Horndean & District

March 2021 - The Maldives

Ruth Franklin discovered the Maldives 20 years ago, visiting as a scuba diver in search of mantas and whale sharks. she was fortunate and found a reasonably priced resort that allowed her to stay and indulge her hobby. But then came along development and her well-loved resort went luxury and beyond her price range. So she moved to diving from a boat which also enabled her to gain an understanding of local island life.

She always considered herself lucky to have found a group of Maldivian friends who would invite her to their family homes for dinner, share afternoon hedika and invite her for coffee and beetle nuts! Her love and appreciation of the country, its people, its culture and traditions were almost immediate and resulted in her visiting the archipelago on over 30 occasions before it became home.

In 2012 she happened to be in the right place at the right time and the opportunity to relocate arose. she had at that point worked for UK retailer British Home Stores for over 25 years and felt it was time for a change and so with the support of a local business man, they formed Secret Paradise. Their mission to introduce the Real Maldives to guests and support local communities.

Almost 10 years on and Secret Paradise is an award winning, responsible and sustainable tour company. We received TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice Award 2020, following 5 consecutive years of achieving TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. In 2020 we were commended in the ‘Meaningful Connections’ category World Responsible Tourism Awards and were long listed for the 2015 'Best for engaging people and culture' category, World Responsible Tourism Awards.

The basis of their tours has always been to allow guests to learn about the Maldives, its culture, beliefs and traditions and what better way to do this than to see the country through the eyes of a local and experience daily life. Travelling by public ferry, staying on an inhabited island where the local community benefit directly from the income gained from tourism. Sharing breakfast with a family in their home, exchanging stories of daily life, relaxing with a coffee in a local café watching the world go by.

Maldivians are known for their friendliness and hospitality and nothing is too much trouble for them. It was her own experience of Maldivian hospitality and their eagerness to please that gave rise to the cultural aspects of our tours which allows us to engage with local families, communities and businesses.

For many, mention the Maldives and images of white sandy beaches, luxury resorts and villas standing over the ocean come to mind. At Secret Paradise their aim is to show the less well known side of the Maldives, one that makes the destination far more affordable to travellers and families.

This was a Zoom Meeting with 51 connections giving an audience of over 80 participants.