Maldives or Bali for Honeymoon? If you feel stuck in this dilemma, then you are not alone. Both Bali and Maldives have world-class tropical beaches and are among the world’s finest honeymoon destinations.
Although both Maldives and Bali are world-class romantic gateways, they are profoundly different in almost every aspect. That is why I have compared Maldives and Bali in this article using a variety of critical factors to assist you in deciding which to visit for your honeymoon vacation.
Choose Maldives over Bali if you prefer romance, privacy, and elegance. In the Maldives, your honeymoon revolves around the beach and resort. Consider Bali over the Maldives if you’re on a budget and want to experience world-class luxury resorts, adventure activities, fascinating eastern culture, and world-class tropical beaches.
Maldives or Bali for Honeymoon: Which is better?
Table of Contents
Flight Price
Whether you’re traveling as a backpacker, on a honeymoon, or with your family, every vacation begins and ends with your travel budget. Numerous variables, such as lodging and transportation, have a considerable impact on our vacation budget.
Expenses such as airfare have a huge impact on our whole travel budget. In fact, when we travel, airfare takes up the majority of our spending. Since airfare is the most important factor in comparing honeymoon destinations, let’s get started.
Winner: Tie, the cost of traveling to both these places depend relatively on the place you visit from and the travel class you book.
Accommodation
Accommodation has long been an issue for all types of travellers. Accommodation is a critical aspect for honeymooners in particular, and typically consumes the largest portion of their honeymoon expenditure. As a result, costs and the variety of hotel options are crucial considerations for honeymooners.
The below table shows, the average accommodation price in Bali and Bora Bora.
| Places | Budget | Mid-range hotel | Villas/Luxury rooms |
| Bali | $12 | $36 | $248 |
| Maldives | $38 | $96 | $438 |
Based on the data in the accompanying table, it is clear that Bali provides substantially less expensive lodging options than the Maldives. This is not surprising given that Bali is one of the world’s cheapest travel locations, while the Maldives is the world’s top luxury destination.
Bali
Bali is neither a luxury vacation comparable to the Maldives, nor is it a pricey European country. It is a third-world country, similar to Thailand, where everything from lodging to food is quite inexpensive in comparison to many other tourist spots worldwide.
Apart from affordable housing, another significant element of Bali is the diversity of accommodation options. Bali offers a wide range of hotel options for any budget. Bali has it all, whether you prefer to stay in dorm rooms, deluxe hotels, magnificent beach resorts or private villas.
Maldives
When it comes to the Maldives, the country is home to one of the world’s most opulent resorts. What distinguishes the Maldives from other tourism destinations in the country’s “One island, one resort” policy. As a result, the Maldives islands are privately owned and host only a single resort.
Therefore, if you have a lot of money to spend and want to enjoy your honeymoon in exquisite resorts that offer unparalleled privacy and serenity, Maldives is the destination for you.
On the downside, each island only has one resort. As a result, you are totally reliant on that single opulent resort for all of your needs.
In comparison to Bali, Maldives is a magnificent destination that is entirely reliant on its beaches. That is why you will find some world-famous unique accommodations in Malidves, such as water villas and over-water bungalows, that you will not find in Bali.
Winner: Bali, Bali has a more affordable and wide range of accommodation options as compared to Maldives.
Beaches: Which are better?
Maldives
Unquestionably, Maldives’ beaches are far more beautiful than Bali’s. There is absolutely no comparison between these two destinations in terms of beaches.
Maldives beaches are insanely beautiful and blessed with a naturally romantic setting. Maldives’ white sand beaches, surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean’s turquoise blue lagoon, create one of the most breathtaking sights on the globe.
Apart from their breathtaking beauty, the resort complex owns the majority of the Maldives’ beaches. In contrast to Bali, the beaches of the Maldives provide plenty of privacy and tranquilly.
You will usually be the lone couple on the beach. Furthermore, the Maldives and Bora Bora feature over-water bungalows and water villas that are unique to the Maldives and Bora Bora.
In other words, if you want to have the greatest beach experience during your honeymoon, the Maldives is the place to go. On the flip side, because Maldives beaches are private, your honeymoon will be limited to a single beach and island, and you will not be able to mingle with the local community like you would in Bali.
Bali
Bali, too, boasts world-class beaches, though not as beautiful and clean as those depicted in the photographs. However, when compared to Maldives’ beaches, Bali is light years behind.
Bali is renowned for its beautiful white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters. Bali’s beaches, in particular, are famed for water sports activities and draw thousands of divers and surfers from across the world each year.
In comparison to Maldives, Bali’s beaches are more lively and exuberant. On the downside, as the number of tourists have increased year after year, Bali’s beaches have grown congested and unsanitary.
Winner: Maldives. There is no comparison; Maldives’ beaches are light years ahead of Bali’s.
🏖You may also like: Hawaii or Bora Bora for Honeymoon? An Honest Comparison to Help You Choose!
Culture
Without hesitation, select Bali over Maldives if you or your spouse enjoy exploring new cultures. Bali, as an southeast Asian country, has a rich history and culture influenced primarily by Indian culture. Bali has a Hindu majority of more than 87 percent.
However, Bali’s Hinduism is distinct from that of India. It is a synthesis of Hinduism in India and indigenous Indonesian culture, which gives it its unique character. Culture and religion exert a strong influence on all facets of Bali’s people. That is why the small islands of Bali have over 20,000 old temples!!
If you are a culture buff, there are numerous things to discover in Bali, including historic temples, traditional dance and theatrical performances, traditional marketplaces, local villages, and popular eastern mysticism and beliefs.
Maldives is not well-known for its culture. On the Maldives’ private islands, there is no culture to discover. Due to the private aspect of Maldives beaches and islands, your honeymoon will be confined to a single private island, with little potential to mingle with the local society.
Winner: Bali
Food
Like its culture, Bali’s cuisine is also influenced by many other cultures. Bali’s cuisine is mainly influenced by Indian, Chinese, and local Indonesian cuisines. Balinese cuisine is based on steamed rice, spices, pork, fish, coconut, and a variety of vegetables. Bali’s cuisine is more varied than that of the Maldives. Additionally, Bali has a plethora of Indian, Chinese, and American eateries.
The food of Maldives is heavily influenced by Indian cuisine. It is composed primarily of fish, coconut, rice, and a variety of vegetables.
If you are going to Maldives, you must try Bis keemiya (samosa), Boshi mash Garudhiya, Huni roshi, and Saagu bondibai. Unlike Bali’s cuisine, Maldives cuisine, on the other hand, is bereft of variety.
Comparison of Average Cost of food per day
| Places | Bali | Maldives |
| Meal for Two (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $3.45 | $12.32 |
| Meal for Two (Mid-range Restaurant) | $25.80 | $34.56 |
| Beer | $4.19 | $4.83 |
| Cappuccino | $2.54 | $2.78 |
| The average cost of food per day | $18 | $62 |
Winner: Bali, Bali has a diverse range of cuisines as compared to Maldives.
Safety
Maldives is widely regarded as a very safe destination for travelers. Violent crime is quite unlikely. Although petty crimes such as theft and pickpocketing have increased in recent years in Male.
But, the majority of couples visiting Maldives travel directly to private islands and spend their whole honeymoon in a resort or on the beach. And the majority of these resorts are quite secure, with crime nearly non-existent.
Bali is a relatively safe tourist destination. Bali’s indigenous inhabitants are quite peaceful and treat tourists with kindness. However, unlike Maldives, Bali is frequently crowded, and small crimes such as pickpocketing are common. Additionally, tourist scams have increased recently as a result of the rising number of tourists in Bali.
Winner: Maldives
Nightlife
Maldives
If you and your soulmate are a party animal looking for a crazy nightlife experience on your honeymoon, Maldives is most emphatically not the place for you. In Maldives, the nightlife is virtually non-existent.
Maldives offers excellent lodging and beaches for relaxation and solitude, but there are no large night clubs or pubs in Maldives. Therefore, if you visit the Maldives, do not expect robust nightlife.
Bali
Contrary to Maldives, Bali is a world-famous party destination. Bali has a very robust nightlife and there are many things that you can explore in Bali at nighttime. Especially, Kuta, Seminyak, and Legian are the main nightlife hotspots of Bali.
When the sun sets overs hundreds of nightclubs and bars come to life in Kuta, Seminyak, and Legian. From beach parties, international DJs, nightclubs, rooftop bars, night safari to live music events, Bali has everything that any party animal might desire!!
Winner: Bali. There is absolutely no comparison, Bali has more robust nightlife as compared to Maldives.
Maldives or Bali for Honeymoon: Which is better?
Without a doubt, Maldives is a superior honeymoon destination to Bali. Bali is a world-renowned tourist destination that is ideal for adventure enthusiasts and backpackers, as well as family vacations.
However, Maldives is a world-famous honeymoon destination. That is why more than 80% of couples who visit Maldives do so on their honeymoon.
There are numerous romantic activities available for honeymooners, such as dining at a turquoise blue lagoon, an underwater dinner, a romantic massage, a boat ride, or scuba diving.
From stunning beaches, exquisite resorts, unparalleled solitude, and tranquillity, to the world-famous fairytale overwater bungalows, Maldives provides everything a honeymoon couple could desire!!
However, if you and your spouse are adventurous spirits who do not prioritize the beach, Bali is unquestionably a better option than the Maldives. Malidves is a superior choice for couples seeking romance, elegance, seclusion, and tranquillity.
However, when it comes to adventure, the Maldives lags behind Bali by a mile. Therefore, if adventure is a priority, choose Bali over the Maldives.
Winner: Maldives
🏖Suggested Read: Hawaii or Maldives for Honeymoon?
🏖Suggested Read: Santorini or Maldives for Honeymoon?
🏖Suggested Read: Maldives or Thailand for Honeymoon?
Maldives or Bali for Family vacation: Which is better?
In comparison to the Maldives, Bali is an obvious choice for a family trip. Bali provides everything a family vacationer would expect! Bali offers world-class family accommodation at an affordable price, as well as inexpensive eateries, cheap transportation, and family-friendly beaches.
In addition, Bali has a number of amusement parks where you may take your family. During your family holiday, you can visit historic temples, elephant sanctuaries, beaches, waterfalls, and low-cost markets.
While the Maldives may be the best honeymoon destination in the world, it is not appropriate for family holidays. The Maldives offers incredibly expensive accommodation options, with the majority of options tailored toward a memorable honeymoon experience.
As a result, it is difficult to find reasonable family accommodation in Maldives. Furthermore, everyone demands varied exploration opportunities during a family vacation, but other from the ocean, there is little to do in the Maldives.
Winner: Bali
Maldives or Bali for Solo travelers: Which is better?
Bali is unquestionably a superior option for solitary tourists. Bali offers a diverse choice of budget-friendly lodgings, cheap eateries, and convenient and inexpensive transportation, which helps solo travelers immensely in terms of budget.
In terms of adventure, Bali has a plethora of options. Bali’s historic temples, lush green forests, culture, beaches, traditional villages, traditional dance and theatre performances, and inexpensive marketplaces are all worth exploring. Indeed, it’s difficult to see everything Bali has to offer in a single trip.
Again, Maldives is not an ideal destination for solo visitors. You can go island hopping in the Maldives, but the country does not have much more to offer. Additionally, in comparison to Bali, the Maldives lacks variation in terms of accommodation and is outrageously pricey for a solo trip.
Winner: Bali
Best Time to visit Maldives and Bali
Maldives
The period between November and April is referred to as the Maldives’ dry season, and it is the best time to visit Maldives. During this time period, the weather will be pleasant and bright, ideal for enjoying Maldives’ beaches.
However, this is also the most popular and expensive time of year to visit Maldives. Whereas the period from May through October is referred to as Maldives’ rainy season, and it is the most unfavorable time to visit Maldives due to the continuous rains.
Bali
The best season to visit Bali is from April through October. The weather is ideal for water sports and outdoor activities throughout this time period, with temperatures ranging from 19 to 30 degrees Celcius. If you want to stay away congested beaches, avoid July and August, which are Bali’s busiest months.
December to January is Bali’s rainy season, and it is not a suitable time to visit owing to the incessant rain. Thus, the months preceding peak season, such as April, May, and June, and the months following peak season, such as September to mid November are the best months to visit Bali.
Winner: Tie
🏖You may also like: Maldives vs Bali vs Bora Bora vs Fiji vs Seychelles: An honest comparison to help you choose!!
