In this guide, we’ll see what kind of excursion in the Maldives you can expect, (almost all boat tours) and how they are. After all, since the Maldives are made up of countless tiny islands just a few hundred meters in diameter, almost all activities will involve traveling by sea! 😉
Disclaimer: some details of the shown tours, like durations or boat travel times, might differ depending on the island you’re located; I tried them from the island of Maafushi. The “content” of the visits, however, is very similar everywhere.
Read also: Where it’s best to stay in the Maldives
Snorkeling or turtle searching
Let’s start with the first activity you could do in the Maldives: snorkeling! Given the large number of coral reefs and the incredible variety of fish swimming in these waters, it’s an opportunity not to be missed.
The first option is to do “free” snorkeling by diving from a beach on the island where you are, if you have the coral reef a short distance from the shore (if you snorkel over the white sandy bottoms, in fact, there won’t be almost anything to see). Not all islands are suitable, though; for example, around the beaches of Maafushi, there isn’t much to see.
The other possibility is joining a snorkeling excursion. You can find of many kinds, costs, and durations. They can range from a minimum of $30 for a few hours, up to $100 if combined with other visits (e.g., sandbanks, shark sighting, lunch included, etc.).
Why do I write the prices in dollars? Find out in the guide to money in the Maldives!
Usually, during excursions in the Maldives, they take you offshore to reach coral gardens on covered boats for 10-20 people. They provide the equipment (fins, mask, and snorkel, but for the last two, I recommend bringing your own as I had the impression they weren’t washed between uses), while the life jacket is optional and free, so ask for it if you feel safer.
Also, take a look at the other things to bring to the Maldives so you don’t find yourself unprepared on the spot.
On these snorkeling excursions, they might also take you searching for turtles (but seeing them isn’t 100% guaranteed), or simply to see the thousands of different fish swimming around the corals. They often also make videos for you with GoPros and similar devices, which they’ll then share via Google Drive or similar, so if you don’t have an underwater camera, don’t despair (or get an underwater case like this one for your phone).
Do I recommend this excursion? ABSOLUTELY YES! The variety and quantity of fish you’ll see if they take you to the coral gardens is something incredible. I’d say it’s the top-ranked excursion.
Where to book snorkeling excursions in the Maldives?
- Online, for example, this excellent tour offers snorkeling, turtle searching, lunch on a sandbank, and dolphin watching, departing from Maafushi, with a good price and free cancellation;
- If you’re in Himmafushi instead, and want to snorkel at 3 different reefs, try this tour;
- Directly on the spot if you don’t want to decide beforehand; almost every hotel displays a catalog of excursions, bookable for the following days.
What to know before joining excursions among the corals?
- Never touch or step on corals (they can get damaged and can also be sharp for you)
- Don’t touch the fish and don’t get close to the titanfish/triggerfish (you recognize them by their big teeth and the fact that they also swim horizontally, biting rocks)
- If you wear a long-sleeved rash guard like this one you’ll be protected with SPF 50 from the direct sun even while you’re in the water, and the material they’re made of also protects you from possible cuts due to bumps on rocks/corals: once out of the water, you don’t even need to take it off because it dries very quickly.
Swimming with nurse sharks
Another very popular excursion (sometimes combined with others) is the tour to swim with nurse sharks.
The nurse shark doesn’t attack humans and feeds mainly on crustaceans and small fish. However, it shouldn’t be touched (both for the well-being of both parties and because there are regulations for which you could risk problems if you do, but your guide will explain everything).
How much does the tour cost? It can vary from $50 to $100, depending on duration, distance, and combination with other activities.
Is it worth it? It depends. From my point of view, it was a rather uninteresting tour, at least the way ours was conducted. With about an hour of boat navigation, they took us to the area where these sharks are found and started attracting them near the boat by throwing pieces of fish. At that point, they had one person at a time get into the water, who had to stay still and float on their back to avoid bumping the sharks while a drone video was made for each person (at an extra cost of $15) to be filmed with the sharks swimming around them.
The consequence, however, is that while you’re in the water, you don’t even see the sharks; the only time you see them is while waiting on the boat. After the round of one-by-one videos, you return to base.
It’s not certain that all nurse shark excursions work like this; maybe there are more interesting ones. Personally, I wouldn’t do it again and would only recommend it to those with a passion for this kind of shark.
Since during other tours like snorkeling or wreck visits it’s possible to see nurse sharks (and you see them even better), in my opinion, save yourself a dedicated tour, unless it’s one of those that combines multiple visits in the same day.
Where to book?
A tour like this one is departing from Maafushi. I’d recommend it because besides nurse sharks, it takes you to see stingrays, sandbanks, and dolphins, including lunch and water so it may be interesting. Otherwise, check on your island for tours available locally.
Wreck visits
Other tours you’ll find are those that take you to swim around some sunken shipwrecks. Essentially, what was already said for snorkeling applies here too, since incredible quantities of fish also gather around the wrecks.
Highly recommended. The visit can be even more suggestive if you’re comfortable going down a few meters underwater because swimming around a wreck is truly scenic.
Wreck visits, where you stay no longer than an hour, are usually bonded into tours that also take you to other destinations. Wrecks are often a bit crowded because their limited number, so don’t expect the tranquility of a coral garden where, with a bit of luck, you might even be the only group.
Sandbank visits
This type of excursion in the Maldives is very scenic and is one that might leave the biggest impression on you. They take you to see some sandy islets just a few meters wide, where they’ll offer some drone videos (which sometimes are to be paid separately), or a short stay before continuing to other visits, or a set-up lunch.
Do I recommend it? Yes, definitely, it’s a feast for the eyes. For the drone video, even with the extra cost, it’s perhaps the only one worth doing in my opinion, even for unphotogenic people like me (result visible here).
Where to find these tours? Online, a tour like this combines multiple visits in the same day; or at your destination by browsing the catalogs found in hotels or at local stands.
Stingrays
A simple visit that doesn’t require any effort is the one to see stingrays. They’ll take you along some beach (so you’re standing and don’t need to swim), attract the rays to the shore with a bit of food, and you’ll see them swimming around you.
This is the only case where you’re allowed to touch the creatures (unless otherwise indicated by the guides), as their back is covered by a protective layer that insulates from the touch of our hands.
However, you need to pay attention to the base of the tail where they could sting you and to the mouth to avoid bites; for the same reason, while walking in the water around them, shuffle your feet without lifting them to prevent them from interpreting your raised foot as food.
Whale shark search
Note the word “search”. Yes, because on the whale shark excursion, the result isn’t guaranteed; there’s a risk percentage of not seeing any at all. The same applies to manta rays, a more “wild” type of ray that is usually sought during the same tour.
How does it work? This excursion deserves a bit more detail.
If you start from Maafushi, the tour consists of 1h45m of navigation to reach the area where whale sharks transit. Once at the destination, the boat stops (watch out for those prone to seasickness, as a stationary boat can be worse than navigating), and the guides launch a drone to see if any whaleshark is around. It could be 5 minutes or well over half an hour before any are spotted.
If a whale shark is spotted, the boat moves and goes about 1km ahead on the whaleshark’s path, and that’s the moment you must put on fins and jump into the water at lightning speed (to the “Jump! Guys jump!”) and shortly after, you should see the whale shark pass right beneath you.
Is it dangerous? No, although a whale shark can measure from 6 to 20 meters and has a huge mouth almost always open, it feeds mainly on plankton and doesn’t attack humans; in fact, it ignores them completely. However, it shouldn’t be bumped or touched. Sometimes they swim deep (and in that case, it’ll also be difficult to estimate the size), sometimes they swim only 5-6 meters deep and will be really close.
How long will it last? It depends on the animal’s speed… if it’s traveling fast, you’ll see it for a few seconds; if it goes slowly, you’ll manage to keep up by swimming behind it for a handful of minutes. For those who aren’t fast enough swimmers to keep up, the boat usually lets you get back on, goes another km ahead, and lets you jump back in, waiting for the animal to arrive a second time.
Is it worth it? Yes and no.
- Yes, if seeing a whale shark is your dream (but remember it’s not guaranteed to see one; you might hit an unlucky day when there are none)
- No, if you suffer from seasickness and/or if 3 hours of navigation plus half an hour stationary on the boat, only to be in the water for 5-6 minutes, doesn’t seem worth it.
It’s also possible in this case that excursion packages include not only the whale shark but also other visits during the same day.
Sunset fishing
I haven’t tried this type of activity, so I can’t give you opinions, but there’s also the option to go fishing with guides during sunset and, in some cases, eat what you caught. If you want to get an idea, this is an example.
Excursions to nearby islands
Another type of excursion in the Maldives is the “simple” visit to a nearby island. Since public transport between the various islands is very limited, transfers must be organized with a tour operator who will take you by boat.
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For example, if you’re in Maafushi and want to visit the beautiful (but tiny!) island of Gulhi with its swing in the water and crystal-clear beaches, you can take a tour like this and spend less money than sleeping there for a night.
If instead, you have a specific idea for a trip you’d like to take, you can also ask to a tour operator who will give you a price, varying according to the island’s distance, duration, and number of people.
Water sports
Finally, you won’t miss also classic water sports that you might find in any other location! Some examples are parasailing, if you want to see the entire island you’re on from above, flyboarding, or the classic kayaks, SUP (but watch out for sea currents if you venture offshore!)
At this point, all that’s left is to take a look at what to bring for a trip to the Maldives, the best islands to stay on and how to reach the islands!
