Marine Wildlife of the Maldives

Navigate the Indian Ocean in a traditional gulet for an unforgettable adventure in paradise

Awake to the sun rising over the azure ocean and snorkel areas of abundant marine life including manta rays, whale sharks, turtles (green, hawksbill and olive ridley), plus bottlenose and spinner dolphins. Visit unspoiled islands by day and by night relax on deck gazing at the millions of stars above. A traditionally crafted Turkish gulet sailboat is the perfect way to experience the magic of the Maldives.

Sustainability and Impact

At Exodus, we thrive on travel, and we firmly believe our adventures should help destinations thrive too.

As a certified B Corp, we aim to take a ‘nature positive’ approach across our adventures, including carbon and waste reduction, animal welfare and support for rewilding and conservation. We also seek to contribute to local communities, providing economic opportunity and empowerment.

• Learn more about our Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan, including our commitment to rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller

• Read about the work of the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation.

• Find out how you can travel more sustainably here.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate) with a Wildlife Rating of Four. Visit our Activity Level Guidelines page for more on our trip gradings or our Wildlife Holidays page for more on our Wildlife Ratings. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

Suitability: This is predominantly a marine adventure. No certifications are necessary, but you should be comfortable in the water and a strong swimmer with the ability to swim unaided to participate in the ocean excursions. We take no health and safety risks and our expert staff monitor everyone’s ability and ocean conditions to take appropriate measures for a wonderful time here.

Climate: The Maldives is tropical, which means it can get very hot and humid and you should be prepared for this. The Maldives can experience strong currents, even on the calmest of days and currents may change during a snorkelling activity. It is always possible we may encounter the occasional day of rough seas and therefore an ability to swim is required.

Itinerary: The itinerary listed is only a guideline and may be changed based on sightings to maximise the wildlife-viewing experience.

Snorkelling

• Getting out of the water and back onto the boat involves a boat ladder. Snorkelling trips are generally for a minimum of 45 minutes in open water. This time is approximate and may be shorter due to ocean conditions or longer due to wildlife encounters. There is a support boat and always the option to get out of the water sooner.
• There is a limited selection of snorkelling equipment available on board. However, we strongly recommend bringing your own to ensure comfort and fit. If you opt to use the snorkel equipment provided, you must keep the same equipment for the whole trip and not swap/share.
• A new government policy strengthens protection for whale sharks, limiting the number of boats and people that can be in the water during an encounter and establishing a maximum time period of 15 minutes for each encounter. The introduction of rangers within SAMPA (the South Ari Marine Protected Area) will also support the enforcement of these regulations, ensuring a positive encounter for both whale sharks and tourists.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Maldives

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, rabies (bat lyssavirus), tuberculosis and typhoid.

You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Proof of polio vaccination may also be needed for some travellers. Please confirm all the above with your doctor or travel clinic.

Visa

Maldives

Travellers from most countries normally receive a tourist visa on arrival in the Maldives, provided they meet the entry requirements, which can be found at www.immigration.gov.mv/tourist-visa. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/maldives
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/maldives
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/maldives/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Maldives.html

Maldives Traveller Declaration Form
All travellers are required to submit a Traveller Declaration Form (IMUGA) within 96 hours before their flight arrival in the Maldives. It is free to complete and can be filled on the official IMUGA portal. When completing the form, you are required to select all the accommodations, including vessels, you are using in the Maldives. You should carry a copy of your Exodus Adventure Travels invoice, which includes the date of first travel, duration of stay, exit date and accommodation (as well as duration), which may be required to present upon arrival at Maldives Immigration.

Food & Drink

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon snacks are all included on board.

Traditional Maldivian cuisine is based around fish (tuna), chilli and coconuts. White rice and roshi (a flour-based flatbread) are also staples. Fish is normally smoked, fired, barbecued or roasted. Pork products are strictly prohibited, beef and seafood is not served on-board. Typical ingredients used widely in dishes and served on board include onion, ginger, garlic, lemon and spices.

Menus include European and Maldivian dishes, freshly prepared on board by our chefs who do their best to cater for most dietary requirements.

The indoor saloon bar offers a wide choice of soft drinks, wine, beer and spirits to purchase. Please note, no alcohol is allowed on the islands – it is only permitted in the resorts and on the boats.

Please discuss any dietary requirements with your sales representative at the time of booking.

Weather

With a tropical climate, plenty of sunshine and temperatures around 30C (86F) throughout the year, there is never a bad time to visit the Maldives. The Maldives has two distinct seasons: dry season (northeast monsoon) from January to March and the wet season (southwest monsoon) from mid-May to November.

The Maldives covers a huge geographical area, weather can be sporadic and localised and with weather patterns changing globally, historical averages are less reliable.

For departures between May and October, temperatures are still warm, but rain showers are more likely, but even during this period there are also usually long spells of bright sunshine!

The changeover months between the two monsoon seasons (May and October/November) are more likely to offer the most unsettled weather and strong winds.

At any time of year, although it is more probable between May and October, the channels between each atoll can experience big swells and choppy waves if the weather is not favourable.

Diving is good year-round, although a basic rule is that reef life is more varied and visibility is better on the western side of any atoll from May to November and on the eastern side of any atoll from December to April.

Note as the Maldives is situated so close to the equator, it is possible to burn even on a cloudy day and sunscreen should be applied as a matter of course.