7-Night South Malé Island Hopping

Arrive at Malé International Airport for the start of your South Malé 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 guests arriving before 5.00 pm, there is an option to join your guide beachside for coffee, a very popular daily activity for Maldivians, and a chance to gain your first insight into the local side of this island paradise.

On the morning of day 2, your guide will accompany you on a tour of the capital city before transferring by local ferry to the local island of Guraidhoo, South Malé. Visit the fish market and local market, President’s Palace, Sultan Park, and Friday Mosque. Stop for lunch at one of the many restaurants overlooking the waterfront before boarding the afternoon ferry. Upon arrival, you will have time to settle in before either relaxing on the rooftop at the guesthouse or on the local beach to watch the sun go down. 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!

Around the table, feast on traditional Maldives dishes, share your thoughts about the cooking process, learn more about the Maldives, or you could learn some useful words that you can use during the remainder of your holiday.

Following breakfast, accompanied by your guide, take a few steps from the beach into the ocean to explore the house reef of Guraidhoo for your first underwater encounter! There is always the opportunity to encounter sharks, turtles, groupers, mantas, and a myriad of colorful fish. 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.

As the afternoon cools down, join your guide to explore Guraidhoo 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 and remove the husk. Stop and chat with children playing in the street, and watch the ladies of the community begin their evening meal preparations. Finally, stop by a local cafe to sample tasty traditional hedhika – Maldivian savory and sweet treats served with black tea.

Following a local-style breakfast (complete with the muranga leaves picked on your island tour), we travel by speedboat to two of the best nearby reefs. 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!

On return to Guraidhoo, the afternoon is free for you to participate in optional watersports, diving, or surfing. 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!

This evening, enjoy a relaxed beach BBQ under the stars.

Start early today for breakfast and then take a transfer by local ferry to the island of Maafushi. After checking into the guesthouse, we head out snorkeling where you will have the chance to enjoy the underwater beauty of the Maldives at the diverse coral reefs. We stop at a sandbank for a picnic lunch with time to swim and snorkel in the lagoon or just lie back and relax. Heading back to Maafushi, we will cruise the Indian Ocean in search of dolphins. Following dinner, join your guide for a stroll through the island and learn how Maafushi led the development of local tourism. Complete your day in the traditional way with coffee at a local cafe.

With so many activities and excursions available from Maafushi, we leave the morning free for you to enjoy as you please. Relax on the bikini beach, or embark on an aquatic adventure in the form of SUP, kayaking, and much more. Optional diving trips can be organized for certified divers.

This afternoon, there is the option to join Maafushi Eco Dive and discover the story of Renee’s Coral Garden and why coral rehabilitation projects are important in the Maldives. On route to the coral nursery, snorkel the seagrass beds with your guide and discover their importance to the Maldives ecosystem.

Following an early breakfast, we take a short 20-minute ferry journey to the quiet island of Gulhi. Once checked in to your guesthouse, your guide will accompany you on a tour of the island. Learn how to repair a fishing net and weave a traditional joali seat. Visit the boatyard to stand in awe at the size of the boats under renovation and learn how the common wooden boat known locally as a ‘dhoni’ is built. Chat with the ladies sweeping the streets, and cool yourself off with a Kurumba (coconut) watching the comings and goings at the harbor. Ready for relaxation? Unwind on the beach or get active with one of the numerous watersport activities available.

This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in the peaceful courtyard of your guesthouse.

On day 8, following breakfast you are transferred back to Malé by ferry, arriving at Velana airport (MLE) by 10:00.