The Maldives is often seen as a luxury-only destination, but you can absolutely experience it in a more affordable and authentic way by combining local islands and guesthouses with a shorter resort stay. This is the best way to experience both sides of the Maldives, the iconic overwater villas and the real island life. Public service announcement: You DO NOT have to spend thousands of dollars to experience the Maldives. I repeat, you DO NOT have to spend thousands of dollars to experience the Maldives. But if you’ve been thinking that the Maldives is not for you because you can afford to spend thousands of dollars for a beach holiday, I’m happy to tell you that you’re wrong, and that the Maldives might actually be well within your budget! The past 15 years has seen a drastic change in the Maldives tourism offerings, with the opening of local islands to tourists, and a growing number of guesthouses giving guests the chance to experience the stunning islands without having to blow all their savings. 2009 saw changes to local regulations that allowed tourists to stay on local islands amongst Maldivian citizens, and since then almost 400 guesthouses…