If the changes in the following conditions have been clearly communicated in writing to the client before the conclusion of the contract and they are properly provided for in the program;
Any changes subsequent to the conclusion of the contract are subject to prior agreement of both the agency and the client, except as provided in the "impossibility of comply" clause.
These general conditions comply with the provisions of Decree-Law 61/2011 of May 6th, as amended by Decree-Law 199/2012 of August 24th.
The general conditions, which refer to an organized trip described in this program, along with the specific conditions provided to the client in the travel documentation at the time of booking, constitute the travel contract that binds the agency and the client.
The technical organization and sale of the activities included on this website are the responsibility of Papa-Léguas, a travel and tourism agency, with home office at Rua Manuel Assunção Mestre, nº22, 7780-199 Castro Verde, registered in the Commercial Registry Office of Lisbon with Taxpayer Identification Number 504163590. It has a share capital of €99,759.60 (ninety-nine thousand, seven hundred and fifty-nine euros and sixty cents). Papa-Léguas is also registered with the National Registry of Travel Agents and Tourism Operators (RNAVT) nº2275 and the National Registry of Tourist Animation Agents (RNAT) nº67/2014.
At the time of registration the client must deposit 30% of the service price, paying the remaining 70% up to 21 days before the service begins. If the registration takes place 21 days or less before the service begins, the total price of the service must be paid at the time of registration. Papa-Léguas, Agência de Viagens e Turismo Lda. reserves the right to cancel any booking that has not been paid for under the conditions mentioned above. Reservations are subject to the obtaining of a confirmation from suppliers for all services.
The prices of tours are presented per person and based on the occupation in a room shared by two people. The organizing agency will group clients who sign up individually for the same tour in pairs, by gender, and in chronological order of registration. Clients who are singled out must pay the respective individual supplement, when required by the service provider.
INFORMATION UNDER LAW N.º 144/2015 OF SEPTEMBER 8:
According to Law No. 144/2015 of September 8th, we inform that the customer may resort to the following Alternative Consumer Dispute Resolution Entities:
i) Customer Authority of Travel and Tourism Agencies at provedorapavt.com;
ii) Arbitration Commission of Tourism in Portugal at turismodeportugal.pt;
iii) Or any of the entities indicated in the list provided by the Directorate-General for Consumer Affairs at http://www.consumidor.pt, which we recommend consulting.
Complaints will only be considered if submitted in writing to the agency within a maximum period of 30 days after the completion of the services.
In the event of a complaint regarding non-compliance with contracted services, the customer may activate the Travel and Tourism Guarantee Fund provided for in DL 61/2011 of May 6, in its current wording, by submitting the respective complaint:
i) To the Customer Authority, as Papa-Léguas, Travel and Tourism Agency Ltd., is a member of the Customer Ombudsman for Travel and Tourism Agencies at www.provedorapavt.com. To benefit from this service, you must submit your written complaint within 20 business days after the end of the trip. Agencies are bound to comply promptly with any decisions issued by this entity.
ii) To Tourism of Portugal I.P. at www.turismodeportugal.pt within 30 days after: (i) the end of the trip; (ii) the cancellation of the trip attributable to the agency; (iii) the date of knowledge of the impossibility of its realization due to the agency; (iv) the closure of the establishment.
iii) To any of the entities listed on the website of the General Directorate for Consumer Affairs at http://www.consumidor.pt.
1) The agency is responsible for the luggage in the legal terms;
2) The Client has the obligation to complain to the service provider at the moment of subtraction, deterioration or destruction of luggage.
3) In international transport, if the luggage is damaged, the complaint must be made in writing to the carrier immediately after the damage is verified, and no later than 7 days after delivery. If the luggage is merely late in delivery, the claim must be made within 21 days from the date of delivery.
4) The presentation of such a claim will be an essential basis for Papa-Léguas, Agência de Viagens e Turismo Lda. to hold responsible the entity providing the service.
The responsibility of the agency will be limited to the maximum amount that can be demanded from the service providers, in accordance with the Montreal Convention of May 28, 1999, on International Air Transport, and the Bern Convention of 1961, on Rail Transport.
Regarding maritime transport, the liability of travel agencies, concerning their clients, for the provision of transport services or accommodation, when applicable, by maritime transport companies, in the event of damages resulting from their willful misconduct or negligence, will be limited to the following amounts:
a) € 441,436, in case of death or physical injury;
b) € 7,881, in case of total or partial loss of baggage or its damage;
c) € 31,424, in case of loss of a motor vehicle, including the baggage contained therein;
d) € 10,375, in case of loss of baggage, whether accompanied or not, contained in a motor vehicle;
e) € 1,097, for damages to baggage resulting from the damage to the motor vehicle.
Where applicable, the liability of travel agencies and tourism for the deterioration, destruction, and theft of baggage or other items in tourist accommodation establishments, while the client is staying there, is limited as follows:
a) € 1,397, in total;
b) € 449 per item;
c) The value declared by the client regarding the items deposited under the custody of the tourist accommodation establishment.
The agency's liability for non-bodily damages may be contractually limited to an amount corresponding to five times the price of the service sold.
For each reservation the following will be charged:
Reservation Expenses:
Alteration Expenses:
For each alteration (names, dates, type of apartment or room, travel, etc) : 50€ (fifty euros). Please note that the acceptance of such changes depends on the acceptance by the respective suppliers.
The client must have their personal or family documentation in good order (identity card, military documentation, authorization for minors, visas, vaccination certificates, and any other documents that may be required). The agency disclaims any responsibility for visa refusal or the client's denial of entry into a foreign country. The client is solely responsible for any costs incurred as a result of such a situation.
Travel in European Union:
Travel outside the European Union:
If the travel suppliers involved allow it, whenever a customer who is registered for a particular trip wishes to change their registration to another trip or the same trip with a different departure date, or any other changes, they must pay a fee as alteration expenses. However, if the change takes place 21 days or less before the departure date of the trip for which the customer is registered, or if the service providers do not accept the change, the customer will be subject to the expenses and charges specified under the “cancellation (termination)” section.
Once the trip has started, if a request is made to change the contracted services for reasons not related to the agency (e.g., extending the number of nights of stay, changing the flight), the prices of the touristic services may not correspond to those published on the website that prompted the contract.
The customer may transfer their registration by being replaced by another person who meets all the required conditions for the trip, provided that they inform the selling agency at least seven days in advance and such transfer is possible under the applicable air transport regulations. In the case of cruises and air travel, the prescribed period will be fifteen days in advance.
The transfer of the registration makes both the transferor and the transferee jointly responsible for the payment of the trip price and any additional charges incurred.
Whenever there are external reasons that justify it, the organizing agency may change the order of the itineraries, modify the departure times, or substitute any of the planned hotels with others of similar category and location. The agency must inform the client of such changes as soon as they become aware of them.
When the tour is dependent on a minimum number of participants the Agency reserves the right to cancel the organized tour if the number of participants reached is less than the minimum. In such cases, the Client will be informed in writing of the cancellation within 15 (fifteen) days.
The prices in the program are based on the costs of services and exchange rates in effect on the date of printing of the program, and are therefore subject to change resulting from variations in the cost of transportation or fuel, duties, taxes, fees, and exchange rate fluctuations up to 20 days prior to the date of departure.
Once the tour has begun, no refund is due for services not used by the client due to unforeseeable circumstances or for reasons attributable to the client, except for refunds by the respective suppliers. Failure to provide services foreseen in the travel program for reasons attributable to the organizing agency and if it is not possible to replace them with equivalent ones, entitles the client receive a refund for the price difference between the originally anticipated services and the services actually provided.
If, prior to the start of the journey and due to circumstances beyond the control of the organizing agency, it becomes unable to fulfill any essential service included in the travel program, the client has the right to cancel the trip and immediately receive a refund of all amounts paid, or alternatively, accept a modification and possible price variation.
If the aforementioned circumstances beyond the control of the organizing agency result in the cancellation of the trip, the client may choose to participate in another organized trip of equivalent price. If the proposed replacement organized trip is of a lower price, the client will be refunded the price difference accordingly.
The client or their companions are free to cancel the trip at any time.
i) Such cancellation implies that the client is responsible for the payment of all charges arising from the beginning of the fulfillment of the contract and their withdrawal, as well as a percentage that can go up to 15% of the price of the trip.
ii) If applicable, the client will be refunded the difference between the amount paid and the aforementioned amounts.
iii) The cancellation of travel services/organized trips whose reservation has been made using the voucher issued under Decree-Law No. 17/2020 of April 23rd is subject to a cancellation fee equal to the price of the service, in order to prevent simulated or fraudulent reservations made solely with the intention of anticipating the receipt of the voucher-entitled values.
If for reasons not attributable to the client, the agency has to cancel the organized tour before the departure date, the client can choose to:
i) Being immediately refunded all amounts paid;
ii) Optionally, choose to participate in another organized tour and be refunded for any difference in price.
The liability of the travel agency organizing the trips included in this program and arising from the assumed obligations is covered by a civil liability insurance policy with Fidelidade Insurance Company, under policy number 9257343, for an amount of 75,000€ (Seventy-five thousand euros), in accordance with the applicable legislation.
The prices mentioned in this program already include the Value Added Tax at the current rate of 23%
This program is valid from 01/01/2025 to 12/31/2025.
Arrival or departure times:
Departure and arrival times are stated in the local time of the respective country of destination and according to respective airline schedules at the time of printing this program, and may therefore be subject to change.
Hotels / Apartments:
Apartments - In case the accommodation is contracted in apartments, the client is responsible for informing the number of people that will occupy the apartment. If there are more people than booked, the apartments may refuse admittance.
Hotels - The prices shown are per person and are based on double occupancy. Not all hotels have triple rooms and usually an extra bed is placed in the room, which may not be of equal quality. In rooms equipped with two beds or a double bed, the triple may consist only of those beds.
The list of hotels and apartments in the program is indicative, as is their category, which is based on local criteria and classifications that are sometimes different from those used in your home country.
Meals:
Unless otherwise indicated, the prices shown for the Half Board and Full Board supplements do not include drinks.
On arrivals at the hotel after 7PM the first meal service will be breakfast the next day, on the last day and except for the possibility of late check-out, the last service of the hotel will be breakfast.
Check-in and check-out times:
The check-in and check-out times on the first and last day, will be defined according to the first and last service. As a rule, without binding character, the rooms can be used from 2PM on the day of arrival and should be left free by noon (12PM) on the day of departure.
In the apartments, the entry takes place generally at 5PM on the day of arrival and must be left free by 10AM on the day of departure.
Special conditions for children:
Given the conditions applied for children (destination and provider) it is recommended to always question the special conditions that may apply to the tour in question.
Insurance:
The agency offers the sale of insurance that can be purchased depending on the tour to guarantee assistance situations and cancellation expenses.
See our full Data Protection and Privacy Policy here.
The necessary documentation may vary, depending on your nationality, the country of origin and the places you will travel to. For further information, consult the relevant embassy websites or contact Papa-Léguas.
For this trip, Papa-Léguas arranges a “group flight” and provides you with its simulation. You may purchase the flight through Papa-Léguas, another agency, or online.
Transfers are not included for those arriving at a different time than the “group flight,” but you can request an additional transfer from Papa-Léguas.
This is a journey of adventure and cultural discovery. The tour leader is an experienced individual familiar with the destination country, possessing a network of contacts and knowledge that ensures unique cultural interaction and experiences. His mission is to guide the group throughout the trip, facilitating interaction and integration with the local communities.
The role of the tour leader should never be confused with that of a tour guide. The leader is not expected to have specific knowledge about monuments, museums, or other points of tourist interest.
If your trip includes sites that, due to their historical, geological, biological, or artistic complexity, require a guide, one will be hired in advance, and explicit reference to their presence will be included in your trip program.
Before departure, Papa-Léguas will create a WhatsApp group to enable simple and smooth communication between travelers and the tour leader. If you do not agree with this action, please let us know.
Estamos a preparar o seu programa de viagem.
Aguarde por favor...
Being a country made up of 99% ocean and 1% land, the main tourist attractions are to be found in the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, where you can observe the underwater paradise – from the smallest “Nemos” (clownfish) to the majestic mantas and whale sharks, a highlight of any Maldives vacation.
On this adventure, you’ll fall in love with the underwater world, just as our tour leader Carla Marques did on her first trip to the Maldives.
For the fourth year running (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023), the Maldives has been recognized as one of the best tourist destinations in the world by the World Travel Awards.
As a Muslim country, the consumption of alcohol is not permitted.
Flight to Malé, Maldives, with an intermediate stopover.
Night on board.
Visa processing for entry into the country (at no additional cost) upon arrival at the airport.
Arrival in Malé, the largest city in the Maldives and its capital, with a high population density of around 80,000 inhabitants. Transfer by speedboat to Ukulhas, a local island approximately 70 km (43 miles) away from Malé. The journey will take approximately 2 hours.
Ukulhas is an eco-friendly "green island," home to about 1,300 locals. It is located in the Alif Alif Atoll, with dimensions of 1 km in length and 225 m in width. Tourism in Ukulhas began only in 2012.
Upon arrival in Ukulhas, we will be greeted with a welcome drink.
Check-in at our hotel, followed by a walking tour of the island, and the rest of the day is free. A group lunch or dinner (not included) is suggested, during which the trip leader will present the week's itinerary to the group.
In the late afternoon, we can enjoy the sunset on the beach located right in front of our hotel.
After breakfast, we will embark on a full-day boat trip to Thoddoo Island, considered one of the largest agricultural islands in the Maldives. Thoddoo measures 2 km in length and 1 km in width, with about one-third of the island dedicated to agricultural plantations. It is the largest producer of watermelons in the Maldives.
Thoddoo was opened to tourism only in 2015.
We will visit the island and have free time to enjoy lunch, relax on the beach, and snorkel at the turtle beach. This excursion will last approximately 7 hours.
Free morning to enjoy the beach on Ukulhas Island.
In the afternoon, we will take a boat trip to an Abandoned Resort, an island where a private resort once stood. The infrastructure of what was once a luxury resort remains, making for a fascinating visit where we can observe the overwater bungalows and the remaining structures. Only 2 inhabitants live on the island.
On this day, we will take a boat trip to swim with Manta Rays, considered one of the largest animals in the ocean, with wingspans reaching up to 7 meters and weighing 2 tons. We will stop at a "manta cleaning station," where the mantas gather to be "cleaned." This spot consists of rocks in the middle of the ocean, home to a high concentration of small fish that feed on parasites living on the mantas' skin.
After observing the mantas, we will swim with sharks in an area where they are being fed. On our way back, we will stop at a sandbank, a stretch of sand surrounded by crystal-clear water, where we can enjoy another piece of paradise.
Today, we will embark on a boat trip that will allow us to visit three local islands: Feridhoo, Mathiveri, and Folhudhoo. On each island, we will have free time to explore, with a stop of about 1 hour on each island.
This trip provides an opportunity to learn more about Maldivian culture and the local customs of each island.
New Year's Eve Special Dinner: On the last day of the year, we will have a special New Year's Eve dinner. Since the Maldives is a Muslim country, New Year's celebrations do not take place on January 31st. Some restaurants prepare a special dinner for tourists, and there may be fireworks either on the island or nearby islands. The highlight of this New Year's Eve is the chance to welcome the new year by diving into the crystal-clear waters of the Maldives, with water temperatures around 30°C—a unique way to celebrate, without champagne, but with a dip in the sea.
Free morning.
On this day, we will have the opportunity to snorkel at one of the most beautiful reefs, the Kuramathi Reef, where we can observe turtles, various species of rays, and blacktip and whitetip sharks. Due to the proximity of this reef to Rasdhoo Island, we will also have the chance to explore another local island. We will have free time for a dive and a walking tour of the island.
Transfer by speedboat from Ukulhas to Malé. This journey will take approximately 2 hours.
Upon arrival in Malé, we will have a transfer to our hotel in the city.
We will check in at the hotel and then head out for a walking tour of Malé. The tour will include visits to the Tsunami Monument, a stroll through the Sultan Park, a stop by the Muliaage Palace (the official residence of the
President of the Maldives), and a view of the Victory Monument.
Free time for shopping.
Visit to the local fish market and the local fruit and vegetable market.
Free time for final shopping and return to your accommodation for luggage collection and transfer to Malé airport to fly back to your city of origin.
Note: the arrival date may vary, depending on your origin city. If you have any doubts, contact Papa-Léguas for further clarification.
The trip was fantastic, a dream! I had the dream of going to the Maldives, but to a resort and sleeping in the houses on the water, but with this trip I realized that this is a mistake! The Maldives isn't just about the resorts, it's about the beauty and the experiences that this trip gave us, because we got to know many islands, the people, the customs and the wonders of the sea that Carla showed us. In a resort I would never have had this opportunity and I would still have had a very wrong image of these wonderful islands that are so worth seeing.
