Itinerary of the Month
Inspiration for your next adventure
Fly in to the Maldives’ capital of Malé where you'll be met by your private transfer. Escape the densely-populated city on a speedboat to your resort, located on the private island of Hulhulé in the North Malé Atoll. Upon check in, relax in your beachside accommodation, familiarize yourself with the resort’s luxury facilities and dining options, then watch the rich colors of your first Maldivian sunset.
Learn about sea life and local conservation efforts, then put your knowledge into practice by heading out on a snorkeling excursion with a marine biologist as your guide. Board a traditional Maldivian dhoni boat to encounter reef sharks, sea turtles, colorful fish species and other inhabitants of the local coral metropolises.
Your resort is also home to one of the world’s most successful coral reef transplant projects, building over 2,000 coral frames over the past 15 years and the house reef is now teeming with marine life. Consider contributing to this thriving ecosystem by adopting a frame – after you leave the Maldives, you’ll be updated with its progress, so you can check up on growth and be reminded of your trip.
Start your day with a sunrise kayak, skimming across serene waters and watching the sun peek over the horizon, bringing the island and its shores to life. Today, you’ll learn more about wildlife under the waves with activities focused around the island’s turtles.
Five out of seven of the world’s sea turtle species call the Maldives home, including the endangered green and hawksbill turtles. Get involved with the protection and rehabilitation of these sea creatures via the Maldivian Sea Turtle Conservation Program; join a turtle talk with a marine biologist, then join an adventurous turtle safari to see these incredible creatures in the wild.
Today, you’ll leave land behind and board your luxury yacht. The fastest and most luxurious liveaboard in the region, this vessel offers superlative diving opportunities and other water sports. With a capacity for only 22 passengers, luxury facilities such as the upper-deck spa and an on-board marine biologist, this is sure to be an intimate and unique exploration of the Maldives’ rural blue.
Each day you’ll experience something new beneath the waves. Not just in the diversity of wildlife you’ll get to meet up-close (manta rays, dolphins, pilot whales, whale sharks…), but also in the types of activities you’ll enjoy. Snorkel isolated reefs, dive down to the Machafushi Wreck and navigate underwater caves, coves and canyons.
There’s plenty going on the surface too, as a dhoni boat (a traditional Maldivian fishing vessel) is on-hand for bottom-line and handline fishing. Water sports available include waterskiing, windsurfing, kayaking, wakeboard and tubing, while land-based activities include island-hopping, sandbank castaways and excursions to remote villages and uninhabited islands.
Today, you’ll disembark and check into your resort. Relax and unwind in your private plunge pool and enjoy complimentary resort activities including daily yoga classes, a consultation with an Ayurvedic physician, lifestyle talks at the Ayurvedic retreat, plus water sports such as snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing and catamaran sailing.
Over 2,000 manta rays pass through here in the summer months, which is why The Manta Trust has made your resort a base for the Maldivian Manta Ray Project; identifying and collecting information on these incredible creatures, making new discoveries in manta research, as well as engaging in conservation and education programs with guests.
Sign up for the “Manta-on-Call” service so that you’re alerted as soon as manta rays are spotted near the resort. Head to the dock and board a speedboat to encounter these graceful giants of the sea. Or, hop aboard The Manta Trust’s research vessel to learn how to photo-ID these creatures with the help of the team that has identified more manta rays en masse than anywhere else in the world.
Say goodbye to the Maldives today as you transfer to Malé and depart for Dubai. Once arrived, you’ll be chauffeur-driven to your ultra-luxury hotel. Spend some time getting acquainted with your plush new surroundings.
In the evening, ascend the Burj Khalifa, the tallest man-made structure in the world. Savor drinks and unbeatable panoramic views of the city at the sky-high Atmosphere restaurant, perched 442 meters above ground.
Step out into Dubai’s exciting streets and explore this Arabian gem. Start your day in style aboard a helicopter, which will provide you with a whole new, bird’s-eye perspective of the city.
Stroll through the narrow alleyways of the Bastakiya quarter, enjoying the eclectic mix of art galleries and cafes housed in former Persian merchant shophouses.
In the afternoon, head to the Dubai Museum to learn about life in the Middle East before discovery of oil. Then, as the locals do, take an abra (water taxi) across the creek to visit the gold, spice, and perfume souks. Return to the hotel to unwind with a spa treatment before dinner.
Today, be ready for an off-road adventure out in the desert. Take a ride on the sand dunes, weaving through the trackless desert and tackling high and low dunes. Take a wildlife drive thorugh the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, and if you wish, stop by the camel farm and take a ride on the desert animal.
Celebrate the end of your magical trip at a secluded camp privately set up amongst the rolling dunes just for you. Watch a bellydancing performance, indulge in aromatic shisha, get authentic henna tattoos, and have a private falconry demonstration. Enjoy a multi-course traditional Arabic dinner by the bonfire under the stars.
Enjoy breakfast with a view at your hotel before heading to the airport for your flight home.
Travel Theory's take on the Maldives & Dubai
The Maldives aren't just sun, sand and sea. Led by a team of passionate marine biologists, you can experience once-in-a-lifetime encounters with a variety of marine creatures while learning about their life and habitat, and you can even participate in some of our your resort's conservation projects.
- Casey
With feeding manta rays, graceful whale sharks and schooling hammerheads, Ari Atoll in the Maldives is a pelagic dream. Delight in the schools of colorful fish, flying formations of eagle rays and even the occasional guitar shark. Fish Head, which is under marine protected status, is one of the best places in Ari Atoll for spotting sharks. - Kitte
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