Secret Paradise Maldives

"This yoga retreat is booked with secret paradise and I thank Soba & Ruth for being responsive to my emails and helped arranged for my solo retreat at such short notice. It was unfortunate that my flight to Male was delayed due to closed airspace (as informed by the pilot) and I missed the onward domestic flight to Hanimaadhoo but Soba and her team were there to assist and stayed with me till I boarded the next flight.I stayed at the Barefoot Eco Hotel in a ground floor beach front room. Rooms were large and had a veranda with bean bags for chilling. I particularly enjoyed and applaud the hotel's efforts to promote ecotourism. There is a conservation centre with in-house marine biologists who make snorkelling activities more than just snorkelling. I learnt a lot about dolphins & turtles through them. The hotel has a strip of private beach with clear waters but not many fishes. More marine life is found at their house reef which is a free boat ride away.While the staff at Barefoot were friendly, I wished the transfer from Hanimaadhoo airport to the hotel was communicated better. The hotel staff failed to pick me up when I arrived (even though I was told they were informed of the change in timing) and I was left alone at the airport.That being said, this yoga retreat package is still value for money as it includes 3 sessions of spa, (Hot stone, scrub & massage) as well as half board meals (Breakfast & Dinner). A good deal if you'll like to spend a few days in paradise."

BookYogaRetreats.com website, edited

""Wonderful beach & yoga holiday" Thank you to Secret Paradise for having arranged our wonderful stay at the lovely Barefoot ecolodge. We thoroughly enjoyed the morning and sunset yoga sessions with Ramunni, the snorkling excursions and dives to witness the colourful sea life, the delicious breakfasts and dinners (fresh fruit, the curries were sooo good!), the evening lectures & movies, the books, the beauty of the surroundings, the white sandy beach and turqoise water, and the funny flying foxes (bats) that make their appearance at sunset. The toughest thing was to pack our bags and head home!"

Secret Paradise website, edited

"My husband and i spent 3 days for full adventure excursions and it was a unforgettable experience and we celebrated our 1st Anniversary at the SandBank and we truly enjoy all the excursions and our tour guide Mr Ibrahim is very helpful and good to have him as our tour guide."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"We booked a tour last weekend and it was really awesome! We do snorkeling at kurumba island and stingray island(which is my favorite so far) and sunset cruise and watch the dolphines..very cool and thumbs up to Mahee! Thank you Secret Paradise for giving such an unforgettable experience to us! Worth all the penny!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Our stay at the Barefoot Eco Hotel was very good. We were happy with the quality of the hotel, service, food and especially with the evening yoga sessions with Mr Ramunni. Maldives are the perfect holiday location for those who need to rest and take it really easy. The transfer to and from Hanimadhoo was smooth and we were guided by the Secret Paradise personel. Advice for the next guests: beware of the sun - it is really strong! Thank you for your help, best regards."

Secret Paradise Maldives website, edited

"I have booked 2 tours with Secret Paradise - Morning snorkeling and 4 Hour Male City Walking Tour. I did enjoy both tours - snorkeling was something new to me but thanks to the professional team I was able to see majestic underwater world. The highlight of the day was Male City Walking tour - Mahee - my tour guide was awesome. Mahee is like a walking Maldives encyclopedia - has provided me with so much information about the country, history and culture. He answered all my questions. I enjoyed visiting the local market, eating local food and discovering the capital. This tour is something that everyone should do and I thank you Mahee and Ruth for this great adventure!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"We had a great time organized by Secret Paradise. Our dinner with a very welcoming local family was informal and cozy, and showed us a lot about the culture (and yummy Maldivian food!) and was one of the highlights of our trip. There was inclement weather on the following day when we were supposed to go on an island hopping adventure, and Ruth was excellent about e-mailing us early in the morning before departure to double check whether we were still feeling comfortable with going, and honest about unfavorable conditions and allowed us to cancel. Ruth was nothing but pleasant, helpful and prompt and our guide, UB, was approachable, knowledgeable and really seemed to enjoy his job."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Absolutely fabulous! The hotel was great and the staff really friendly and helpful. My yoga instructor was wonderful and I really enjoyed all my sessions. While I was there I also did my PADI open water diving course as well. From the minute I landed in Male, the secret Paradise team were there to smooth the process of getting to Barefoot and I had the same experience in the way back, would highly recommend both them and the barefoot."

Secret Paradise Maldives, edited

"It was amazing experience with Secret Paradise. Very professional people, Thank you Ruth and Kamey for making this trip wonderful!"

Trip Advisor, edited

"Very much enjoyed out tour of Male and Villigilli. Kamey was very friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Felt more like time spent with a friend exploring rather than going on a tour. Thanks Kamey."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Service is 100% from start to finish! If you have no idea what to do, just tell them the activities you enjoy and they'll recommend an excursion for you, complete with all the prices, inclusions, and details -- you only need to choose. They reply also to emails very fast, so even when you're not yet in Maldives, you already feel the excellent service that they provide. For the tours and excursions, they pick you up from your hotel, take care of you very well during the entire excursion, and bring you back to the hotel safe, happy, and satisfied! The guides are very friendly and they really walk you through everything Maldivian (I was asking them the whole time about almost everything -- history, politics, culture -- they can answer everything!). If you're a first timer in water activities like snorkeling (like me), their guides also are very knowledgeable in handling such guests, so you do not have to worry. Very highly recommended if you're going to the Maldives, even on a solo trip."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"Secret Paradise offers a number of options to the travelers from cruises to city walks to diving trips to sand bank visits. We did the Sunset cruise had a wonderful experience. We got the see some dolphins as well. The crew was great and it was well managed. If you are in Hulhumale, please ensure you go for some of the trips. You will not regret it."

Trip Advisor website, edited

"We contacted Ruth about a 4 hour tour during our wait for our international flight. I was so impressed by the way Ruth handled our request. She answered back promptly and professionally every time. She was super helpful and very reasonably priced. We had a great time on our catamaran boat with our amazing and fun guide Kamey, whose knowledge was extensive. Highly recommended!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"The location couldn't have been more perfect, and it was a beautiful environment to wake up in everyday and practice yoga. For me, the whole retreat experience was a very welcome pause from the crazy pace of modern day life, leaving me renewed and inspired, and able to reconnect with myself. I visited as part of the Yorkshire Centre for Well-being retreat and the joint expertise of Anne-Marie and James meant that the twice daily sessions were wonderfully varied and balanced."

Secret Paradise Maldives website, edited

"I have just returned from the Yorkshire Centre for Well-being's yoga retreat in the Maldives in conjunction with Secret Paradise. There could not have been a more idyllic environment in which to practice yoga and meditation looking out over the white sandy beach and the turquoise sea! I really experienced the benefit of twice daily classes and personal meditation and although I am not the most flexible person I definitely felt a marked improvement in my asanas. I took the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful facilities at the Barefoot Resort for an extra few days after the retreat and can honestly say that I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed and refreshed after a holiday. "

Secret Paradise Maldives website, edited

"As you no doubt heard, apart from not seeing Mantas, my holiday was perfect! I'll just have to come back to Maldives again.From the friendly face of Shaffaf upon my arrival two weeks ago, the informative local tour and another smiling member of the Secret Paradise team meeting me when I landed back in Male today, everything has gone beautifully. The quick and comprehensive communication during the lead up to my vacation helped me prepare well, and for once. I didn't over pack or bring anything inappropriate. I would definitely recommend your team to anyone looking to travel to Maldives, and will certainly be in touch if I am fortunate enough to come back again. I'll give you a 9/10, as we all need something to continue to aspire too. With warmest regards to you, Ruth and all the team!"

Book Yoga Retreats website, edited

"We had a truly relaxing holiday in Maldives with the help of Secret Paradise. We booked for 8 days Yoga Retreat and we are very happy with the service and did not regret choosing Secret Paradise to help us organize the vacation. Thank you for your service and prompt communication. More power and definitely a high recommendation! "

Trip Advisor website, edited

"I would like to thank Secret Paradise for the support and the organization of my holiday on my way to and at Barefoot. I enjoyed a lot my staying at the hotel, I found the property very beautiful, super comfortable and well organized. The staff was professional, kind, extremely friendly and made me feel really at home. I appreciated particularly their underwater conservation efforts and I believe they deserve to be advertised more widely. Many thanks and all the very best again."

Secret Paradise Maldives, edited

"In such a short notice, Ruth helped us arrange our itinerary so that we can do the activities that we want to do in Maldives. Amazingly, Secret Paradise made our experience worthwhile and Superb. I highly recommend that you book with Secret Paradise. I appreciate their transparency and integrity in their service. Thank you so much Secret Paradise for a wonderful experience."

Secret Paradise Maldives, edited

"Ruth and her team are simply fantastic having assembled a 12 day package of Yoga for me. This turned out to be the best Yoga experience ever for me as the teachers and setting was amazing. All the staff I met at Secret Paradise were charming and really loved what they did and were vocal about this. Their hospitality and efficiency on arrival was superb and when BA announced a 24 hour delay on the return flight, everything was done to ensure I enjoyed the extra time I had - doubly challenging as it was Christmas day!"

Trip Advisor website, edited

"We were very happy with our yoga retreat holiday, which was booked and organized with Ruth's help from Secret Paradise. The company was extremely efficient with the booking and communication. The eco concept of the hotel added a unique and engaging touch to the general exotic holiday experience you can find in other Maldives' hotels, as the hotel has a group of marine biologists who work there and organize guided snorkeling and diving tours with the detailed presentation on marine life and their work to preserve it. The chef in The Barefoot prepared delicious food every dinner and although the choice of food in the buffet is not huge, there was always a good selection of meals worthy a five star restaurant. The beach in The Barefoot is sandy and beautiful, however, there is no abundance of sea life right near the beach and the richer riffs are about 10-15 min away of swimming (or 5 mins on the boat). But it gives you an ability to swim freely is you just want to swim instead of snorkeling. The service at the hotel is good and the rooms are cleaned twice a day. The bar at the boat is worth visiting, as the boat itself has an exciting exterior of a pirate boat, while watching the sunset from it having a cocktail or star gazing at night is definitely a memorable experience."

Secret Paradise Maldives, edited