Maldives Tours in December 2026

Good combination of two very different weeks. Good food and interesting and varied sights in Sri Lanka. Well organised and led, in very difficult circumstances during severe flooding and landslides! The boat tour of the Maldives was excellent, by far the best way of seeing this country. The boat was comfortable with great food and attentive crew. The main activity is snorkelling so if this is your thing you will love it!

Absolutely loved my Dhoni snorkelling adventure in the Maldives. Magic! The sealife was sublime - the hawksbill turtles, dolphins, tropical fish and sharks were phenomenal. Unfortunately the coral was extensively bleached but trying to rejuvenate. Our guide Teddie was exceptional, skilled at positioning our small group in the best snorkelling spots and capturing it/ us on camera. The crew worked tirelessly - Chef Asitha and Waiter Libee produced delicious banquets for every meal, .Captain Anees took us where we needed to go and Rahul kept a watchful eye whilst we were snorkelling and kept things ship-shape. As expected, the accommodation was very basic, but met all our needs. Tips: 1. Follow Explore!’s recommendation and bring a smallish soft bag - the drawers under the bunks are roomy and you actually need very little ; 2. Ignore Explore!’s recommendations and allow more for tips than the 25sterling recommended. The team work tirelessly to provide outstanding experiences. 3. Bring sunscreen and shirts for sun-protection. I did this trip as an extension to a Sri Lankan tour and it was a fabulous combo: its going to be hard to beat and especially hard to beat the value.

This holiday was absolutely brilliant. The Maldives was not a destination that appealed particularly but seeing so much of it on the boat was perfect rather than just being on one island. The snorkeling was spectacular particularly on the wreck. We could not have had a more helpful crew and the support they provided, especially the captain was excellent. At all times you felt in very safe hands and well looked after. Nothing was too much trouble. Our guide, Hi had a wealth of local knowledge and he was great fun. Swimming with sharks was an amazing experience and one that I will always remember. The level of service and food provided was great. Thank you Explore.

What a week! Everything you might wish for and more. We spent time with whale sharks, mantas, stingrays, turtles, and all reef life. Also had a great laugh in a beautiful place - lovely group who looked after each other, crew were attentive and focussed on all the details of wildlife spotting and safety. A big bonus for me was the diving. Shafi was truly superb as dive leader (and ships captain). Did 4 memorable dives with him.