Highlights of Sri Lanka + Maldive Dhoni Cruise

During this trip, in Sri Lanka we stay in comfortable hotels throughout. Our accommodation has been chosen based on comfort, location, and authenticity but it should be noted that standards may differ from home.
For the most part, our accommodation offers en-suite rooms with standard facilities like air-conditioning and WiFi. Some hotels have swimming pools to cool off in after a day's adventuring, and some also have a restaurant or bar. In the smaller properties, hot water isn't always available 24 hours a day, and with a group staying you might find if you're showering last, you may miss out on the hottest water.
In the Maldives, we stay aboard a five-berth Dhoni. We work with a local operator who owns a number of different Dhonis (all of which are different sizes with different layouts). While some of the boats still have sails, these aren't used frequently, and we use a Dhoni with a diesel energy.
Please note that a single room is not bookable on the Maldives boat trip due to the small size of the boat with only 5 cabins. If the departure is not full and there are spare cabins you might find that other single travellers, booked on a twin share basis, may be allocated on default a single cabin without paying the additional supplement cost but there are zero guarantees on this.
The five cabins are small and simple but adequate for sleeping and changing. Each cabin has bunk beds so the person on the top will need to be prepared to climb up to their bed. Two of the cabins have slightly wider (4.1ft) lower bunk beds and where possible we'll allocate these to couples, but we cannot guarantee this - couples should state their preference when booking. Four cabins have an ensuite bathroom with WC and shower. The other cabin is assigned a bathroom with a WC and shower that is not ensuite. The water is not heated and will flow at ambient temperature. There are plugs in each cabin with electricity available when the boat's generator is running (while the boat is moving, or the crew are cooking - usually between 2pm and 9am) so it's possible to charge cameras and phones during the tour. You may want to bring some earplugs if you are a light sleeper. There is no A/C but there is a fan in each cabin. There are small cupboards in each cabin for you to store valuables such as passports. There is no WiFi onboard, but it is possible to buy a SIM card from the airport or speak with your tour leader for advice on this while you have time in Male. There is a sun deck and loungers or comfortable mats to lie on. You are welcome to bring your pillow and sheets from your cabin if you wanted to try sleeping on deck under the stars.
It is prohibited to bring alcohol into the Maldives. There will be a bar on board selling bottles of wines and bottle of spirits as well as beers. The bill is only payable by USD Dollars or by Credit Card (with a 5% surcharge to cover local bank charges, in addition to anything levied by your bank card provider for paying in Dollars). Local currency cannot be used to settle the bill.
Whilst we do our best to deliver the advertised itinerary, the safe operation of the boat and all passengers is the crew's priority and as such, deviations from the planned itinerary may be necessary due to weather/local conditions.
All Dhonis are inspected annually in order to retain their license. They carry enough lifejackets for all clients and crew plus buoyancy aids and a dinghy with a small outboard engine. All boats have a CB radio, and for most of the voyage, the boat is in mobile phone range of the islands. Full firefighting equipment is also carried on every boat. There will be a minimum of 4 crew on board including the captain and cook - depending on the number of people on the boat.