Turning 30 in The Maldives for $650

Yes, you read that right - $650! I brought in my 30th birthday in the leading tourist destination of 2020 (their words not mine) for around $650, and that includes flight and lodging. Now, just how did I do it? Read below to find out.

COVID-19, flipped the world on its head last year and most of this year. Traveling came to an almost screeching halt in Spring 2020 and many weren't sure just how the travel industry would recuperate. I was supposed to spend my 29th birthday in Bali, Indonesia but because of COVID, the country was putting an extra hard lock on who could and couldn't enter. (as of September 7, 2021 - travel to Bali for vacation and if you're not an Indonesian resident is forbidden) With Bali out of the picture, I needed to think of some place to spend my 30th and it needed to be big. I mean it was my 30th after all!

That's when it hit me. As some of you should know by now, I am a Vacation Owner with Marriott. Essentially I own a timeshare with them which gives me access not only to their vast vacation network, but also access to cheap getaway deals with Interval International and also deals within the Marriott Hotel catalog. I had 80,000 Star Options (the currency for booking vacation stays on the timeshare side) and came across a deal on my ownership dashboard - "Stay at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa for as little as 20,000 StarOptions per night." I didn't care to use my star options for the year at any of the US based vacation clubs and The Maldives, for FREE? It was kind of a no-brainer.

After looking up the resort and deciding on getting a beachfront cottage, before booking (because it was non-refundable and a cancellation meant I wouldn't get my points back), I then had to make sure that the flight to The Maldives was doable. Anyone who has ever looked up flying to The Maldives probably has seen flights at $1000+ roundtrip. Well thanks to my good friends at Scott's Cheap Flights, I was able to snag a deal on the world's leading airline Etihad Airways for $655 roundtrip for the exact dates I needed.

After booking my flights and confirming my room via Marriott Vacations, I was able to land a 5 day stay in The Maldives with my 2 friends for $655. *mind blown*.

About The Trip

We departed from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and flew 13.5 hours to Abu Dhabi (Etihad's hub city). There, we had a 7 hour layover before taking off to Malé for a 4 hour journey. After about a total of 25 hours, we finally arrived at the resort and The Maldives is so much more beautiful in person than pictures and videos can do justice for. The people are so hospitable. The food was amazing. The views were breathtaking. And it's definitely a place that SHOULD be on your bucket list. Because of COVID, inter travel throughout the islands is prohibited so if you do decide to visit The Maldives soon, be sure to choose an island you're okay with staying on for the duration of your stay.

Going for the Gold

Because the Sheraton Maldives is a Marriott owned resort, my Gold Elite status came in handy. Some of the perks we were able to get during our stay:

• Free Breakfast Buffet every morning

• Upgrade from a Garden View Cottage to a Beachfront Cottage (literally 20 steps to the beach)

• Cocktail Hour with free drinks for me and guests

• Late Checkout - Check out at 4pm instead of 12pm

• 15% discount at all the island restaurants for lunch and dinner.

And because it was my birthday, I got a free cake for breakfast, dinner, and my room was decorated and a free bottle of wine and free cake was provided.

The resort really went above and beyond to make my birthday one I'll never forget. I recommend the Sheraton Maldives 100% but if that isn't your vibe, come to The Maldives, and stay at any of the many resort options. Most of the resorts are on islands owned and operated by them so as I mentioned earlier, wherever you decide be prepared (if COVID is still around to be okay with chilling solely on that island).

Check out some pictures and videos from my trip below: