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 eco-tour around the island Villimalé will connect you with a member of NGO Save the Beach who will show you around their island home explaining the sustainable practices that they promote. Choose to dive or snorkel to explore the coral nursery and help out with reef conservation.
Trip Details
Price
- USD 185 per person diving
- USD 150 per person snorkeling
Departure time
Daily 12:00-17:00
Meeting point
- Jetty 5 Malé (opposite Bank of Ceylon).
- Collection from hotels in Malé/Hulhumale or cruise tender jetty available upon request, charges may apply.
Duration
5 hours
Group size
Minimum 1 – maximum 6 persons
Participation requirements
- Divers must have a valid diving certification
- We request female guests to dress with modesty when visiting local islands including Malé
Included
- Snorkeling or diving equipment (certified divers only)
- Services of a Secret Paradise guide
- Hedhika experience
- Return transfer from Malé to Villimalé
- Local tax (10% service charge and 12% GST)
Not included
Lunch
What to bring
- Face mask
- Hand sanitizer
- Refillable water bottle
- Beach towel
- Water-resistant, reef-friendly sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Camera
- Snacks
- Money for personal expenditure
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 COVID-19 safety awareness 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.
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.
