sample fare departs from Sydney with Malindo Air.
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Cheap Flights
Bali flights from $636 return
Valid for travel on select dates in October - December 2019 with airlines like Jetstar, Malindo Air and more. Sample fare departs from Sydney.
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Dusit Hotels
Up to 20% off advance bookings
Valid for stays on select 2019-2020 dates across China, Kenya, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand, UAE, USA and more. Discount applies when you book in advance on dusit.com. T&Cs apply.
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Hotels.com
Up to 50% off Bali hotels
Valid for travel on select dates. Destinations include Seminyak, Ubud and more. T&Cs apply.
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Luxury Escapes
Bali: 5-night hotel + flights luxury holiday from $1,925
Valid for travel until 20 December 2020. Includes flights departing from Sydney, accommodation at The Leaf Jimbaran, daily meals and more. T&Cs apply.
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My Maldives
Up to $5,000 in free extras Maldives honeymoon packages
Valid for travel on select dates from June 2019 - April 2020. Includes luxurious accommodations, speedboat transfers, return economy flights with Singapore Airlines, return sea plane transfers and more. T&Cs apply.
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Luxury Escapes
Bali: 9-night holiday with flights from $1,885
Valid for travel between 15 August 2019 - 14 August 2020. Includes accommodation at TS Suites, daily buffet breakfast, private airport transfers and more. T&Cs apply.
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Tick Travel Insurance
10% off your Bali travel insurance policy
Want to save more on your Tick Travel Insurance policy? Simply enter this code to receive a 10% discount on your cover.
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Wotif
Holiday sale: Asia hotels from $95
Valid for travel on select dates in 2019 - 2020. Destinations include Bali, Phuket, South Korea and more. Sample fare is for a 4-star Whistle Lark Hotel in Jeju Island. T&Cs apply.
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Agoda
Bali 3-star+ stays from $12 per night
Bali villas, homestays, hotels and hostels from just $12 per night. Sample destinations in Bali include Jimbaran, Seminyak, Kuta, Denpasar, Legian and more. $12 sample price is for Vilarisi Hotel in Legian.
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HomeAway
Bali villas from $29 per night
Book a private villa stay in Seminyak, Kerobokan, Sanur, Ubud and more.
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Groupon
Up to 70% off hotel stays and vacation packages
Destinations include Gold Coast, Port Douglas, Bali, Phuket, Fiji, Vietnam and Hawaii. Sample packages include a 5-night stay in Surfers Paradise for $299 (Regularly $579) and a 5-night package to Fiji for $999 (Regularly $2101),
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TripAdvisor Rentals
Bali private pool villas from just $214 per week
Price is based on a seven-night stay in February 2018.
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Design Hotels
Up to 30% off if you book in advance
Valid for bookings made at least 30 days in advance at hotels around the world. Destinations include France, USA, Bali, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, UK, Singapore, Japan and more.
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Scoopon
Up to 75% off luxury Indonesia stay
Valid for travel on select dates. Sample savings is for Imaj Private Villas, Lombok, Indonesia. T&C's apply.
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Scoopon
Up to 63% off Bali escape
Valid for stays on select dates until 20 December 2018 at Sintesa Jimbaran. Includes daily buffet breakfast and dinner, a 90-minute massage for two and more. T&C's apply.
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