The Ultimate Adventure in Sri Lanka and the Maldives

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 60 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

On the trip you'll spend a day with the Veddas, the last indigenous people in Sri Lanka. Many Veddas nowadays have ventured into agriculture so traditional hunting is fading away, but the Veddas you'll meet still live following authentic traditions. Through this cultural exchange, you'll be playing an active part in the maintenance of indigenous culture through its celebration.

You'll also visit remote rural villages – a fantastic opportunity to learn about local culture, history, and the adaptation of remote communities to contemporary life.

We have selected a number of extraordinary accommodation providers who practise responsible tourism in the true sense of the word. Here, food is locally sourced, construction materials are mostly natural and have been chosen to respect the environment. Local operations are also managed by the communities themselves, a successful example of how community-based tourism can be beneficial when done sensitively.

The tap water in Sri Lanka and the Maldives is not always friendly on the stomach. You may find purified water in some of the accommodation which you can use to fill up each morning, so be sure to pack a reusable water bottle or two. To avoid plastic waste where filtered water is not available, we suggest bringing water purification tablets (or an alternative purification system) for extra safety.

In the Maldives, your guide may recommend that 5L bottles of water are purchased and used to fill reusable water bottles. In this case, these bottles will all be returned to Male and handed over to a trusted local recycling project run by Parley.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service. We recommend to tip the following for the whole trip:

• USD $30-35 per person for your your Sri Lankan leader
• USD $10-12 for each member of the bus crew in Sri Lanka (usually 1 or 2 drivers)
• USD $45 total per person for the activity guides in Sri Lanka – your leader will collect this in the form of a kitty and distribute it among the 25 local guides and assistants who provide their service during the trip (local hikes, bike ride etc.)
• USD $15-20 per person for your your Maldivian leader

Of course, you are free to tip more or less and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality – a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

To secure your visa for Sri Lanka (Electronic Travel Authorization or ETA) apply via the official government website. Usually, the visa is granted within 48 hours of application – make sure you print a copy or take a screenshot of the approval page for when you clear security on arrival.

Note: As of 2nd August 2024, Sri Lanka has temporarily suspended the online visa (eVisa) application system. You can obtain a visa on arrival.

Maldives Immigration issues on-arrival visa to all tourists, if the entry requirements are complied. A traveller declaration must be filled in and submitted by all travelers travelling to and from Maldives, within 96 hours prior to your travel. You may submit the form electronically via IMUGA.

Your local host will do their best to operate the itinerary as communicated; however, for your safety and comfort some changes may be required based on the weather and or sea conditions. In the Maldives, all boat transfers are operated by independent companies and although they operate at scheduled times, services can occasionally get delayed or cancelled at short notice due to weather conditions, public holidays or mechanical failure. In the event of a cancellation, your guide will make alternative arrangements and reschedule any of the inclusions whenever possible.

In the unlikely event of significant itinerary changes which involve substantial extra costs (such as extra nights in hotels etc.), this would need to be borne by the customer to be claimed back via your travel insurance.

Ramadan will take place from 28th February to 31 March 2025. Ramadan is an Islamic festival where all Maldivians do not eat or drink during daylight hours. While this is a really interesting time to travel, you can expect some business hours will be shortened, and local cafes or restaurants will generally not open during daylight hours. Possibly the timings of local ferry and speedboat transfer services will change too. Activities for local people tend to be limited during the day and the nights are very active with family gatherings and lots of different foods being sold and consumed. However, in hotel restaurants and tourist areas food and drink are served as normal and Ramadan will not affect the inclusions on your trip. Your guide will adjust the timings of your itinerary if necessary. Although there are no restrictions for non-Muslims during Ramadan, it is respectful to refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public areas during daylight hours.

High temperatures and ever-present sunshine mean that locals and visitors alike prefer dressing in lightweight materials. Cotton t-shirts, skirts and shorts with sandals or flip-flops are the best options for staying cool.

Please note that the Maldives are a Muslim nation, therefore care needs to be taken regarding dress on small islands and in local communities. Whilst it is acceptable for men to wear t-shirts and shorts/swimshorts, women should avoid causing offence by maintaining a more conservative approach. T-shirts with sleeves that cover the shoulders, loose shorts that cover the thighs, or sundresses with a sarong around shoulders are advised. Whilst the islands you'll visit are more tolerant of guests wearing traditional beachwear, women should NOT wear swimwear unless on an uninhabited island, sandbank, private tourist bikini beach (available on all islands you'll stay on) or snorkelling/dive boats. Your guide will advise when and where this is possible. It is common practice for both local women and female visitors to swim from local public beaches wearing a t-shirt or rash vest with shorts or leggings.

When visiting the home of a local family or where you may have access to mosques, shoulders and legs should be covered fully by both men and women out of respect for local customs.

Whilst snorkelling equipment is included on this trip, we would advise bringing along your own mask and snorkel where possible. Not only will you be assured the mask fits your face properly (making it more comfortable and less likely to leak), it's also more hygienic. A mask and snorkel are small and light, so they should take up very little space in your suitcase!

Due to the ocean current and wind conditions in the Maldives, the use of fins is essential for almost all snorkelling and these are included in all snorkelling activities. However, if you want to ensure a perfect fit, you are always welcome to bring your own.

It's advisable to exchange a small amount (around $50) at the exchange desk in the airport. Please note that it is not possible to exchange currency to USD, only to MVR. MVR can only be exchanged back to the original currency prior to your departure if you have a receipt for an arrival exchange from the Bank of Maldives exchange counter in the airport.

The US Dollar is generally accepted as legal tender. All major credit cards can be used (and are preferred) at resorts, hotels and shops. On smaller islands, it is usually only hotels, guesthouses, shops and larger restaurants which accept credit cards, and cash is generally preferred. Small restaurants, cafes and activity providers will generally request payment in cash. Most restaurants and shops will accept USD in payment, but will provide change in local currency.

Your guide will provide a full briefing on responsible snorkelling prior to your trip. As a general rule, fish, ray or shark feeding should be avoided. It is harmful to marine life, to the ecosystem, and potentially to the people in the water (whether it be snorkellers, swimmers, or divers). Hand-feeding marine life promotes a behaviour called conditioning, where the animals learn to associate humans with food. When fish start to anticipate meal times with humans, it interferes with their natural feeding cycles. As a result of behavioural conditioning through fish feeding, unprovoked marine animals may attack (bite) humans, thinking they will receive food or mistaking fingers and other body parts for food.

Please also make sure you do not touch corals or marine life. Simply touching animals or coral can be as damaging in the long run as intentionally killing or catching them. Many animals, including turtles, rays and many species of sharks, can become vulnerable to harmful bacteria through human contact, leaving them susceptible to disease.

Unfortunately, like many coral reefs around the world, the Maldives reefs have been impacted by bleaching. However, there is still an abundance of marine life and in areas not subject to high levels of reclamation and development (which adds stress to the reef's rejuvenation) there is positive evidence of coral rehabilitation. The impact of bleaching varies from atoll to atoll, therefore you may observe great corals in one location but poor ones in another. Your local host is involved in a number of coral reef projects with NGOs, including Coral Doctors, Save the Beach and Maafushi Eco Dive, who support coral planting in areas where the reefs have been significantly impacted.

It is impossible to say exactly what you will need during your island stay as this varies depending on personal preference, the number of extra optional activities you choose and any souvenirs you may like to purchase. While on the islands, approximate prices are as follows:

Snack lunch: $5-$10
Evening meal in guesthouse or local restaurant: $10-$25
Tea/coffee: $1 for Nescafe, to $5 for barista-style coffee
Soft drinks: $1.50
Water 1.5L: $0.50 General excursions: from $25-$100 per person
Watersports: from $10 per person for 60-minute non-motorised rentals
Discover Scuba Dive: $65-85 per person, including equipment
Certified Dive: $70-90 per person, including equipment and tax
Two-hour Guided Snorkel: $60 per person, including equipment

*rates for services provided locally and payable direct to the provider remain subject to change.

This trip visits locations where daytime temperatures can be extremely high during the times of year when this trip operates. High humidity and limited access to shade can also be factors, and warm temperatures can continue into the nighttime, which additionally influence the body’s ability to cool down. Personal care should be taken to keep cool as best possible in the conditions, such as wearing appropriate clothing and proper hydration. Very high temperatures can impair an individual’s physical abilities to perform an activity that they may otherwise be able to do competently at cooler temperatures. People may experience symptoms associated with dehydration and Heat Stroke. Your guide(s) are trained to mitigate the risks associated with high temperatures, by carefully managing the intensity of the activity, and to provide the appropriate support response should someone feel ill during the trip. Should you experience health issues during your trip you should inform your guide immediately so the proper care can be provided.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.