Maldives holiday, local islands & resort stay

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US $2449

US $3249

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8 Days including domestic flights only

More info:Price per person sharing double/twin room Includes: 4 Nights local guesthouse including meals & activities detailed in itinerary plus local guide, 3 Nights 3* Resort FB, sharing Superior Beach Room, Airport assistance, all transfers and Local Tax.

Tailor made

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.

01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com

Departure information

This trip can be tailor made throughout the year to suit your requirements

Accessible tourism overview:

We are a team of can-do people, and we are able to customise our tours and experiences to ensure that anyone can make the most of our tour options. We have welcomed a range of guests with different disabilities and ages and our guides are only too happy to help accommodate their needs. Our youngest guest has been 6 months old and our eldest guest has been in their 90s so the team are used to working with different age groups and adapting the tour and activities to be encompassing regardless of age, ability or experience. All we ask is that we are made aware of any specific requirements at the time of booking so that we can plan in advance.

Limited mobility:

We can offer ground floor accommodation options or properties with lifts and our activities can be adapted by our experienced and professional guiding team.

Wheelchair:

Guests with wheelchairs can be assisted to negotiate Male as well as most of the local islands we visit. We offer resorts where access around the property is on wooden board walks or paved pathways so there is no fear of wheels getting stuck in the sand. Some of our partner dive centres offer special days for locals with disabilities to try dive or snorkelling in safe and controlled conditions. If this is of interest then we maybe be able to accommodate this into your stay with us.

Cognitive conditions:

The people of the Maldives are naturally laid back and relaxed and you will find stays on local islands calm and peaceful. We select small family run properties and if you have specific requirements in regard to the activities included on our tours we are happy to tailor-make. We have a relationship with a local autism centre which allows us to access accompanying support if necessary.

'Free from' food:

As you may expect from an island beach nation the Maldives imports over 90% of its food, discounting the abundance of tuna, chilli and fresh coconut that form part of our staple diet. We appreciate that our guests may have special dietary requirements and are used to dealing with allergies, intolerance and special requirements. Providing we know in advance either before or at the time of booking we will do our best to meet your dietary requirements or at the very least advise you on what alternatives will be on offer.

LGBT:

This trip ensures safe and welcoming travel for LGBTQ travellers. It allows everyone to enjoy and discover our island paradise.

Vouchers

Accepted

Responsible tourism

As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.

Waste
We free the land, sea and waterways from rubbish and pollution.The Maldives is a fragile environment. It is more fragile and more in danger than most other places on earth. The country’s existence relies on healthy coral reefs and a moderation of the sea level rise. The Maldives struggles to eliminate all the rubbish produced by over 1 million tourists per year and whilst educating locals in waste management is all part of a large project, as visitors to their home we encourage our guests to support in the following ways and help by leading by example. For this reason and for the obvious difficulty in eliminating several materials, we suggest to bring back the empty containers of shampoo, bath foam, conditioner, cream and photograph film, Reuse plastic bags in shops. We are currently, in the process of designing and producing roll away shopping bags that will be given as a welcome gift to all our guests, with the opportunity for guests to purchase additional bags for us to distribute within the community.

Wildlife
We know our wildlife, are committed to the conservation of it and encourage guests to follow our lead. “A treasure trove of marine life” is perhaps the best way to describe Maldives. The abundance of various species of fishes and beautiful aquatic plants has made Maldives one of the best diving destinations of the world. The Maldives is believed to be based on an underwater mountain range, rising from the depths of the Indian ocean. This mountain range acts as a base for the coral reefs surrounding each island of the Maldives. Coral reefs of about 70 different species and in almost every colour decorate the waters surrounding these islands and in order for the Maldives to survive we ensure that our guests whom enjoy snorkeling activities as part of our Adventure Maldivian Style package are aware of the Ten Tips to follow to protect our ocean produced by Project Aware. http://www.projectaware.org/project/10Tips

The Impacts of this Trip

A fair deal
We offer local people good working conditions, a fair wage, and empower them with training opportunities. We employ 1 local within our office who deals with all our day to day administration and 2 local guides who assist with airport receipt and departure as well as accompanying our guests on a number of different tours, activities and excursions, sharing their enthusiasm and knowledge for their country. Whilst our guides have benefited from completing the Maldives Ministry of Tourism Guide Course, all the team have benefited from in house service training. Every member of the team is involved with our local island package development, planning and organisation and their input has allowed us to develop a very unique product.

Travelling with respect
We work to create good relationships between tourists and the local community. We respect local customs and culture. We want our guests to learn about local customs and cultural practices whilst respecting local dress and cultural requirements. It is a practice on all tours to teach basic local language and this is also included on our welcome leaflet so that our guests can as a minimum offer a greeting in the local Dhivehi language. Our Adventure Maldivian Style package includes the opportunity to eat at the home of a local family and sample local cuisine ate in local style without the aid of cutlery, allowing guests and locals to interact and share a unique experience.

Environment

Community

The Impacts of this Trip

Climate

1 Reviews of Maldives holiday, local islands & resort stay

5 out of 5 stars

SHOW

Reviewed on 04 Oct 2018 by Sandra Schuler

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

It was fantastic to spend time with local Maldivians and to get a genuine feel for their country and lifestyle. Another highlight was snorkelling with turtles and manta rays in the crystal clear aquamarine waters off some of the many islands. The Maldivians are incredibly kind people and their country is breathtakingly beautiful!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

- Go with an open mind and a sense of humour!
- Take an underwater camera or GoPro, if at all possible.
- Pack sun lotion and a T-shirt you can go snorkelling and/or swimming with. The sun is intense!
- But above all, GO! Go discover your own slice of paradise!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?

I stayed at a local guesthouse on a local island, had a local guide, and shared several meals with Maldivian families. Part of the proceeds definitely benefited local people. My guide was very knowledgeable about marine animals, and emphasized eco-friendly interaction with species we encountered on snorkelling trips.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

I had an EXCELLENT time and recommend the tour operator without any hesitation.

Read the operator's response here:

Hi Sandy,
Thank you for taking time to write your review, it is appreciated by both myself and your guide UB. It was a pleasure to meet with you upon your arrival and
delighted that you enjoyed your local experience. Whilst we believe the best way to explore local life is to travel with a local guide, it is always great to have
this reinforced by our guests.
We look forward to welcoming you again in the future to explore more local Islands!
Kind Regards,
Ruth