A TRIP to the Maldives is a bucket list destination, but is often seen as an expensive holiday.
But the beautiful islands can with some hotel rooms a fraction of the price.
You can easily get some beautiful Maldives white sand and blue waters on a budgetCredit: Alamy
Most holidaymakers head to , where prices can soar past £1,000 a night.
Yet local islands are starting to open up to tourists, with more affordable .
There are more than 1,100 islands in the Maldives, with around 200 inhabited that welcome tourists.
They are also much cheaper to get to as well, with the ferries a fraction of the price of seaplanes which can be hundreds per person.
So we’ve rounded up some of the more affordable islands you can book, as well as how to get there and what to do.
Maafushi
One of the best budget islands in the is Maafushi.
It’s small, so you can walk to each end in about 30 minutes.
Getting to the island from Male takes as ittle as 50 minutes by boat, costing just a few dollars each way.
The only caution to be had on local islands is the dress code, meaning you shouldn’t be walking around in in town.
However, the popular bikini beach on the island allows holidaymakers to wear their swimwear – just remember to put clothes back on when heading back to your hotel.
Like all other islands, animal spotting trips are popular, including reef snorkelling , turtle watching and dolphin trips, most of which can be booked via the hotels.
Rather than resorts, the guesthouses can be found for as little as £30.
This includes Alaika Guest House, which is a homestay with locals, or Arora Inn.
If you want some extra luxury, then a four star hotel in the island, Arena Beach Hotel, starts from £70 a night.
Maafushi Island is one of the more popular local islandsCredit: Alamy
Many of the local islands have bikini beachesCredit: Alamy
Thulusdhoo
Another affordable local island is Thulusdhoo.
It’s rather unusual claim to fame is having a factory on the island which is the only one to use desalinated water – and you can visit it.
The island also has a bikini beach where tourists can relax in their swimwear without needing to cover up.
But unlike other islands in the Maldives, some of the beaches are great for for , popularised back in the 1970s.
This includes beaches such as Chickens (named after once being a chicken farm) and (named for its proximity to the factory).
Otherwise popular boat trips are to the local sandbanks.
Speed boats to the island take around 25 minutes, although the slower ferries are a more affordable option.
Ad when you get hungry, you’ll find a mix of local seafood and more international cuisines like Italian on the island.
Surf Trip is one of the cheapest guesthouses with rooms from £45, or stretch to the four star Season Paradise with rooms from £109.
Thulusdhoo is home to a Coke factory and beachCredit: Alamy
Dhigurah
Also called Long Island, Dhigurah stretches nearly two miles long, although is only 275m wide.
More than half of the island is its so you can swim without worrying about covering up.
A lot of the island is jungle too, which is perfect for bike tours in the shade.
Otherwise Dhigurah is another great island for snorkelling, with turtles and manta rays in the area
This island takes slightly longer to get to, with speed boats between two and three hours.
And hotels are slightly pricier – the cheaper ones include Infinity Beach Dhigurah or Horizon Dhigurah, both around £75.
Dhigurah island is a bit further but has a huge jungleCredit: Alamy 
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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