Marine Conservation

Environmental Awareness

Experience Island Life

The Perfect Island Package For Marine Life Lovers

Make life long memories on our Maldives Marine Life tour when you stay on the beautiful island of Dhigurah in South Ari Atoll. As one of the most picturesque islands of the archipelago, it’s home to a long beach, a protected lagoon, and a sandbar.

Explore the Indian Ocean to spot whale sharks, mantas, turtles, and the world-renowned coral reefs. This three-night marine-life tour is designed to work as either a self-contained Maldives experience or as a start to a longer independent stay in the archipelago. Satisfy your senses, free your mind, and take in the immense natural beauty of the Maldives.

Trip Details

Trip Details

Price

  • Private tour from USD1199 per person based on double share

Availability

  • Available all year round

Start

  • Arrival on day 1 by midday

Meeting point

  • Velana International Airport (MLE)

Duration

  • 4 days & 3 nights

Group size

  • Minimum 1 person

Included

  • 3 nights deluxe room accommodation
  • 3 breakfasts, 3 dinners
  • Airport and domestic transfer assistance
  • Return transfer by public speedboat
  • Private Whale shark snorkeling safari
  • Snorkeling Tour
  • Island Tour & hedikaa experience
  • Forest Walk
  • Complimentary use of kayaks
  • Secret Paradise Tour Leader
  • All local tax ($3 green tax per person per night, 10% service charge, and 16% GST)

Not included

  • Lunch
  • International flights
  • 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 travel and accommodation 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.
  • Contribute to the whale shark data base through citizen science.
  • Participate in a beach clean-up, directly removing debris and protecting marine life from pollution.
  • Contribute to the income of island families, when you enjoy hedikaa – evening tea at a local cafe.
  • Using the provided reusable water bottles reduce the amount of plastic waste in the Maldives.

Carbon Footprint

1325Kg 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.

Meet the team


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 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

Swim and snorkel with whale sharks.

Relax on a long sandy beach and escape the crowds of other islands.

Sit and watch spectacular island sunsets at the end of every day.

Kayak or paddleboard through the pristine waters of the lagoon.

Take a tropical island hike to get your bearings and see amazing local wildlife.

What to Expect

Arrive at Malé International Airport for the start of your Maldives Marine Life Tour, where you will be greeted by your guide. Embark on a speedboat journey from Malé to Dhigurah and witness the breathtaking scenery of the Maldives from the comfort of your boat. The speedboat operates every day and leaves Malé in the afternoon taking two hours to journey across the Indian Ocean to Dhigurah.

View the beauty of the many Maldives islands that pass you by, keep your eyes open for dolphins, or chat with the locals. Enjoy the evening to yourself and relax into island time. For those arriving on a morning flight, we offer a free walking tour of Malé city to discover the history and tradition of the Maldives with your tour leader.

Following dinner a through a presentation on behalf of the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program, gain an insight into their environmental monitoring and marine life studies and prepare us for our whale shark safari tomorrow!

On day 2, we tick off a bucket list experience! South Ari Atoll is well known for the possibility of encountering whale sharks particularly on the reefs behind Dhigurah. As marine life in their natural habitat, there is no guarantee of sighting but there is only one way we can spot them and that’s the old fashioned way of being out on the boat and looking! So today we head out on our own private boat in search of the ocean’s largest fish. We may see 2 or 3 sharks in half an hour or maybe only one for the whole time we are searching, but the unpredictability all adds to the excitement! When we do spot them, following the whale shark code of conduct we will snorkel alongside them. A truly magical experience.

Late afternoon as the heat of the day diminishes spend time exploring the island with your guide and discover how the locals live. Experience traditional ‘hedika’ – Maldivian savoury and sweet short eats served with black tea at a local cafe.

The Maldives is rich in marine life but unfortunately, our marine life is under threat because of activities carried out by us humans. Following dinner over a coffee your tour leader will highlight the harmful practices that are pushing the balance in the eco system and what we can do to limit the impact

Day 3 we depart by boat for another underwater encounter. Discover coral reefs that are teeming with fish and marine-life. Keep your eyes open for turtles and sharks. You never know what may be in the blue. On return to Dhigurah if you are still feeling energetic take the complimentary kayaks out onto the lagoon.

This afternoon your guide will take you on a 3 hour ‘forest’ exploration walk. Be ready to get hot and sweaty but your reward will be a beautiful sunset and if you wish a refreshing dip in the ocean.

We all know the impact we face every day dealing with plastic, in fact plastic is now a huge part of people’s life. The Maldives is no different and during your stay you will have witnessed the challenges in dealing with daily waste and plastic. Following dinner your tour leader will inspire and educate on how plastic is being dealt with in the Maldives and the work being done by Parley of the Oceans.

On day 4, following a sunrise breakfast, transfer by early morning public speedboat to Malé. From there, you’ll head to Malé International Airport or your onward destination.

TME Retreats

TME retreats guesthouse

A comfortable beach hotel with all modern conveniences. The hotel is located a few steps from Dhigurah’s long white sandy beach and a short distance away from the village, yet still close enough to walk and enjoy the island lifestyle of the Maldives.

All rooms offer an en-suite bathroom, AC and fan, flat-screen satellite TV, and an in-room safety deposit box. Wi-Fi is accessible in all public areas and the property produces its own purified water allowing them to have ditched plastic bottles!

We have handpicked the best guesthouses throughout the Maldives to provide you the greatest experience while enjoying your Maldives Marine Life 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:

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


See Our Other Tours


A woman paddles in the shallows of clear blue water
A man shows a visitor the map of Malé
A woman prepares a fruit with a giant pestle and mortar