How to Travel to the Maldives for One Year and Live for Free

Dreaming of escaping to a tropical paradise while in the throes of the everyday monotony of your 9-5 isn’t an uncommon fantasy.

But what if you could find a way to work while you frolicked away in one of the most luxurious places in the world?

Looks like that dream could be your reality now that a bookstore in the Maldives is looking for one book-loving traveler to run its shop for a year-long contract.

The only catch? You have to be barefoot the entire time.

The gig is offered at the Soneva Fushi resort on the remote island of Kunfunadhoo. The bookseller would be responsible for running the store and keeping track of finances and stock, among other responsibilities, because they would be the shop’s only employee.

“The applicant will be there on their own, so they’re pretty much running the whole thing themselves,” said Alex McQueen, a spokesperson for Ultimate Library, which runs the bookstore. “The ethos of the island is no shoes, no news. They encourage guests to reconnect with the ground.”

The barefoot bookseller will be treated to free accommodations and meals for the duration of their contract and have access to water sports, a gym, a spa and a private beach used solely by the island’s staff.

“The ideal candidate will be a team player with a passion for books and the ability to engage with guests of all ages,” the listing reads. “They will have excellent written and verbal English skills; a lively tone of voice to write an entertaining blog that captures the exhilarating life of a desert island bookseller, and the skills to host workshops and other guest experiences.”

The base salary is $750 a month, but the bookseller will be permitted and encouraged to earn other income by hosting book-related events for guests, such as workshops and “personal reading consultations.”

Applications must be submitted by August 8, 2022, and the employee will start work in October 2022.