Central Maldives Discovery - 8 Days

Malé – Maaenboodhoo: On arrival at Malé International Airport, you’ll be met and transferred by public speedboat to the remote fishing island of Maaenboodhoo in central Dhaalu Atoll, home to around 600 residents.Alternatively, you may opt to take a domestic flight to Kudahuvadhoo Airport, but please note you will need to arrange and pay for the ferry or speedboat transfer to Maaenboodhoo yourself.

Once you have arrived and checked in, you will have some time to enjoy a sunset swim on the beach. Over coffee, your tour leader will explain the threats to the Maldives’ marine life and how we can help protect it.

Please note: Please ensure that you arrive before midday on day 1 at Velana International Airport. The Maldives is a Muslim country, so alcohol is unavailable on local islands. Bikinis are not permitted on local beaches but can be worn in private guesthouse areas such as gardens, balconies, or designated tourist beaches. We strongly recommend you bring your own mask and snorkel on this tour, both for hygiene reasons and to ensure a proper fit.

After breakfast, you’ll head out by speedboat on a snorkelling safari with the chance to spot turtles, reef sharks and vibrant fish. Your tour leader will give a safety briefing to help you snorkel responsibly and point out marine life you might miss. The guide will be on hand to support less confident snorkellers, ensuring your gear fits well and you feel safe in the water.

Later, explore the island with your tour leader, visiting the mosque, harbour and a boatyard where traditional dhonis are built. Watch fishermen bring in their catch and then stop at a local cafe to try hedhika – sweet and savoury Maldivian snacks served with black tea.

Maaenboodhoo - Rinbudhoo - Maaenboodhoo. Today you will travel by boat to the jewellers’ island, Rinbudhoo, home to some of the Maldives’ most skilled silver and goldsmiths. Jewellery making here dates back centuries, with artisans crafting traditional pieces like fattaru-bae necklaces and fattaru silver belts, alongside modern designs, often from home workshops.

Next, you will enjoy a tour of the island that reveals colourful street murals created by local artists, including your guide, Shark. Each piece reflects Maldivian folklore, Rinbudhoo’s rich jewellery-making heritage, and the island’s natural surroundings, offering a unique glimpse into local culture and creativity.

You'll join local women to learn how to make mashuni—a mix of tuna, coconut, onion and chilli—and roshi, a flatbread served alongside. You’ll have the chance to try making both before enjoying your creations for lunch. Later, before returning to Maaenboodhoo, you’ll be introduced to Bashi, a traditional game played exclusively by women. One player serves a tennis ball backwards over a net while the opposing team tries to catch it - showcasing Maldivian culture.

Maaenboodhoo - Kudahuvadhoo - Buruni - Gaadhifushi. This morning, you’ll set off with your guide from Dhaalu Atoll to Thaa Atoll, starting with a slow boat trip to Kudahuvadhoo Island, the capital of Dhaalu with around 3,000 residents. You’ll explore its unique architectural sites, including ‘hawittas’—ancient mounds thought to be remnants of Buddhist temples predating Islam. You’ll also see the well-preserved ruins of an old mosque, renowned for its detailed coral-stone carvings and fine masonry. You will then have some time to grab lunch.

After lunch, you’ll board the public ferry to cruise to the northern part of Thaa Atoll, disembarking at Buruni. Here, you’ll have time to explore this small, untouched island, famed for the classic romance tale of Dhonhiyala and Ali Fulhu. You can visit historical sites such as Kamana Beach and the Koamas fields, where much of the story unfolded.

You’ll finish the day with a speedboat ride to Gaadhiffushi, a quaint island with traditional single-storey buildings. Once you have arrived at the accommodation, you will be welcomed with a local kurumba drink.

Gaadhifushi - Uninhabited Island - Gaadhifushi. After breakfast, you will have the choice between kayaking or Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP) as you make your way to an uninhabited island, where you can enjoy your very own Robinson Crusoe experience. Your guide will coach you on paddling and manoeuvring before you set off. You’ll paddle alongside tropical fish and coral reefs to the sandy shores, where you can explore and discover your own private paradise. You will then enjoy a traditional Maldivian beach picnic, known as ‘majja’, followed by some free time to relax and sunbathe.

After, you can opt to help clean the island with your guide—a simple act that reinforces responsible tourism—before enjoying a refreshing ocean swim and making your way back to Gaadhifushi.

Gaadhifushi - Thimarafushi. This morning, you’ll travel west by speedboat across the atoll to Thimarafushi, a developing island now home to the atoll’s domestic airport. Once reliant on fishing, traces of the old industry remain alongside a more modern fish processing factory that reflects the island’s evolution.

In the afternoon, you’ll snorkel near Thimarafushi to explore a young shipwreck resting at a depth of 5–8 metres. Like the Maldives’ coral reefs, the wreck is rich in marine life, you might have the chance to spot vibrant fish, corals, and perhaps even turtles, rays or reef sharks.

Today, your tour leader will share the work of the Maldives Whale Shark Research Program, giving you a glimpse into their conservation and research efforts. Then, you will head out by boat to search for whale sharks the traditional way—by scanning the waters and hoping for a glimpse of one of the ocean’s largest fish. Along the way, you may also spot other marine life, including sharks. If a whale shark is spotted, you’ll follow the official code of conduct and have the unforgettable opportunity to snorkel calmly alongside these majestic creatures.

With your guide, you'll log all sightings and encounters into the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) database, helping to identify individual whale sharks or other megafauna like manta rays spotted during your snorkel. These records will be added to MWSRP’s online portal and support the wider Big Fish Network.

Thimarafushi - Male. After your final breakfast, a speedboat will collect you for transfer back to Male, where you will be escorted to Velana International Airport for your departure. Alternatively, you can book a domestic flight from Thimarafushi back to Male International Airport, but please note you will need to arrange and pay for any onward transfers yourself.Once at the Velana International Airport in Male, this will mark the end of the tour. Safe travels!