Tours Details

Main Info

Trip Name: Maldives- A Trip Of Lifetime

Trip Date: Friday March 17th 2017

Trip Length: 9 days

Destination Continent: Asia

Destination Country: Maldives

Tour Fee: $2990

Tour ID: 130529T410b

Upfront Deposit: $300

Trip Highlights

Welcome to a vacation of a lifetime that will leave you spellbound forever! The Maldives islands with ever-welcoming shores will captivate your inner soul with its enchanting beauty. On this trip, you visit a nation of coral islands dispersed stunningly across the blue depths of the Indian Ocean. This complex archipelago of a nation is covered 99% in the sea with its islands forming around a ring shaped coral reef surrounded by a lagoon which makes it one of the most sought after tourist destinations of this earth.
On this trip, we set your course for a nautical odyssey on a cruising safari to discover the Maldives, one of nature's last untouched treasures. Awake to the sun rising over the azure ocean, snorkel areas that are famous throughout the world for their stunning beauty and abundance of marine life, surf waves that will accommodate every level of experience, visit unspoiled islands and sample the local way of life and by night relax on deck gazing at the millions of stars above you. Watch the beautiful islands slide past on the horizon as you sip a chilled drink catching a tan on the broad deck.

Trip Daily Itinerary

Day 1 MALDIVES- HULHUMALE
Welcome to Maldives! Arrive at any time in Hulhumale, then check in and enjoy this developing city island. Please try to arrive before 9:30pm for an important group dinner meeting where we'll meet with our Tour Guide and other group members.

Overnight: stay at Hotel UI Inn or similar at Hulhumale

Day 2 MALDIVES- HULHUMALE
Spend the whole day in Hulhumale at your leisure while adjusting yourself to the flight time lag. Optional excursions and activities available for those feeling energetic!

Overnight: stay at Hotel UI Inn or similar at Hulhumale

Day 3-9 MALDIVES- LUXXURY SAFARI CRUISE

** From Day 3 to the rest of your trip, we embark on a Luxury Safari Cruise **

Day 3 MALDIVES- CRUISING SOUTH MALE ATOLL
Today, we accompany you to your luxury boat and your cabin and given a full tour of the boat before beginning your voyage of discovery!

We then, cruise to Rihiveli Boduveli island which is the South of South Male’ Atoll. Dhoni will cruise through Vadhoo channel to reach the island which will take about 2-3hrs. Launch will be served on the way to the island. Boduveli is a beautiful uninhabited island perfect for your first lesson in snorkeling the beautiful coral reefs of the Maldives. Bodu means big and Veli means sand so this island is the island of big-sand, making it an ideal place for some sunbathing and just relaxing. You can spend the afternoon to do as you please, relax on the sundeck, sit in the shade of the sun canopy and watch the beauty of the Maldives pass you by and maybe catch sight of dolphins.

Day 4 MALDIVES- CRUISE INTO FELIDU ATOLL
Today morning we cruise to Felidu Atoll, which takes 4-5 hours (weather permitting). Breakfast will be severed on the way. Fedidu Atoll is a quite untouched island where its main industry is fishing.

Lunch will be served on the way or just as we reach the first island of the Atoll, Fulidhoo. Fulidhoo is a picturesque inhabited island with neat coral houses lining the streets spread among the palm trees along the shores. You would be able to walk through the island, meet the local people, observe their crafts like boat building, and their lifestyle. Night at anchorage on Fulidhoo lagoon

Day 5 MALDIVES- CRUISE TO VASHUGIRI- UNINHABITED ISLAND
Following breakfast, we cruise to an uninhabited island- Vashugiri. Relax on the beach, snorkel or swim- the day is for you to explore and relax. Tonight a wonderful beach barbecue will be set up for you if the weather permits. Night at anchorage on Vashugiri lagoon.

Day 6 MALDIVES- CRUISE TO AMBARAA- UNINHABITED ISLAND
Today is at your leisure at another uninhabited island South of Atoll called Ambaraa. This uninhabited island is lined with coconut trees. You can enjoy some early morning fishing, , swimming/snorkeling or just relaxing on the beach. Night at anchorage on Ambaraa.

This evening at sunset experience the art of Maldivian line fishing! The Maldives is unique in that its history depends on tuna fishing and the locals are excellent fishermen using pole and line and are happy to share their skills with you. Your catch will be freshly prepared for you to enjoy.

Day 7 MALDIVES- CRUISING TO FELIDHOO- INHABITED ISLAND
Following breakfast, we depart to a beautiful inhabited island, Felidhoo which is the capital of the Atoll. Islanders are mostly fishermen and are well known for their local traditional entertainment of Boduberu. Boduberu means big drum where a group of men sits around and sings to a rhythmical beat of drum till it reaches a crescendo and stops abruptly. After special Maldivian food prepared for you by the chef, you will be entertained by a local group with Boduberu. Boduberu will take place on the island, this is not to be missed. Night at anchorage on Felidhoo lagoon.

Day 8 MALDIVES- CRUISE BACK TO MALE’ ATOLL
Following breakfast, we cruise north back into Male Atoll, a longest cruise 5-6 hours taking you back to Male. Launch will be severed on the way. In the afternoon, you visit the capital Male. In a short guided tour, you visit the fish market and  local market, Presidents Palace, Sultan Park, Friday Mosque, Tsunami monument and artificial beach area. After that you will have some time to do your souvenir shopping. Late afternoon, we depart to a close-by resort island, either Embudhu Village or Club Faru and having one last snorkeling session on the beautiful reefs. Night at anchorage in Hulumale lagoon.

HIGHLIGHTS OF CAPITAL MALE
Hukuru Miskiiy is the oldest mosque in the country, dating from 1656. It’s a beautiful structure made from coral stone into which intricate decoration and Quranic script have been carved. The interior is superb and famed for its fine lacquer work and elaborate woodcarvings. One long panel, carved in the 13th century, commemorates the introduction of Islam to the Maldives.

The Old Friday Mosque is another oldest mosque in the country, dating from 1656. It’s a beautiful structure made from coral stone into which intricate decoration and Quranic script have been chiselled. The mosque was built on the foundations of an old temple that faced west towards the setting sun, not northwest towards Mecca. Overlooking the mosque is the solid, round, blue-and-white tower of the munnaaru - the squat minaret. Though it doesn’t look that old, it dates from 1675. To one side of the mosque is a cemetery with many elaborately carved tombstones. Stones with rounded tops are for females, those with pointy tops are for males and those featuring gold-plated lettering are the graves of former sultans. The small buildings are family mausoleums and their stone walls are intricately carved.

The busy Produce Market gives you a sense of the real flavor of the Maldives- people from all over the country gather here to sell home-grown and imported vegetables. Coconuts and bananas are the most plentiful produce, but look inside for the stacks of betel leaf, for wrapping up a ‘chew’. Just wandering around, watching the hawkers and the shoppers and seeing the vast array of products on display is fascinating and as real a Maldivian experience as possible.

The Fish Market or the soul of Male- and it’s great fun watching the day’s catch being brought in from the adjacent fishing harbor. Look out for some truly vast tuna, octopus and grouper.

Day 9 DEPARTURE
After breakfast, you will be transferred back to the Male airport in time for your departure flight.

Escorted Package Info

• 8 night First Class accommodations: 2 night stay at Hotel UI Inn or similar in Hulhumale and 6 night stay at luxury boat
• All transfers
• Meals as stated on the itinerary
• Sightseeing per itinerary with private transport
• Services of English-speaking tour manager throughout.  
• Services of English-speaking local guides.
• Entrance fees per itinerary
• Accommodation on the cruise based on double/twin share
• Full board meal plan on the boat - breakfast, lunch, snacks, high tea and dinner
• Bottle mineral water per person per day
• Drinking water at meal times in addition to daily bottle of water
• Snorkeling including equipment
• Uninhabited and local island tour
• Special BBQ dinner on the beach of the sand bank or uninhabited island (weather permitting)
• Fishing trip including lines, hooks and bait (weather permitting)
• Sightseeing visit to capital of Maldives, Male
• Music and movies library

Important Reminders

• Tour Fee
  Tour prices are LAND ONLY and double occupancy. The total tour fee for a single occupancy traveler is $ 3,890
  

• Roommate Matching
  If you have a preference for a roommate, please let us know full first and last name. Otherwise, we will match you up with a roommate as long as you're a non-smoker. You must book at least 90 days prior to the tour date to take advantage of our free roommate match up service. Don't let not having a roommate keep you from going on this amazing trip!

• Flight Reservation Instructions
  Depending on your departure point, you may experience a long flight, so we advise you to arrange your flight early enough to get to the Male airport (MLE) or Ibrahim Nasir International Airport on 3/17/2017. We may assist you with your flight reservations for $190 per flight reservations.

• Insurance
  We advise all travelers to have travel insurance- Travel Insurance Options- InsureMyTrip

Trip Supplements

After making your trip reservation, on My Account page, you can add any of below supplements to your trip.

• 

  Single Room Occupancy

  An option to have your own room at the hotel while being on the trip and enjoy the total privacy.