We are very happy about our excursion with Secret Paradise! Both Ruth and Kokko are SO professional and kind, we got more than what we expected! The price was worth the excursion and we felt everybody was really taking care of us! Totally satisfied with the service!
Eco Tour
Departs Daily
Educational
Explore the Island Villimalé & the Sustainable Practices That Support It
This educational tour around the island Villimalé will connect you with a member of NGO Save the Beach who will guide you around their island home explaining the sustainable practices that they promote within the community. Discover the science of coral reef rehabilitation and choose to dive or snorkel on the island’s reef to discover an amazing underwater coral nursery.
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
- USD 205 per person diving
- USD 160 per person snorkeling
Departure time
- Daily 12:00-17:00 Except Friday
Meeting point
- Villimale Ferry Terminal Entrance (Male side in front of ticket booth).
- Collection from the airport, hotels in Malé, Hulhumale or the cruise tender jetty available upon request and is offered free of charge.
We are only able to collect from private resort islands in North and South Male Atolls. Permission must be gained from the resort to enable us to use their private jetty. Not all resorts will allow this service so please do confirm with the resort prior to booking. Charges for return transfer will be based on the distance the resort is located from Male.
Duration
- 5 hours
Group size
- Maximum 8 persons
Included
- Snorkeling or diving equipment (certified divers only)
- Services of a Secret Paradise guide
- Hedika experience
- Return transfer from Malé to Villimalé
- Local tax (10% service charge and 16% GST)
We do provide snorkeling equipment on all our tours but please feel free to bring along your own mask and snorkel. Not only will you be assured your mask fits your face properly and is comfortable and less likely to have leakage, it will also lower any health associated risks. We find that peace of mind goes a long way.
Not included
- Lunch
What to bring
- Refillable water bottle, beach towel, sun glasses, sun hat, water resistant reef friendly sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, snacks, money for personal expenditure.
We recommend the use of a rash guard or t-shirt whilst snorkeling.
For all water based activities we would advise wherever possible for your belongings to be in a ‘dry bag’ and to bring only the minimum requirement. It is also advisable if you intend to take a taxi or bus following your tour to carry a set of dry clothing.
YOUR IMPACT
- Your travel spend sustains the local economy and the livelihoods of locals, including your tour leader and our local suppliers.
- $25 of your payment is donated to NGO Save the Beach to support their projects and community programs.
- 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.
- Participate in fish ID data collection which assists in monitoring biodiversity and track changes in marine ecosystems.
- Using the provided reusable water bottles reduce the amount of plastic waste in the Maldives.
Carbon Footprint
50Kg 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 Maldivian tour guides will accompany you for the duration of the activity. All our guides hold First Aid and Lifeguard qualifications and have completed Travelife Sustainable Tourism training.
Highlights
Gain insights into Save The Beach’s marine conservation work in Villimalé.
Learn about the unique Maldivian ecosystem and the conservation challenges.
Snorkel or dive the coral nursery maintained by Save the Beach.
Experience traditional evening tea.
What to Expect
A short 10-minute ferry crossing takes us away from the hubbub of Malé city to the island of Villimalé. Formerly a prison island and once a resort, Villimalé provides a haven of tranquillity for its residents, many of whom commute to the capital daily. We will meet a member of the NGO Save the Beach at the jetty. Save the Beach started in 2008 as a youth movement in Villingili (now named Villimalé) to conserve the beaches in Villingili. Save the Beach has also planted trees in and around Vilingili and organizes community activities throughout the year.
A 60-minute walking tour of the island provides an insight into the conservational challenges that face an island during development by showing how Villimalé has transformed from an island with rich biodiversity on land and in the sea, to one that is struggling to maintain its natural ecosystems. You can witness these impacts firsthand with the local conservationists during the tour and they will show you images of Villimalé’s past as you observe the present.
You will see a presentation that will cover the challenges for conservation vs development, safe snorkeling, and dive practices, and provides details on how you can make an active difference at the coral nursery on the Villimalé reef.
Head to the local dive school and meet with the team that supports the reef conservation efforts. You will be shown how to perform the tasks that may be assigned to you by the dive/snorkel leader before entering the water.
Once out of the water, your guide will take you to a local tea shop where you can sample traditional ‘hedhika’ traditional sweet and savory snacks served with black tea and taken between 3.00 and 5.00 pm. When it is time to leave your guide will walk with you to the ferry terminal and accompany you back to Malé.
Learn more about NGO Save the Beach here
Hear From Our Previous Guests
Easily the best tour operator for Maldives. Prompt responses, good rates, and excellent service. Would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Maldives.
