Beyond the Beach Eco Tour Including Ferry Ride to Island of Vilimalé
This eco-friendly Maldives tour will take us away from the city of Malé and into a local community, where we'll meet with a local NGO helping to preserve the country's beaches and reefs.
Once we’ve all gathered at the jetty, we’ll take a short taxi ride to the ferry terminal on the west side of Malé. From there, a 10-minute ferry crossing takes us away from the hubbub of Malé city to the peaceful island of Vilimalé . Formally a prison island, Vilimalé now provides a haven of tranquility for its residents, many of whom commute to the capital daily.
On the other side of our ferry ride, we’ll be met by a member of Save the Beach, a local NGO that started in 2008 as a youth movement in Vilingili (now named Vilimalé ) to conserve the local beaches. The main activities of Save the Beach include regular beach clean-up programs, planting of trees in and around Vilingili, coral reef conservation as well as organising educational and awareness community events. Their activities are not just confined to Vilimalé but also reach out to other local islands throughout the archipelago.
Hassan Ahmed led the initiatives and co-founded the movement, along with the youth of Villingili. Hassan has been a resident of Villingili from the very beginning and has been a conservationist from the time the first harbour was built, when he noticed the reefs were dying. Hassan orchestrated all of the activities of Save the Beach as a movement even before he had registered the organisation. Today, Save the Beach is now registered as a non-profit initiative.
A 90-minute walking tour of the island provides insight into the conservational challenges that face small island states. You’ll see how Vilimalé has transformed from an island with a rich biodiversity on land and in the sea, to one that is struggling to maintain its natural ecosystems. You’ll witness these impacts firsthand alongside local conservationists, who will show you images of Vilimalé past as you observe the present.
You’ll wander the quiet streets, observe locals going about their day, learn the names of local trees, and, if it’s open, visit the tiniest of spice factories. We’ll finish the tour at a local tea shop looking out across the water to Malé, where you can sample a traditional hedika – and afternoon break of sweet and savoury snacks served with black tea. When it is time to leave, your guide will walk with you to the ferry terminal and accompany you back to Malé.
If you are NOT staying in MALE or HULHUMALE, please note that you will need to arrange a return transfer to Male at your own expense; depending on your location, this could be by speedboat, domestic flight or seaplane. For guests staying on private resort islands we'd highly recommend asking the hotel concierge to advise you on the best mode of transport and the costs involved.
