Multi-Day Maldives Island Hopping Tour
Overview
Description
Day 1:
Upon arrival at Male International Airport you will be greeted and transferred to your guesthouse on Hulhumale.
Day 2: (B, D)
This morning your guide will accompany you on a tour of the capital city before transferring by local ferry to the local island of Guraidhoo, South Male Atoll. Dinner this evening is spent with a local family just don’t expect silver service as traditionally meals are eaten without the aid of a knife and fork!
Day 3: (B, D)
Following breakfast you will be taken by speedboat to nearby coral reefs for your first underwater encounter! The coral reefs of the Maldives are inhabited by diverse marine life and are teaming with colorful fish and corals. Keep your eyes open for turtles, sharks and rays you never know what may be in the blue! On return to Guraidhoo the afternoon is free for you to participate in optional water sports, diving or surfing. This evening enjoy a relaxed beach BBQ dinner.
Day 4: (B, L, )
Breakfast this morning is taken with a local family allowing you true access to Maldivian local life. You will then have free time at your leisure to relax on the beach or enjoy optional water sport activities.As the afternoon cools down accompanied by your guide time is spent exploring Guraidhoo, chat with children playing in the street and watch the ladies of the community begin their evening meal preparations. Stop by a local cafe to sample traditional ‘hedika’ - Maldivian savory and sweet short eats served with black tea.
Day 5: (B, L, )
Start early today for breakfast and then a transfer by local ferry to the local island of Maafushi, just 20 minutes away. After checking into the guesthouse, this morning you will have the chance to once again enjoy the underwater beauty of the Maldives. We stop at a sandbank for lunch with time to swim or lie back and relax. Heading back to Maafushi we will cruise the Indian Ocean in search of dolphins.
Day 6: (B)
Today is yours to enjoy as you please. Relax on the beach or for those feeling energetic participate in the various optional water sport activities on offer. Optional diving trips can be organized for certified divers.
Day 7: (B, D)
Following an early breakfast we take a short public ferry journey to the quiet local island of Gulhi. Here you guide will accompany you on a tour of the island. Ready for relaxation you can choose to head to the bikini beach or for the more energetic snorkel from the island beach. Optional water sports and diving trips can be organized for certified divers. This evening we head out to soak up the atmosphere at a traditional local café for dinner.
Day 8: (B)
Following breakfast you are transferred back to Male by public ferry arriving at Male International airport by 10am.
Inclusions
- 7 nights accommodation
- Meals as per itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
- Experienced & Certified Tour Guide
- Round-trip shared transfer
- All activities mentioned in itinerary
- Local Tax
Exclusions
- Gratuities
- International Flights
- Travel Insurance
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- The Maldives is a Muslim country and therefore alcohol is not available on local islands. Subject to availability day/evening, visits to resorts can be arranged.
- Bikinis are also not allowed to be worn on local island beaches; however our guesthouses offer private gardens or private beach areas for guests.
- The Maldives is a Muslim country and care needs to be taken in relation to the dress code on local islands. Whilst it is acceptable for men to wear T Shirts and shorts or swim shorts; females should avoid causing offence by maintaining a more conservative approach to clothes by wearing T Shirts, loose shorts or sarongs. Whilst the islands we visit are more tolerant of guests wearing traditional beachwear, females should avoid wearing bikinis and swimwear unless on an uninhabited island, picnic island, sandbank, screened off tourist beach, dive boat or resort island.
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Itinerary subject to change due to weather conditions
- No prior visa arrangements are required. Tourists are issued a 30-day visa on arrival. A passport valid for 1 month and travel documents (flight tickets) are necessary
- Safety has always been important to our business, this is why our guides are Emergency First Responders & Life Guard Certified. We are pleased to offer safe travel and hygiene standards as required by the World Travel & Tourism Council and Maldives Safe Tourism Guidelines. Private tours available upon request.
- The online travelerh declaration form IMUGA must also be completed within the 96 hour period prior to arrival in the Maldives
- Most travelers can participate
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
- Have been trained on HPA (Maldives Health Protection Agency) How to Identify & Manage Suspected cases of COVID19 for Tourist Operations.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Operates
See Availability
Cancellation
If you cancel at least 4 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
5/5 This turned out to be an amazing trip. The trip didn’t start out good the first island resort would not let us come after arriving at the airport in MLE due to covid this was not part of the tour we did not booked with Secret Paradise. Everything was closed but Ruth from Secret Paradise call...
5/5 This turned out to be an amazing trip. The trip didn’t start out good the first island resort would not let us come after arriving at the airport in MLE due to covid this was not part of the tour we did not booked with Secret Paradise. Everything was closed but Ruth from Secret Paradise called me back and told me not to worry she was sending someone for us and she got us a room. We then went on our island hopping tour to Guraidhoo and Gulhi sadly we could not got to Maafushi due to covid. But we enjoyed our tour with the most amazing tour guide Mash that we canceled our second week at a all-inclusive and booked another week with Secret Paradise. We request that Mash continue with us. The second week we were also supposed to go to Dhigurah and Rasdhoo but we enjoyed Dhigurah so much we spent the entire week their. Mash took such great care of us we felt like celebrities. We had planned activities as well as time to our selves. I would definitely recommend Secret Paradise. Ruth always responded quickly to my emails and was so informative gave great suggestions. Mash was amazing made everything run smooth and took care of every little detail. He even surprised us with a romantic sunset dinner he made us feel like family. This was a last minute trip and I had a hard time booking what we wanted until I got a hold of Ruth at Secret Paradis. She took care of everything. You tell her what your looking to do and see and she gives you suggestions on what islands to go to. I would go thru them again for another trip to the Maladies.We had the most incredible time with secret paradise on our recent trip to the Maldives across new year and to celebrate my 30th. I would recommend going with secret paradise to anyone I meet - our guide Kamay made our trip incredible, giving us so much confidence in the water swimming with shark...
We had the most incredible time with secret paradise on our recent trip to the Maldives across new year and to celebrate my 30th. I would recommend going with secret paradise to anyone I meet - our guide Kamay made our trip incredible, giving us so much confidence in the water swimming with sharks, rays and all the incredible other marine life there is to find. We had a few days after the trip on our own and we wouldn’t have had anywhere near the same confidence had we not spent time with Kamay initially teaching us everything there is to know about the ocean and what is in it. It really was a trip of a lifetime and the itinerary was absolutely perfect for anyone wanting to really understand the Maldives and the incredible sea life it offers. Absolutely 5⭐️ service and would so highly recommend thisI was hesitant to go to Maldives as I am not a "island resort" type but then I came across "Secrete Paradise" and I decided to jump in, and this us exactly what happened. The service was amazing, I discuss openly with Ruth what I liked and what not, exchange on different options and itinerary. T...
I was hesitant to go to Maldives as I am not a "island resort" type but then I came across "Secrete Paradise" and I decided to jump in, and this us exactly what happened. The service was amazing, I discuss openly with Ruth what I liked and what not, exchange on different options and itinerary. They are so much concerned that you have the right experience in Maldives that Ruth was also checking with the competitors if something was eventually better for me. I obviously then arranged with the and with Ruth all my 2 and half weeks around the islands. Everything was super well arranged, someone was constantly in touch with me to check everything was fine (I have to say that every time I was in the water). Zaff also accompanied me shopping around Male the last day and I was lucky enough to be able to meet personally Ruth for a coffee. The company is amazing and they arranged for me an amazing trip. Will be back for more for sure.Maldives is one of the VTL countries with Singapore hence we planned for a revisit! I found Secret Paradise Maldives on trip advisor with the great reviews. As usual, as a backpacker myself i normally contact few agents…. Probably 10 different agents this time :) Ruth was very responsive and h...
Maldives is one of the VTL countries with Singapore hence we planned for a revisit! I found Secret Paradise Maldives on trip advisor with the great reviews. As usual, as a backpacker myself i normally contact few agents…. Probably 10 different agents this time :) Ruth was very responsive and helpful right from the beginning. Very adaptive to our plan. We visited private resort on our first trip to Maldives hence this time we decided to visit local islands. There are so many of them to choose from, but thanks god we found Secret Paradise, Ruth introduced us Dhigurah and Dhiffushi! I did my own research and instantly fell in love with both islands! Ruth was very patient and informative. She shared everything we need to know, especially travel is not easy during this pandemic time, many rules to follow. But everything was well organised and we enjoyed our 10 days holiday to the max! Hassle free! We sincerely appreciated and thanks Ruth and her teams efforts from the planning stage until the end! I dont even need to worry about anything!I booked a private island hopping tour for mid December 2021 staying on islands in South Male atoll - Hulhumale, Guraidhoo, Maafushi and Gulhi. I was met at the airport by UB my guide who helped immediately with guidance on money exchange (with the trip including all accommodation, tours, most me...
I booked a private island hopping tour for mid December 2021 staying on islands in South Male atoll - Hulhumale, Guraidhoo, Maafushi and Gulhi. I was met at the airport by UB my guide who helped immediately with guidance on money exchange (with the trip including all accommodation, tours, most meals, water and transfers, I really didn't need much money) where I exchanged some dollars (make sure they're new notes and uncrumpled) to local currency. Then we took a taxi (UB organised EVERYTHING!!!!) to the accommodation for the first night. The week's trip then consisted of travelling to each of the three islands and staying 1, 2 or 3 nights on each. Every day was organised via the itinerary that was sorted in advance by Ruth via email in the weeks leading to the trip. Ruth was incredible at communicating and was so helpful that I felt complete trust in the company and, although normally a very anxious traveler, was completely at ease with everything both before and during the trip. Each day had one or two activities like snorkelling trips or tours and so had a really nice balance of being busy exploring whilst also having my own free time to roam about the island, chill on the beach etc. All the trips were fantastic and again really well organised. I saw so much wildlife whilst snorkeling whereby UB was right there pointing things out (his knowledge is incredible) including 3 types of shark, sea turtles, stingray and sooooooo many beautiful fish! Accommodation - so these were all organised too and were local guest houses on the local islands. All were really great. Spotlessly clean and just ideal for me with each having an en-suite bathroom and water provided. I had initially been wondering if i'd have to find a shop to buy bottled water but this wasn't necessary as this was provided (some provided more sustainable, glass bottles filled with their desalinated and then filtered water which was great). The beds were all large and very comfortable too. The staff at each guesthouse were super helpful too and when I had a minor issue with the shower/electricity in one room they sorted it immediately so it was no problem at all. Food - so I am a really fussy eater in that I am very picky. UB and the guesthouses were so accommodating for me and nothing was any trouble at all. All the food was great especially the fresh fish. If you are more adventurous than me (not hard) then you will thoroughly enjoy trying the local dishes as there is so much on offer. Breakfast each day was provided and had plenty of choices where all was fresh and tasty. Islands - all three islands were fantastic. Maafushi is by far the most touristy with a fair few hotels, bars, watersports centers etc and had a really chill vibe whereby wandering around in the evening was fab with live music one of the nights being a highlight. Restaurants are not expensive and drinks were good (all non alcoholic of course but lots of non alcoholic beer options). Gulhi island was tiny but really beautiful and the beach was amazing there. So Secret Paradise thank you so much for everything - it really was a perfect trip and the best 40th birthday present to myself. If you are thinking of booking a tour, I really couldn't recommend this company highly enough and personally I'm already saving up to book with them again for a trip to another atoll. The cost of my trip was so much less than a week on one of the private resort islands and I am so glad I chose to do the tour rather than the private island as I saw so much more of the Maldives, experienced so much and had such a great time.Secret Paradise Maldives helped show me the true beauty of the Maldives beyond the all-inclusive luxury resorts on private islands. I had been planning my trip for months, but due to changing global circumstances, it kept getting postponed. Communication with Ruth was an absolute pleasure. She w...
Secret Paradise Maldives helped show me the true beauty of the Maldives beyond the all-inclusive luxury resorts on private islands. I had been planning my trip for months, but due to changing global circumstances, it kept getting postponed. Communication with Ruth was an absolute pleasure. She was transparent, honest, and punctual. Exchanging e-mails with her was the main reason I decided on booking with Secret Paradise! I decided on the South Male Island Hopping tour and absolutely loved getting to immerse myself in the local culture while also enjoying the water activities Maldives has to offer (which are usually triple the price at resorts). The itinerary had a great pace of mixing activity and leisure time. I loved being able to explore on my own and also have a guide for part of the day. My guide, Kamey, had a good understanding of the Maldivian history and his skills as a guide were best when we were in the water. He made me a better swimmer in just one afternoon and took incredible footage with my GoPro for places I couldn't reach! Ruth and her team were very thoughtful in making sure the money that I did spend went back to local people and businesses (hiring local people, using locally-owned hotels and tour operators). They are also a deeply eco-conscious company (which is apparent in the tours/activities they offer) and even provided me with a metal straw and bpa-free water carrier which was a nice touch. My late afternoon hedhika experience with Bebbe (from Save the Beach Maldives) and his assistant Irena learning about their coral and beach-saving initiatives was a highlight of my trip. Other highlights include: - Guraidhoo! Loved the pace of the island and how it was small enough to explore in a day but it had many options for dining and hotels! My favorite area was relaxing on the swinging seats by Kasimbe Cafe. The best juice on the island is at Amore. I loved my stay at Rosy Villa in room 204 which has the private balcony overlooking the street rather than into the courtyard facing all the other balconies and rooms - Maafushi! Much busier than Guraidhoo and very developed for tourism. Mas Roshi was the best juice bar in all the islands I visited (they have a special coconut papaya and coconut mango drink I had to get twice a day when I was there!) The shop is moving soon though so look up where they relocate to when you visit! Also the newly opened Triton Prestige is the only locally-owned luxury hotel overlooking the beach which had some beautiful rooms and views! Shout out to Maamuda Water Sports for an incredible first-time parasailing experience! Such a friendly, supportive team (with the most colorful parachute) and an unbelievable drone operator who took some professional footage of me floating in the air! Thank you, thank you to Ruth and Secret Paradise for sharing with me the true beauty of such an incredible island nation! I will definitely return and I will definitely reach out to Ruth again for when I explore another part of the Maldives!