Maldives cultural experience holiday
The affordable, authentic way to see the Maldives – staying on a local island in a small guesthouse, enjoying everyday life with lots of fun excursions, too.
Experience local island life Gulhi South Male Atoll Male City Tour ‘hedika’ small dishes meal Guided snorkelling Dinner with a local family Maldivian cooking class and cultural activities Optional diving, beach clean
Price
US $899 excluding flights
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Description of Maldives cultural experience holiday
The Maldives has a reputation for being an exclusive destination, but thanks to changes to local law made in 2011, tourists can now stay in accommodation on a local island rather than in one of the resorts here. It's the perfect way to get a flavour of the real Maldives, without the hefty price tag. You will still enjoy the gorgeous beaches, excellent snorkelling and diving and fresh food any visitor to the Maldives expects, but will also have the chance to experience local island life.
This four day adventure includes water sports, exploration and lots of time to relax. For an authentic experience, you’ll use the ferry, have a meal with a local family and even try some Maldivian singing and dancing. There’s the opportunity to find out how boats are built and to simply enjoy being part of the local life of one of this beautiful archipelago’s inhabited islands.
You can also try some of the activities that the Maldives is rightly famous for, including snorkelling, diving, fishing, surfing, dolphin cruises and beach barbecues. The Maldives is a Muslim nation, so drinking alcohol and wearing bikinis on beaches restricted, but all our guests have the option to enjoy the freedom of tourist beaches, picnic islands and resorts where these restrictions are not in effect.
This is an affordable and enriching way of visiting the Maldives, which you can combine with a resort stay or as part of a holiday in Sri Lanka or India, for example. All packages begin and finish at Male International Airport and they can all be customised to your timings and interests.
Accommodation is in small, locally owned guesthouses, usually on the island of Guraidhoo, although we do offer holidays on other islands. All accommodation is chosen for its comfort, excellent service, great value, good food and friendly feel. Rooms are well kitted out with ensuite bathrooms, air conditioning and fans. There is Wifi, too, as well as tea, coffee and water. Some overlook the sea while others have a private garden or beach, and there are usually cafes and restaurants nearby.
Price information
US $899 excluding flights
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Price Per Person Includes:
3 Nights HB sharing double/twin room, Airport assistance & transfer by ferry, activities as per itinerary, Secret Paradise Tour Leader, Local Tax.
Departure information
This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements
Travel guides
Visiting this gorgeous Indian Ocean archipelago can be about so much more than soaking up the sun in a luxury resort.
Our guide does its best to provide responsible travellers with a balance of rated, underrated and overrated things to do.
Holiday information
Dietary requirements:
We can cater for vegetarian and vegan diets.
Accessibility
Accessible tourism overview:
We are a team of can-do people, and we are able to customise our tours and experiences to ensure that anyone can make the most of our tour options.
We have welcomed a range of guests with different disabilities and ages and our guides are only too happy to help accommodate their needs. Our youngest guest has been 6 months old and our eldest guest has been in their 90s so the team are used to working with different age groups and adapting the tour and activities to be encompassing regardless of age, ability or experience. All we ask is that we are made aware of any specific requirements at the time of booking so that we can plan in advance.
Limited mobility:
We can offer ground floor accommodation options or properties with lifts and our activities can be adapted by our experienced and professional guiding team.
Wheelchair:
Guests with wheelchairs can be assisted to negotiate Male as well as most of the local islands we visit. We offer resorts where access around the property is on wooden board walks or paved pathways so there is no fear of wheels getting stuck in the sand. Some of our partner dive centres offer special days for locals with disabilities to try dive or snorkelling in safe and controlled conditions. If this is of interest then we maybe be able to accommodate this into your stay with us.
Cognitive conditions:
The people of the Maldives are naturally laid back and relaxed and you will find stays on local islands calm and peaceful. We select small family run properties and if you have specific requirements in regard to the activities included on our tours we are happy to tailor-make. We have a relationship with a local autism centre which allows us to access accompanying support if necessary.
'Free from' food:
As you may expect from an island beach nation the Maldives imports over 90% of its food, discounting the abundance of tuna, chilli and fresh coconut that form part of our staple diet. We appreciate that our guests may have special dietary requirements and are used to dealing with allergies, intolerance and special requirements. Providing we know in advance either before or at the time of booking we will do our best to meet your dietary requirements or at the very least advise you on what alternatives will be on offer.
LGBT:
This trip ensures safe and welcoming travel for LGBTQ travellers. It allows everyone to enjoy and discover our island paradise.
Reviews
2 Reviews of Maldives cultural experience holiday
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed on 16 Dec 2024 by Nigel Hunt
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Meeting experts helping restore coral reefs.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
If you want local food at hotels don't go above 3*.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent trip from a company committed to environmentally friendly holidays.
Read the operator's response here:
Dear Nigel,
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that meeting Save the Beach was a memorable highlight of your holiday. Experiences like these truly showcase the importance of conservation efforts in the Maldives. Your tip about enjoying authentic local food at guesthouses and 3-star properties is spot on. These options often provide a more immersive and culturally rich experience. We’re thrilled that you felt your holiday positively impacted local communities and supported the environment. We strive to ensure every journey contributes meaningfully to both conservation and the livelihoods of the people in the Maldives. Thank you for recognizing our commitment to sustainable tourism. We look forward to welcoming you back for more responsible adventures! Kind Regards Ruth
Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re delighted to hear that meeting Save the Beach was a memorable highlight of your holiday. Experiences like these truly showcase the importance of conservation efforts in the Maldives. Your tip about enjoying authentic local food at guesthouses and 3-star properties is spot on. These options often provide a more immersive and culturally rich experience. We’re thrilled that you felt your holiday positively impacted local communities and supported the environment. We strive to ensure every journey contributes meaningfully to both conservation and the livelihoods of the people in the Maldives. Thank you for recognizing our commitment to sustainable tourism. We look forward to welcoming you back for more responsible adventures! Kind Regards Ruth
Reviewed on 15 Jan 2018 by Rosemary Chinchen
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Being surrounded by a pod of around 300 spinner dolphins and seeing lots of fish while snorkelling. Sitting on a white sandy beach and walking out into the sea to snorkel in warm clear blue waters.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Maafushi is one of the larger and more commercialised islands which caters for those wanting less expensive accommodation. There is a lot of building work going on around the island, including next door to our hotel, but this did not interfere with our enjoyment of the holiday. If you want a small romantic
island this may not be the one for you, but it was perfect for four friends who enjoyed the few shops on the island, varied restaurants and being able to
snorkel off the beach. The Triton Beach hotel and spa was not right on the beach, but a few yards away. The rooms were a very good size and had a balcony. It was also exceptionally clean and as good as any hotel I have stayed in. The restaurant was very stark with a football table and pool table and the pool by one side, which didn't appear to be used.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes I did. Booking through a local company who employs local people benefits the community. We didn't like the use of plastic bags on the islands and suggest that they look for alternative packing materials for souvenirs.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Very relaxing.
Read the operator's response here:
Dear Rosemary,
Thank you for taking time to write your review. It was a pleasure to be able to meet with all upon arrival and then during my brief visit to Maafushi and I was delighted to learn that you were all having a great time and were being well looked after by your personal guide Kokko Ibbe.
Local tourism in the Maldives at just 6 years old is still very much in it's infancy and there are indeed challenges and improvement opportunities to be made. The Maldivian’s would historically have thrown their waste into the ocean, however, that was in the days when waste would have been predominantly food waste and all biodegradable, then came along plastic and then came over one million visitors. Add all this together and we are presented with a country that has a significant challenge regarding waste removal. Positively, there are a number of actions being taken to manage waste and over time a more environmentally
friendly waste management process will come into being throughout the archipelago. Whilst the obvious answer is for the government to ban the use of plastic bags we are a long way from this decision being made. However, as a business we work closely with NGO Save the Beach to increase awareness of both waste management and coral reef protection. Last year we sponsored and supported waste management presentations in schools in the capital. We also take part in monthly beach or city clean ups in Hulhumale where our office is based.
I have been visiting the Maldives since 2000 and have had the pleasure of living here for the past 6 years. I have personally seen waste management practices improve over this period of time. There is certainly a growing awareness and it is also encouraging to see a lot of youth involvement. Whilst it is going to be a slow process to achieve a plastic bag free nation, as visitors to the country we can all play our part by taking home plastic waste wherever possible and by leading by example.
We look forward to you travelling with us again in the future.
Kind Regards,
Ruth
Thank you for taking time to write your review. It was a pleasure to be able to meet with all upon arrival and then during my brief visit to Maafushi and I was delighted to learn that you were all having a great time and were being well looked after by your personal guide Kokko Ibbe.
Local tourism in the Maldives at just 6 years old is still very much in it's infancy and there are indeed challenges and improvement opportunities to be made. The Maldivian’s would historically have thrown their waste into the ocean, however, that was in the days when waste would have been predominantly food waste and all biodegradable, then came along plastic and then came over one million visitors. Add all this together and we are presented with a country that has a significant challenge regarding waste removal. Positively, there are a number of actions being taken to manage waste and over time a more environmentally
friendly waste management process will come into being throughout the archipelago. Whilst the obvious answer is for the government to ban the use of plastic bags we are a long way from this decision being made. However, as a business we work closely with NGO Save the Beach to increase awareness of both waste management and coral reef protection. Last year we sponsored and supported waste management presentations in schools in the capital. We also take part in monthly beach or city clean ups in Hulhumale where our office is based.
I have been visiting the Maldives since 2000 and have had the pleasure of living here for the past 6 years. I have personally seen waste management practices improve over this period of time. There is certainly a growing awareness and it is also encouraging to see a lot of youth involvement. Whilst it is going to be a slow process to achieve a plastic bag free nation, as visitors to the country we can all play our part by taking home plastic waste wherever possible and by leading by example.
We look forward to you travelling with us again in the future.
Kind Regards,
Ruth
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) holiday so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your holiday to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
CARBON REDUCTIONWe are committed to reducing our environmental footprint while raising awareness of responsible travel. As a Travelife Partner certified company, we continuously measure and review our impact. We promote low-carbon activities such as public ferries, cycling, and walking tours, and we educate our supply chain through sustainability criteria, partnerships, and training. We are a Carbon Literate company certified by Carbon Literate Trust and our team undergoes climate literacy training, including the Tourism Cares Climate Justice Programme, to embed carbon awareness into our operations and guide practices.
ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
We actively support the protection and conservation of the Maldives’ delicate marine and island ecosystems. Our marine life education hub, conservation partnerships, and code of conduct for marine wildlife interactions encourage respectful snorkelling and diving. Our tours contribute directly to marine research and coral health through citizen science initiatives, beach clean-ups, and educational collaborations.
We support NGOs like Save the Beach Maldives, Maldives Resilient Reefs, MWSRP, and Olive Ridley Project, focusing on coral rehabilitation and protection of marine life, with donations made on tours where we engage with representatives of the NGO.
Guests receive pre-arrival resources and are guided on responsible snorkeling conduct, local threats, such as the introduction of invasive species (e.g., crown-of-thorns starfish), and how they can help mitigate spread through responsible behavior and awareness.
People
PEOPLEWe exclusively support and promote locally-owned guesthouses, restaurants, and community businesses. Our tours maximize local impact through community experiences, cultural exchange, handicraft visits, and the use of local guides and transport. We ensure our guests contribute directly to the Maldivian economy, with every tour designed to benefit the communities we visit.
EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
100% of our team is Maldivian, and we prioritise hiring from local communities, providing training and upskilling opportunities for our team. We comply with and exceed local labour standards, and as a female-led business, we foster a strong inclusivity ethos, promoting equal opportunities regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or background.
Our trips are LGBTQ+ friendly, and we actively create safe, welcoming experiences for all travellers.
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