When you are in paradise, all your wishes tend to come true. The Maldives is unlike any other country, unique in its layout, unmatched in its natural sights, and a class apart when it comes to hospitality. For the ultimate romantic evening in this archipelago, take the Maldives Sunset Dolphin Cruise and come face to face with the delightfully friendly dolphins of the Indian Ocean.

To get to this small Asian nation of more than a thousand little islands, catch a flight to Malé – capital city of The Maldives. You can get on with your exploration as soon as you land at the Velana International Airport, Maldives. The airport itself is located on its own island called Hulhulé.

A well planned trip to this country will ensure you aren’t caught in the middle of rough weather. Storms are quite common in the monsoon which falls between May and October in the northern atolls, with the heaviest rains occurring in the month of June. Maldives’ weather remains pleasant from November through April, with the best times peaking around December to March.

The Maldives is spread across both sides of the equator. Hence, the southern atolls (which are largely in the Southern Hemisphere) follow the exact opposite weather schedule as compared to the northern islands. This means, there’s always great weather somewhere in this paradisiacal land, making The Maldives a place you can visit any time of the year.

You need less than half a day to enjoy the Maldives Sunset Dolphin Cruise. The tour is on from Monday through Sunday, unless informed ahead. The cruise begins at 4:30 PM, just before the start of the golden hour, and ends by 6:30 PM, well after the Maldivian sunset.

This Maldives half day tour is priced at USD 95 per adult (13+ years). If you’re travelling with children, you can take advantage of discounted rates depending on the age of your kids. Children between 6 years and 12 years pay half the full price, which happens to be USD 47.50 per kid. Best of all, toddlers under the age of 5 years get the benefits of this Maldives tour package without any charge!

The Maldives vacation package is inclusive of all the local Maldivian taxes. A GST of 16% is built into the tour fee while an additional service charge of 10% is also included in the price of the ticket. The amount charged from you takes care of the local guide fee, return speedboat transfer, water and healthy snacks onboard, and buoyancy aids.

Half Day Maldives Sunset Dolphin Cruise Tour Experience

A thoughtful addition to your Maldives honeymoon package, the sunset dolphin cruise lets you watch these gregarious mammals play about in the deep sea or simply swim in their pods. The Maldives is home to about 20 different species of dolphins, including spinner, striped, bottlenose, spotted and Risso’s. Discover more about this tour in the detailed lineup.

Personalized Pickup

All set for the Maldives Sunset Dolphin Cruise? You are required to meet at the Hulhumalé Main Jetty where your tour guide will be waiting for you. The assembly point is located next to the ferry terminal, so you won’t have any trouble finding it.

Would you like to be treated like a VIP? You can also be collected from various hotels in The Maldives in the public island of Hulhumalé or the nearby island of Malé – the world’s smallest capital, on special request.

Will you be staying in one of the luxurious private island resorts in The Maldives? A special cruise tender jetty pickup can be arranged for you at an extra charge. But this requires prior intimation, preferably well in advance of the dolphin cruise time. In these cases, you must ensure that your resort allows our speedboat to tender on their property.

Sunset Cruise

The best part of this trip begins after you board. We shall cruise on a speedboat with no more than 6 participants, for an exclusive experience, without the hassle of jostling for space to click good photos. You will have to wear the life jacket handed over to you to avoid any instance of drowning in case of a mishap.

Pay attention to the safety briefing by the tour guide, for a pleasant cruising experience. In general, you are advised against trying to touch any of the dolphins as they are not tamed and may not be comfortable with being touched. When taking pictures, keep your camera or smartphone’s flash off as that may be disturbing for these sea creatures.

Spotting the Dolphins

Our boat captain will take you around the local island of Hulhumalé, especially to the sport where dolphin sightings are commonly reported. Keep your eyes peeled for entire groups of dolphins which travel rhythmically, breaking the surface of the water with their pointed nose, breathing in some air, and diving right back in.

You will be able to spot various types of dolphins in different shades of grey. Notice the smooth skin and the shape of the nose. Many dolphins are categorized on the basis of their physical features such as the nose shape and patterns on their body.

In the rare case that we don’t have any sightings, our captain will steer to another part of the Indian Ocean to maximize your chances of having a magical evening. In any case, the scene of the sun setting over the crystal blue waters is majestic, to say the least!

Return to Hulhumalé

After sunset, it will be time for us to head back to the island of Hulhumalé. While still on board, you might feel hungry or thirsty. We will carry plenty of fresh and juicy local tropical fruits for you to snack on. Packaged drinking water bottles are also given to every participant on the tour. You will disembark on the island after taking back dozens of pictures and memories with you.

Things to Keep in Mind during the Sunset Dolphin Cruise

No doubt, you will enjoy the Maldives sunset dolphin cruise. However, there are some things you should be aware of so your tour proceeds without any hiccups.

The Maldives is an Islamic country, and strictly follows the religious laws. To avoid disrespecting the sentiments of the locals, ensure that your shoulders are covered and your clothes reach below your knees. Bikinis should not be worn on public islands. Private islands are liberal in their dressing rules, though.
If you happen to follow a faith that is contrary to Islam, the national religion of The Maldives, you will not be able to practise it publicly. Any textual material such as books that belong to any other religion, are banned in this island nation. Your sacred book will either be confiscated or you will be asked to leave the country. Also, idol worship or the possession of any idol is not allowed. Most items are taken away if caught at the airport itself.
This Maldives half day tour follows all the government-advised precautions to prevent the spread of COVID. To ensure social distancing, our tours are capped at 6 people. We also sanitize our boats and all reusable equipment such as safety jackets, after each use.

With so many activities to do in Maldives, it never gets boring here. After this cruise experience, you can look forward to other adventurous pursuits such as deep sea diving or snorkeling, or try something culturally enriching like the Maldives island hopping tours or fishing trips.