There are so many options these days when it comes to booking your holiday. There are an abundance of online platforms to choose from, as well as travel agents and tour operators, but how do you know when  you are getting the best value? Resort holidays in the Maldives have always been a popular choice and now there is also the option of staying in guesthouses and hotels on local islands at a fraction of the price. The Maldives is a perfect destination for all year round travel because of the amazing weather and consistent temperatures. For European’s it can cost the same to travel to the Mal ..read more

A question we often get asked by potential guests is ‘what do I need to wear when visiting the Maldives?’ Whilst the blanket answer would be pack light weight, loose fitting cotton clothing there are some notable differences to what you should consider packing in your suitcase all dependent on where you will be staying. If you are staying on a local island T-shirts, skirts and shorts are the best options to stay cool. The ideal footwear would be sandals and flip-flops. As the Maldives is a Muslim country care needs to be taken in relation to the dress code on local islands. Whilst it is accept ..read more

For those who have traveled the Maldives with Kamey, you will know he has a wealth of information regarding the oceans and marine life. We asked him to share some of his knowledge with us, as well as his concerns for the future of our oceans. Have you ever wondered how old this strange rock we call earth is or even wondered how old the life blood of earth which we call the oceans are?  I do! They are both pretty old and we still don’t know all there is to know about them. The place we call home is around 4.56 billion years old and the ocean where there remains millions of mysteries is around ..read more

When Secret Paradise was formed in 2012 local tourism was at the beginning of its journey and our co-founder, Ruth Franklin, was conscious that however we developed the business we needed to be mindful of ensuring we promoted local tourism in line with Maldivian culture and beliefs.  As many of you know Secret Paradise provides a range of unique guided local island multi tours as well as day tours and guesthouse accommodation options. All combining the beauty of the Maldives, with activities and cultural engagement. Over recent years the terms responsible tourism, sustainable tourism and eco ..read more

Since 2012 we have been providing a range of unique Local Island multi day tours and holidays as well as day tours and guesthouse accommodation options. All combine the beauty of the Maldives, with activities and cultural engagement. We are delighted that  for the fifth year running we have been awarded the TripAdvisor certificate of Excellence and that we remain the number one provider of day tours in the capital. There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by our guests and it is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business, out amazing guiding team and to our continued com ..read more

Following on from part one of Plastic Pollution, Marine Life and Sustainable Tourism with Secret Paradise Maldives we wanted to highlight some of the initiatives recently implemented by our accommodation partners on local islands. All of our guesthouse accommodation is carefully selected to provide a balance of comfort, service, local atmosphere and value for money, as well as ensuring each property shares our values for responsible tourism and sustainability. So we are always delighted to see guesthouse partners coming together with tourists and local communities to make a difference. Guraidh ..read more

Ruth Franklin is the co-founder of Secret Paradise Maldives and together with her energetic and engaging team of local guides, they have been leading local island Maldives tours since 2012. Ruth was recently interviewed about being a women in business in the Maldives and here is what she said: Tell us more about Secret Paradise Maldives We partner 25 guesthouses on 15 islands across 8 atolls. The properties we partner are owned and in the main operated by local island families where everyone is instrumental in the day to day running of the guest house ensuring profits are directed back into lo ..read more

Raising awareness about environmental issues seems to be on everyone ‘s agenda these days. But we all need to understand that this is not a short term project that needs a year or two focus only to fall by the way side when a new trend emerges. But how do we all keep focused and ensure our efforts are not in vain? At Secret Paradise we educate our guests in ways that encourage them to support local hotel and guest house programs. Our tour guides are our ambassadors, they lead by example every day in and out of work. For myself having worked and managed teams of over 200 people I have plenty of ..read more

During the month of Ramadan many guests who contact us are unsure as to whether it is a good time to travel to the Maldives. Will local island shops be open? Will there still be tours and trips or will the services be reduced during this time? Will they be able to eat and drink during the day? So let us put the record straight! What is Ramadan? Ramadan is the 9th month on the Islamic calendar which is celebrated by Muslims Worldwide by fasting for a month. Ramadan commemorates the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief. Fasting is from dawn until sunset during wh ..read more

Maldives is composed of a few thousand small islands located south of India. These diverse islets make the Maldives quite a fascinating and undoubtedly picturesque destination. It is safe to assume that Maldives can be found on almost everyone’s travel bucket list. It’s truly a piece of paradise here on Earth. The Maldives is also considered as an important crossroad in the Indian Ocean trade routes. Through the years, the country’s population has steadily increased and has become more diversified. The culture and traditions of the Maldives and Maldivians in general have been greatly in ..read more