Published on Dec, 2024

Really a very special experience! We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to explore local islands, and to learn about the rich history and culture of the Maldives and also to have learned about the unique economic opportunities, as well as the ecological challenges related to expanding development and tourism. We were so grateful for the exceptional qualities our guide, UB, brought to our experience. He was extremely knowledgeable, skilled, flexible, attentive to needs and also fun loving. How fortunate we were! We had wonderful experiences fishing, snorkelling, meeting local people and experiencing local food and culture. Our experience of the Maldives was so rich as a result of this trip and the wonderful qualities our guide contributed.

Published on Jun, 2024

The team at Secret Paradise are passionate about showcasing these incredible islands, and providing genuine local experiences. We picked the 7 night North Ari Island hopping which had a great mix of snorkelling / meeting locals over tea / self exploring local islands and beaches / eating / a bit of artwork on the beach / and hanging out! Our guides Shark and Nafsha were fantastic, and the organization and communication from Ruth and the office team prior to the trip was top notch. We feel so lucky that we had this experience, and that we selected Secret Paradise to make this happen. One highlight for us was identifying turtles which we saw snorkelling, and sending the images to the Olive Ridley Project database. We even got to name a turtle! Following the island hopping we stayed 4 days at Reethi Beach Resort which Ruth had suggested, and it was a great place to stay with a nice beachfront villa, and a wide range of food experiences. All the transfers to and from the resort were seamless. We hope our future travels include another Secret Paradise experience!

Published on Dec, 2023

Outstanding, outstanding, outstanding!!! Without ANY reservation, we can wholeheartedly recommend this tour if you are thinking of visiting the Maldives. This was our first trip to the Maldives and we came to celebrate my 35th birthday. In our 21st century age of social media, the Maldives seems to only be known for the resorts and oceanfront villas. While that is a small piece of the equation, and yes we did spend our first night in an ocean villa before starting the tour, there is sooooo much more to see, do and experience. Prior to arriving, our correspondence was with Ruth who is absolutely phenomenal. We are so appreciative of how attentive she was and made sure all of our questions were answered and concerns were addressed. Our tour guide Archie is the best. His quiet, unassuming demeanor was the perfect blend that allowed us to be curious, ask questions and learn as much as we could about the Maldivian culture. It was abundantly clear that Archie takes great pride in his country, and worked very hard to make sure that we had the experience of a lifetime. We can’t say enough good things about our experience and all of the people that we came in contact with. This was the trip and birthday of a lifetime for me!!

Published on Nov, 2023

We had an amazing time and were so looked after by Mashi. Highly recommended other than the hotel on Mafusshi.

Published on Feb, 2023

This tour was an awesome mix of adventure, cultural insights and loads of fun. Big thanks to Ruth who didn’t tire of our emails back and forth, always super quick to respond to every query and made sure all our requirements were met. The itinerary was nice and varied and incorporated activities like exploring the stunning islands of Hulhumale, Guraidhoo, Maafushi and Gulhi, informative walking tours and generous time for water activities. The beaches and marine life really are a sight to behold, simply breathtaking. Staying in local properties in some of the less-touristy islands and contributing positively to the community and local economy was a highlight for me. Kudos to our guide, Shark who was not only an experienced tour leader but also an amazing human being. Shark is passionate about his country and culture and his enthusiasm for promoting local tourism is inspiring. Through his lens as a local, a traveller and an artist we were able to get some cultural, social and political context of the Maldives, and a sense of appreciation for island life beyond the usual perspective from pretty pictures of fancy resorts. It was also a treat to be in the company of someone who loves being in the water as much as we do. His expertise in navigating the islands and keen sense of safety in the water meant that we found ourselves in some of the nicest locations for our snorkelling adventures. Thank you Shark for the positive vibes, great times and belly laughs, we are truly grateful. As an avid wanderer of our beautiful planet, it is important for me to support local companies who promote Sustainable and Responsible tourism, so it is encouraging to see that Secret Paradise implements community-minded business practices, including providing guests environmental awareness in the protection of the coral reefs and marine ecosystems. I was naturally delighted to have had the opportunity to participate in community-focussed conservation programs such as tree planting and observing the responsible collection and disposal of our plastic wastes throughout the duration of the tour. I am aware that Secret Paradise has other conservation programs and collaboration with NGOs and I just want to say thank you for the great work you guys! It was an absolute joy to deal with the Secret Paradise team and I would not hesitate to use them again for more beautiful island hopping hopefully in the near future.