7-Night North Ari Atoll Island Hopping

Arrive at Malé International Airport for the start of your North Ari Island Hopping Tour. Here you will be greeted by your guide and transferred to your guesthouse on Hulhumale. Settle in after your flight before taking your first steps on the sands of this tropical urban paradise. For those arriving early, there is an optional eco-walking tour to the island of Vilimalé, situated on the west side of Malé which is often described as the ‘quieter side of Malé.

On the morning of day 2, your guide will accompany you to Malé to transfer by speedboat to the local island of Rasdhoo, North Ari Atoll. Upon arrival, you will have time to settle in before taking lunch. As the afternoon cools down, accompanied by your guide, spend time exploring Rasdhoo with the opportunity to learn about the local way of life including a visit to the Mosque. Pick jasmine flowers to prepare jasmine tea and moringa leaves for tomorrow’s breakfast omelet! Learn how to open a coconut, stop and 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 hedhika – Maldivian savory and sweet short eats served with black tea.

Rasdhoo is close to some of the best dive sites in the Maldives so if you’re a diver get yourself signed up at the local dive center. Divers may wish for an early start tomorrow and opt to join a dive to Hammerhead Point. During the manta season (November to April) there are opportunities for spectacular close encounters with these majestic large rays.

Following a local-style breakfast (complete with the muranga leaves picked on your island tour), gather your snorkeling gear to explore the Rasdhoo house reef for your first underwater encounter! 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 ‘spotter’ pointing out marine life that may not have caught your eye. They will assist less confident or inexperienced snorkelers, ensuring your equipment is comfortable and you feel safe in the water. Once you have your confidence there are regular snorkeling excursions to nearby reefs giving non-divers the opportunity to discover the colorful marine life and coral reefs in this area.

The coral reefs are teeming with colorful fish and corals. Keep your eyes open for turtles, sharks, and rays you never know what may be in the blue!

Late afternoon you will head out with your guide for a sunset kayaking tour. Kayak through the beautiful lagoon to a nearby sandbank, from where you can enjoy the sunset over the ocean. You will be coached on how to paddle and maneuver the kayak before gently gliding through the aquamarine waters.

On day 4, transfer by public ferry late morning to the next local island destination of Ukulhas. Not only does Ukulhas have the most beautiful beach, but the local community here is also particularly friendly and will be delighted to engage in conversation with you and show off their home island.

After lunch, take time to explore the island with your guide and learn more about the tradition of fishing in the Maldives and discover the largest ice-making machine you will probably have encountered! Your guide will share why Ukulha was the island that led the way for environmental practices across many local Maldives islands.

Following breakfast, the day is yours to do as you please. Enjoy the many excursions available including diving, snorkeling, and a variety of watersports. For those less active, perhaps an excursion with a picnic lunch to a nearby sandbank or uninhabited desert island suits. The house reef at Ukulhas is worth getting in the water for and can be accessed easily from the beach, your guide will be happy to accompany you on a guided house reef snorkel. There is also the option to join your guide to learn about the coral rehabilitation project at Ukulhas and why such projects are important in the Maldives.

Alternatively, why not book a whale shark day trip to South Ari Atoll? South Ari Atoll is very lucky to have a unique year-round population of whale sharks. Nowhere else in the world boasts whale sharks every single month of the year and many of the sharks seen are the same ones time after time. You may encounter 1 or 2 sharks in half an hour or given that they are wild creatures in their natural habitat we may not encounter one for the whole time we are searching. However, the unpredictability all adds to the excitement! If we do spot them we will have the opportunity to snorkel alongside them, a truly magical experience.

On day 6, the morning is yours to enjoy as you please. Lunch can be taken before boarding the local ferry to head to our third island destination of Mathiveri. Once again you will be provided with a briefing on the island and activities available. Spend the remainder of the afternoon exploring the island with your guide, learn how to weave a traditional joali seat, find out why tombstones show the same date of birth, and stop for a refreshing drink at a local café or just relax by the ocean listening to the gentle lap of the waves on the shore. This evening, before the sun sets we head out in search of dolphins which can often be seen jumping, dancing, and spinning as the sun sinks on the horizon in a blaze of reds, pink, and orange.

Following breakfast, a guided house reef snorkeling tour is available for those that wish to join. Keep your eyes open for turtles and if you are lucky manta rays. The afternoon is yours to do as you please. Perhaps visit Mathiveri Finolhu, a private uninhabited island fringed with a white sandy beach and surrounded by crystal clear water. As this is an uninhabited island, it is possible to wear a bikini.

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, zoom across the ocean by speedboat back to Malé. Arriving back in Malé by 09:00, your guide will assist with your transfer onto Velana International Airport (MLE) where your tour ends.

For guests with a night flight, a complimentary Malé walking tour is offered.