EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Explore the historic city of Male during this picturesque and informative walking tour of the capital of the Maldives.

Your ship's tender takes you to the city center near the large public square where your walking tour begins. The national flag of the Maldives flies here and is one of the most photographed items in Male.

Walk by the three-story Islamic Center, Male's most renowned architectural landmark. Its Grand Friday Mosque is the biggest in the Maldives and accommodates more than 5,000 worshippers. Built from coral stone in 1656 AD, during the reign of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar, is home to a number of ancient tombstones erected in memory of past sultans, heroes, and nobles.

See Medhu Ziyaarath, the shrine of Abu al Barakaath Yusuf al Barbari, and Presidential Palace, or Mulee-aage, which holds official functions and accommodates visiting heads of state and other foreign dignitaries,

Follow your guide through Sultan Park and to the National Museum, formerly part of the Sultan's Palace. The museum displays artifacts, sculptures, clothing, coins, arms, armor, and other antiquities, which you will see during your visit. See many other important and historical landmarks and stop for a short visit to the colorful fish market, where your tour concludes. Afterwards, you may stay in town to explore further on your own or take the tender back to your ship.

Enjoy the day relaxing at the five-star Adaaran Vadoo, a luxurious resort right on the beach. While enjoying a welcome drink, you will receive a brief orientation of the amenities so you can maximize your time there. You will then have nearly six hours to spend however you see fit. Knowing that everything is included will make your time all the more pleasurable. There is plenty of pristine beach to stretch out on and the surrounding sea is invitingly shallow near the shore for easy wading. You can take a refreshing swim in the ocean and the resort pool is nearby, if you prefer that environment. Snorkeling is also excellent, as the resort is rimmed by a coral reef teeming with schools of tropical fish. There is also abundant shade, if you wish to relax poolside under a beach umbrella or beneath a coconut palm. To enhance the experience, a sumptuous buffet lunch with regional and international cuisine will be served.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Spend hours relaxing at the luxurious Adaaran Vadoo, a five-star resort right on the beach.
• Enjoy the fact that everything is included—drinks, lunch and all sorts of amenities.
• Take a refreshing swim, bask in the sun, stroll the beach and snorkel, if you wish.

Relax at the luxurious Adaaran Hudhuranfushi, a sprawling resort on Lhohifushi Island with all the amenities you could possibly need for an ideal day at the beach. You will zip over to the island on a speedboat and then be free to spend your time however you choose. The beach couldn't be more inviting as it is wide, sugar-white and rimmed by turquoise water. You might stretch out on a sunchair, take a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear ocean, stroll along the shore and lie in the shade of a swaying palm with nothing on your mind but relaxing. If you are feeling industrious, snorkeling gear is available for rent. Chances are, you will see an ever-changing parade of tropical fish beneath the water's surface. To round out the day, a generous buffet of regional dishes and international classics will be served.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Spend the day however you wish at the beachfront Adaaran Hudhuranfushi resort.
• Take a refreshing swim, bask in the sun, stroll the beach and snorkel, if you wish.
• Enjoy an immensely scenic ride on a speedboat to and from the resort.

Cruise to a spectacularly scenic atoll and spend time relaxing at Bandos Maldives, a pioneering resort that has only gotten better since opening in 1972. The trip over will be just as pleasurable as your time at the resort, as you will travel there on board a dhoni. Fishermen have used these traditional, curved-bow wooden boats for centuries and they have become one of the preferred means of transportation between islands. Upon arriving at the resort-which covers the entire island-you will be free to spend hours relaxing on the beach and swimming in the turquoise lagoon that surrounds the atoll. Few settings are quite so tranquil and naturally beautiful. You might stretch out on the sand and bask in the sun, take a refreshing swim in the ocean and stroll the beach that rims the whole island. Snorkeling is also available and there is plenty to view on the reefs just offshore due the water's clarity.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Cruise to the Bandos Maldives island resort in a traditional wooden dhohi boat.
• Spend hours on the island, enjoying the beach and sea however you wish.
• Pass the entire time relaxing or swimming and snorkeling, if you prefer.

It’s a short boat ride along the scenic and picturesque coast of Male to a nearby reef where you will drop anchor to discover the natural treasures of the Maldives’ marine world.

Beneath the water's surface, there is a world of natural wonders, as you will discover during your approximately 1-hour snorkeling experience, right off your boat. The wealth of marine species is due to the endless flow of nutrient-rich water and the monsoon tides that bring a collection of small marine creatures that provide abundant food.

You can expect to see a seemingly endless variety of fish. Graceful and generally shy eagle rays also inhabit these crystal-clear waters as do manta rays, the world's largest species of ray.

Discover the fascinating undersea world of the Maldives in a unique new way during this memorable submarine exploration. Most people have been on journeys on airplanes, cruises or even on African wildlife safaris. But it's not every day that you get the chance to cruise in a tourist submarine, in one of the world's most beautiful underwater destinations. Not in many locations of the world you will have this opportunity; 99% of the Maldives is water and if you haven't visited this underwater world, you have missed the most exciting views and creatures that inhibit the seas of Maldives.

Imagine yourself cruising through an underwater garden filled with tropical fish. This is what you might experience during your approximately 40-minute dive. Transfer by local boat to your awaiting submarine, stationed approximately 20-minutes. You will have an opportunity to observe life beneath the Maldives without getting wet on a state-of-the-art passenger submarine. After embarking the submarine, you will descend to 120 feet below sea level, and take in panoramic up-close views of the colorful coral, fish and marine life.

Spend free time on beach-blessed Gulhi, a teeny coral atoll in the Indian Ocean that proves good things come in small packages. About 1,000 people inhabit this idyllic sliver of sand, many of them supporting themselves in traditional ways. The residents fish and process their catch, make handicrafts out of natural materials, and build boats that are used for various purposes. While walking about, you can expect to see fishing boats that typically catch tuna, grouper and the oddly named squirrelfish, a colorful species with spiny fins and rough, prickly scales. You might also see other people making coconut-leaf thatching. Life on Gulhi is wonderfully simple and best expressed through your time at the beach. You will be free to do whatever you please, including swimming in the turquoise seas, basking in the sun while stretching out on the sand and meandering along the coast in the gentle surf.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Cruise to tiny Gulhi Island and spend time relaxing on one of the beaches.
• Meander through the island’s village and observe an authentic slice of life in the Maldives.
• Do whatever you like during free time with no reason to rush or schedule to follow.

Zip over the Centara Ras Fushi resort in a local motor boat and then relax at the beach however you see fit, which will make your time there all the more delightful. The retreat is an adults-only resort, so it's more tranquil and laid-back than most family-oriented resorts. The broad beaches are sugar-white and immensely relaxing, especially when you don't have a schedule to follow except your own. Feel free to bask in the sun, stretch out on the sand and read in the shade of a coconut palm. The sea is typically calm, refreshing and stunningly clear, so it's perfect for a casual swim. You might snorkel, as well, and there is no telling what you might see as the water is teeming with brightly colored tropical fish. The setting for Centara Ras Fushi was conceived for the ultimate stress-free island experience, and you can be assured that your time there will be idyllic.

Highlights
• A magnificent buffet lunch is included. • Spend hours relaxing however you wish at the resort’s beach. • Enjoy all-inclusive amenities, such as snorkeling and a lunch buffet.

Luxuriate at the beach at Adaaran Club Rannalhi, a stunningly beautiful resort at the tip of the South Male atoll. You will arrive by speedboat, so you will spend less time traveling and more time at the resort. Even so, the ride over will be spectacular as the natural beauty throughout the Maldives is stunning. Once you settle in at the resort's beach, you can spend your time in whatever way makes you happiest. Few experiences are more liberating than free time in a tropical oasis with nothing pressing or infringing on your enjoyment. You might simply bask in the sun, lie on a beach towel in the powdery sand and take a leisurely swim in the crystal-clear sea. Whatever you decide on, it will be your choice, so you will never feel rushed or bound by a schedule. The resort offers a number of exceptional restaurants if you wish to dine on your own.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Zip over to the Centara Ras Fushi resort in a speedboat.
• Spend hours relaxing however you wish at the resort’s beach.
• Take advantage of the other resort amenities on your own, if you choose.

If you love beautiful beaches, then don't miss this visit to Dhonveli, an idyllic coral island located in the North Male Atoll.

Depart the pier, in the company of your tour escort, aboard a motorized speedboat for the ride to the resort island of Dhonveli, a lovely island that features lush tropical vegetation and palm trees, and is surrounded by a wide, sandy beach and the crystal-clear waters of an azure lagoon. The silent beauty of this tropical location complements the natural splendor of Dhonveli. Upon arrival, you can relax, unwind, swim and explore the beach.

Dive the coral reefs off the coast of Male, one of the world’s finest dive sites due to the endless flow of nutrient-rich water that attracts an abundance of marine species.

Depart from the pier in a dive boat, and as you are handed your equipment, enjoy the leisurely ride to a premier dive site off the coast of Male, a nation of nearly 1,200 islands surrounded by thousands of coral reefs. Diving is a favorite activity in Maldives as the warm seas offer high visibility, and the monsoon tides bring a collection of small marine creatures that provide abundant food to marine life.

While the exact dive site will depend on that day's sea conditions, it is sure to offer a spectacular viewing experience because more than a thousand species of marine animals inhabit the Maldivian waters. Accompanied by a local dive guide, you can expect to see a seemingly endless variety of fish that may include blue-lined snappers, orange-colored clownfish, oriental sweetlips, and Moorish idols, which are often spotted preying on sponges.

Graceful and generally shy eagle rays also inhabit these crystal-clear waters as do manta rays, the world's largest species of ray. If you spot one, look closely at the gills on its underside, where small fish often gather to feed. Other favorite marine creatures include green sea turtles and the more rarely spotted loggerhead and leatherback turtles.

Following approximately 1-hour spent diving, you will return to the pier.