While the pandemic has turned world tourism upside down, The Maldives has fortunately come out unscathed. Blessed with 1,200 scattered islands, this archipelago is inherently designed to help you self-isolate and travel with social distancing. Looking for an environment-friendly vacation experience in this paradise? Take the 4-hour Villimalé eco walking tour for an authentic local feel of the place.

Most tourists look for water sports in Maldives. However, there is much more to this equatorial getaway spanning culture, cuisine, rejuvenation and environmental restoration. When you book activities in Maldives, aim to strike a balance among all the elements to make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime luxury holiday.

One of our highly recommended Maldives half day tours, the 4-hour Villimalé eco walk is available on all days of the week, except fridays. The tour is conducted in the afternoon, extending into the evening. The trip starts at 2 PM and wraps up by 6 PM.

It costs USD 80 per head for adults to get on the Villimalé / Villingilieco walking tour. Children between 6 years and 12 years are charged half the full price, so that works out to USD 40 per child. For younger children, under the age of 6, the tour is free of cost.

One of many cost-effective Maldives walking tours, the Villimalé eco tour fee is inclusive of all local Maldivian taxes. This price includes a 16% GST and a 10% service charge. The cost of the tour includes all public ferry transfers from and to Malé or Hulhumalé, service fee of the local guide, water, hedika tasting experience, and also a donation to the NGO – Save the Beach.

Half Day Villimalé Eco Walking Tour Experience

Top up your Maldives vacation package with a short tour of the local island of Villimalé (Villingili), and experience what most tourists miss. Learn more about the activities that will quickly fill up the 4 hours of this eco walk:

Personalized Pickup

Get a head-start on the 4-hour Villimalé Eco Walking Tour by beginning right after you are done with lunch. Assemble at Jetty #5 if you happen to be in Malé – capital city of The Maldives. If you are staying in the nearby public island of Hulhumalé instead, you can also be picked up from the Hulhumalé Main Jetty.

At 2 PM, meet your Maldivian guide at the designated meeting point. He will greet you and ensure that all the participants for the tour arrive on time or are picked up from their hotel, in case they have opted for a more customized pickup.

It is quite possible that you have booked a beautiful Maldives water bungalow on a private island away from either Malé or Hulhumalé. In that case, pickup can be arranged on a cruise tender basis. Take care that your luxe resort allows the entry of our speedboat into their private waters. This exclusive pickup service is charged additionally.

Public Ferry Ride to Villimalé

After you are picked up, you will travel to the little local island of Villimalé on a public ferry. Your local guide will accompany you throughout the journey, as will other Maldivians who you can interact with as you cruise over the turquoise waters of The Maldives.

Located only 15 minutes from Malé – the world’s smallest capital, Villlimalé used to be known as Villingili. Formerly a resort island, this tiny patch of white sand island was later converted into a prison. However, today, Villimalé is one of 200 public islands which are inhabited by the locals.

The Maldives is seeing unprecedented population growth, and as an effort to rehabilitate the residents of an overcrowded Malé, the government is developing the nearby islands to be inhabited. Villimalé is one such rehabilitation project, but it is still quite pristine. There are many popular places to visit in Malé, the capital city of Maldives.

Walking Tour of Villimalé

One of the mesmerising islands of The Maldives, Villimalé is full of friendly locals who are interested to know about the foreigners who visit them from time to time. The guide will take you on a 60-minute walking tour of this isle as he tells you about Maldives’ history and culture.

The serene atmosphere that engulfs the island of Villimalé / Villingili will surely be a welcome change from its busier cousin – Malé. Home to two local beaches with sparkling white sands, this island has wide streets that are crowd-free. Be enraptured by the soothing green cover that is well preserved by the locals with some help from NGOs.

Learn About Environment Conservation Efforts

Villimalé is quite serious about conserving its natural heritage, be it the green cover on land or the vast blue ocean. In partnership with Save the Beach, an NGO, the locals have adopted a way of life that has minimal impact on the environment.

You will be able to interact with an NGO representative and discover more about the unique challenges that they face in conserving tropical islands. Small island nations are plagued with coastal development after-effects which often impact them negatively.

Projects that involve harbour development and land reclamation from the Indian Ocean deteriorate the balance of the fragile island ecosystem. During your walk, you will also learn to identify different species of trees and learn their names in Dhivehi – the local language of The Maldives.

You will get to know how efforts such as coral planting are increasing the coral cover of The Maldives. Learn about the different grid structures that are erected on the seabed to mimic the natural reproduction of coral reefs. You can also ask your doubts on waste management and other conservation efforts undertaken by the NGO and the islanders.

Hedika Experience in the Maldivian Sunset

As evening dawns, you will find The Maldives’ weather lulling you into sleep. To refresh your senses and also satiate your hunger after the hour-long walk, we will stop by a local beachside café in Villimalé (Villingili). It is common practice in the Maldivian culture to sip on black tea between 3 PM and 5 PM. You will also get a chance to taste their locally brewed tea which will be served with some traditional snacks.

Called hedika in the local dialect, the teatime snacks are a mix of sweet and savoury delicacies which are often deep-fried in oil. If you are diabetic, vegan or vegetarian, mention that in advance so you can be offered customised hedika preparations. These delectable finger foods seem to disappear just as easily into the stomach as the sun disappears into the deep ocean. As you savour your evening tea and nibbles, watch the glorious sunset that fills up the Maldivian sky in various hues of oranges, reds, purples and blues.

Return to Malé, Hulhumalé or your Private Island

As evening dawns, you will find The Maldives’ weather lulling you into sleep. We will return to the jetty to catch a public ferry back to Malé or Hulhumalé, depending on where you are staying. If you had booked a customized cruise tender service, you will be dropped off to your private island resort in the Maldives.

It is common to feel clueless and anxious if it is your first time in The Maldives. However, if you book with Samudra Maldives, you only have to catch your flight to Malé International Airport, and leave the rest to us. From Maldives’ honeymoon packages to specially curated Maldives island hopping tours, we have experiences that are hard to find elsewhere.

This 4-hour Villimalé eco walking tour is only a glimpse of all the wonderful adventures that await you in this tropical group of islands. You will run out of time but never out of activities to do in Maldives!