The itinerary itself was well-balanced with activities and downtime, so much so that my partner and I were even able to fit in an additional excursion. We went snorkeling, paddle boarding, scuba diving, kayaking, we saw sharks, turtles, octopus, rays, eels, the list goes on.
Giving Back opportunities
Environmental Awareness
Historical & Cultural Insight
An 8-Day Activity-Filled Adventure in Gan Laamu
If you are a more active traveler with a sense of adventure and an interest in watersports our multi-activity holiday is just for you! Try your hand at sea kayaking, windsurfing, surfing, snorkeling, and SCUBA diving.
Based on Gan, the island boasts an unusual red-tinted lake and an 8 km stretch of white sand, making it the longest beach in the Maldives. On land, a guided jeep tour of the island allows you to explore ancient Buddhist ruins and gain unique insights into local Maldivian life. With accommodation in a deluxe beachfront hotel equipped with a plunge pool, gym, and wellness center, you can be sure to add some relaxation into the mix!
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
- Private Tour from USD2,875 per person based on double share
Availability
- Available all year-round
Start
- Check-in available on day one from midday
Meeting point
- Velana International Airport (MLE)
Duration
- 8 days & 7 nights
Group size
- Minimum 2 person
Included
- 7 nights Deluxe room hotel accommodation
- 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 7 buffet dinners
- Airport and domestic transfer assistance
- Return transfer by domestic flight
- Jeep local island safari and hedhika experience
- Guided house reef snorkeling trip
- Picnic island visit
- Kayaking and snorkeling tour
- Bicycle island tour
- Discover scuba course or 2 dives for certified divers or guided snorkeling tour
- 6 Days Snorkeling Equipment
- Beach Clean
- Secret Paradise guide
- Local tax ($3 green tax per person per night, 10% service charge, and 16% GST)
Not included
- Lunch on 6 days
- International Flight
- Travel Insurance
What to bring
- All this together with full details on everything you need to know about travel within the Maldives will be provided in our welcome information pack.
YOUR IMPACT
By booking this tour:
- Your accommodation & travel spend sustains the local economy and the livelihoods of locals, including your tour leader and our local suppliers.
- Contribute to the protection of coral reefs and marine life by learning about the Green Fins code of snorkeling conduct.
- Increase your awareness of how you can make a positive impact on coral reefs even by your actions back at home or when you travel to other destinations.
- By understanding what disrupts our ecosystem, you can take actionable steps to reduce your impact, both on tour and at home.
- Participate in a beach clean-up, directly removing debris and protecting marine life from pollution.
- Support local cafes, helping to sustain the livelihoods of residents and support the local island economy.
- Using the provided reusable water bottles reduce the amount of plastic waste in the Maldives.
Carbon Footprint
1725Kg of CO₂e – average carbon emission per person
Find our more about our Carbon Management here
ABOUT YOUR GUIDE
One of our experienced and professionally trained local tour guides will accompany you for the duration of the activity. All our guides hold First Aid and Lifeguard qualifications and have completed Travelife Online Sustainable Tourism Certification.
Important note
- 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, all of our guesthouses offer either private gardens or balconies and tourist beach areas for guests where bikini swimwear can be worn.
WHAT ARE THE MALDIVES ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
- Travelers must have a confirmed accommodation/tour booking.
- Travelers must have a passport or travel document valid for a minimum 30 days from date of entry to the Maldives.
- Travelers must have a return flight ticket.
- The online traveler declaration form IMUGA must be completed within the 96 hour period prior to arrival in country.
Highlights
Spend a day sea kayaking and discover idyllic hidden coves.
Try out or perfect your diving skills and see sea life up close.
Learn to windsurf or stand up paddle in the island’s lagoons.
Take a bike tour around Gan & the surrounding islands.
Relax and sunbathe on the beaches of Robinson Crusoe-style islands.
Learn about the history of the Maldives and visit important local places.
What to Expect
Arrive at Malé International Airport for the start of your Maldives Multi-Activity Adventure Tour. Here you will be greeted by your guide and transferred by domestic flight to the island of Gan, in the southern atoll of Laamu, and then onto your guesthouse which will be your base for the week.
Settle in after your flight before taking your first steps on the sands of this tropical paradise, take a swim in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean or just explore the facilities of the guesthouse.
On day 2, following breakfast served at the guesthouse the day will be spent sea kayaking, providing an opportunity to explore the east side of the atoll. You will be coached on how to paddle and maneuver the kayak before heading off into the inner atoll. There will be plenty of time to stop off at isolated sandbanks and uninhabited islands to snorkel and gain your first experience of the amazing underwater world of the Maldives. Your guide will provide a safety briefing and highlight how to protect the reefs by being a responsible snorkeler, they will also act as your guide so you don’t miss out on spotting marine life! Enjoy a picnic lunch and there will be time to relax and sunbathe before kayaking back to Gan.
The remainder of the afternoon is free for you to relax on the beach, snorkel the house reef, or just chill in the plunge pool.
Today the morning is free for you to hit the beach, snorkel the house reef, or just chill in the peaceful guesthouse garden.
Following lunch, you will be taken by your local guide on an exploration trip of the island of Gan by jeep. You will visit a number of historical places and learn more about the history of the Maldives and local life, even visiting a fish factory and a local vegetable farm. Keep an eye out for the local herd of goats that are often found hiding in the undergrowth! The trip includes a visit to a local café to sample traditional hedhika – Maldivian savory and sweet snacks served with black tea.
Day 4 is your chance to give SCUBA diving a go! The dive center is a PADI registered dive school operated by Europeans and locals and was the first PADI scuba diving and water sports center on a local island in Laamu Atoll. For those who have not dived before, we offer a Discover Scuba Diving Course where you learn the basic safety guidelines and skills needed to dive under the direct supervision of a PADI Professional. You will complete two dives from the shore. Qualified divers can take 2 dives by boat to explore this virtually untouched paradise. For guests who would prefer not to dive, we offer a guided snorkeling tour.
After breakfast together with your tour leader we explore the northern parts of Gan by bicycle. Ride along the Link Road, a boulevard of palm trees connecting Gan to the islands of Fonadhoo, Kadhdhoo and Maandhoo, which together make up the largest local community settlement in the Maldives. With lunch in a local café and time to rest during the heat of the day it is the perfect opportunity to gain a deeper understanding about the culture, history and daily life of this island nation and its people. At the end of your return journey be rewarded with fresh coconut water known locally as ‘kurumba’.
On day 6, breakfast is served at the guesthouse and the day is yours to enjoy as you please, relax on the beach, or for those feeling energetic practice some of their newfound skills. Optional diving trips can be organized for certified divers and a visit to the 5* resort of Six Senses can be organized (subject to availability).
As the afternoon cools down there is the option to spend time on the beach, giving back to the community that has welcomed us by supporting a beach clean. Our reward will be a refreshing fresh Kurumba (coconut water) followed by an ocean swim!
Following breakfast served at the guesthouse, we head to a Robinson Crusoe uninhabited island with your guide. Relax and sunbathe on the powder-white beaches, swim or snorkel the beautiful azure waters, and enjoy a relaxed picnic lunch. After lunch, enjoy more of the same before returning to Gan.
After breakfast on day eight, you are transferred back to Velana International Airport (MLE) where the tour ends.
Reveries Diving Village
The hotel offers all the comfort and facilities of a resort but at a price far more affordable. The hotel provides a spacious lobby area, restaurant, rooftop terrace, private garden, garden BBQ, gym, pool table, PADI dive and water sports center, and wellness spa. 23 en suite deluxe rooms offering individually controlled air conditioning, ceiling fan, mini-fridge, bath amenities, dressing table, wardrobe, balcony, flat/screen satellite TV, IDD telephone, WIFI, an in-room safe, kettle, and hairdryer.
We have handpicked the best guesthouses throughout the Maldives to provide you the greatest experience while enjoying your Maldives Multi-Activity Adventure tour package. Personally selected to provide a balance of comfort, good service, local atmosphere, and value for money. In each, you can be assured of a warm welcome and know that your holiday money is contributing directly to the local economy and increasing local employment
We require a minimum number of 6 persons for cruises to operate.
There is no minimum number for any of our land based tours.
Accommodation is offered on a twin/double room share basis.
If you are a single traveler and prefer a private single room to yourself throughout the tour/cruise, this can be arranged. A single supplement is charged on all our multi day tours except the following:
- 7 Night Whale Shark Snorkeling Conservation Cruise
- 7 Night Sea Turtle Snorkeling Conservation Cruise
- 7 Night South Male Island Hopping scheduled departure
- 7 Night North Male Island Hopping scheduled departure
- 7 Night North Ari Island Hopping scheduled departure
Yes, we can assist with organising pre and post tour accommodation, including a transit night in the capital area or a longer independent stay on a local island or resort island.
Like many places in the world today, the climate and weather patterns are changing and historical data is becoming less reliable as an indication of what to expect. With a tropical climate, plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 30°C throughout the year, there is never a really bad time to visit the Maldives. There are two distinct seasons: the dry season (northeast monsoon) from January to March and the wet season (southwest monsoon) from mid-May to November. ‘Wet season’ doesn’t mean it rains all the time, but during this period there is a higher probability of rain. However, in today’s world we do experience rain even during the ‘dry’ season.
More detailed weather information can be found here
The Maldives are a Muslim nation, therefore care needs to be taken regarding dress on small islands and in local communities.
While it is acceptable for men to wear t-shirts and shorts/swim shorts, women should avoid causing offence by maintaining a more conservative approach. T-shirts with sleeves that cover the shoulders, loose shorts that cover the thighs, or sundresses with a sarong around shoulders are advised.
All the islands we visit are more tolerant of guests wearing traditional beachwear, but women should NOT wear swimwear unless on an uninhabited island, sandbank, private tourist bikini beach (available on all islands you’ll stay on) or on board our cruises and snorkeling boats. Your tour leader will advise when and where this is possible.
No previous experience is needed for any of the included activities – just an average level of fitness and a sense of adventure. The activities aren’t strenuous, the only requirement is that you must be able to climb a ladder to exit the water, be comfortable in the water and be able to swim to participate in snorkeling activities.
We strongly recommend you bring along your own mask and snorkel wherever possible. Not only will you be assured the mask fits your face properly (making it more comfortable and less likely to leak), it’s also more hygienic. A mask and snorkel are small and light, so they should take up very little space in your suitcase! Due to the ocean current and wind conditions in the Maldives, the use of fins is essential for almost all snorkelling and these are included in all snorkelling activities we provide on tour. However, if you want to ensure a perfect fit, you are always welcome to bring your own.
On board our cruises we can cater to most diets providing we are advised at time of booking. If there is something particularly you eat within your diet that you can’t live without we would encourage you to pack some and be prepared for perhaps more repetition of meals than you would be used to back home. For further clarification drop us a message.
Note to support our sustainable approach to cruises we do not offer beef products on board.
When traveling on land based tours properties can cater for vegan and vegetarian diets but it is worth noting in regard to food on local islands, over 95% of products are imported and then from Male they are transferred once or twice a week to outer islands.
Fruit and vegetables whilst available can be limited and they do not form part of the traditional Maldivian diet in the way you may be used to back home with your 5 a day! Given that tuna is a key component of our diet as vegetarians you will find your diet quite limited in comparison to what you are used to, even a potato curry is likely to have dried tuna added. On local islands you can’t just pop out to the supermarket and what you may see in the convenience store one week is not seen again for months!
Maldivians, as Muslims, are prohibited by law from consuming alcohol; hence there is a total restriction on alcohol being available on inhabited local islands, this includes the capital Male. Please do not bring alcohol through the airport as it will be confiscated and returned to you at time of departure.
Alcoholic beverages are available on our cruise itineraries and are purchased on board. Payment is required in USD cash or local currency to the boat captain.
When staying on local islands, visits to tourist resorts and bar boats in certain areas can be arranged.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our multi day tours. You need to be covered for medical expenses abroad, including any emergency transportation costs to the nearest hospital and any emergency repatriation that may be required due to illness/injury. We recommend your insurance covers flight delays, missing flight connections and lost/delayed luggage.
Hear From Our Previous Guests
The programme developed for this trip was the perfect balance of enough activities to prevent me from getting bored as I am not the type who can happily sit on a beach for a week and do nothing else, and enough free time to allow for flexibility.
This was an amazing experience. I loved every minute of it. A great balance of activities. I booked this tour as a birthday present to myself and I’m pretty sure I have never received a better present. I plan to come back for more adventures with Secret Paradise.