Before the serene beaches, before the tranquil lagoons, even before the unbeatable seafood, the first thing you’ll notice about the Maldives is the colours. Shaped like a seahorse, this blissful Indian Ocean archipelago dazzles the eye with crystal-clear waters, cobalt-blue skies, blazingly white beaches, and coral reefs teeming with tropical fish of every hue. Our adventures in this far-flung locale are suitably bold: exploring volcanic atolls, cruising about aboard a traditional dhoni fishing boat, snorkelling the turquoise waters, and loads of time devoted solely to lazing it up. You may not know the Maldives now, but once you’ve been, you’ll never, ever forget them.
This traditional fishing boat is as essential to Maldivian identity as the paddle steamer is to the Mississippi River. The motorized one you’ll sail with us has been modernized to accommodate eight travellers, equipped with all the amenities you need on the inside and the characteristic look and feel of the real thing on the outside.
With room for just eight passengers, the dhoni is a cozy way to get around the Maldives. Smaller group sizes means you forge closer bonds with your shipmates and get more out of the experience together. It really does feel like a personal cruise through paradise with some of the best friends you haven’t met yet.
As you’d expect from an island nation 400 kilometres away the mainland, Maldivian seafood is top notch. Your dhoni boat comes with its very own onboard chef who will prepare delicious meals in the local style for you every day.
Our dhoni qualifies as “traditional,” but it’s anything but conventional. Perfect for traversing the impossibly clear waters of the Maldives in style, our converted dhoni has room for snorkelling equipment, basic fishing gear, and eight lucky passengers. All meals aboard the ship are included and are prepared by an expert chef.
