The Maldives is famous as a picture-perfect holiday destination, but sadly most visitors remain marooned on the white sandy beaches and crystal clear lagoons of their luxury resort islands – oblivious to the rich and diverse local cultural experiences they could be enjoying. For those seeking an insight into the real Maldives beyond the manicured beaches, bespoke travel experts Experience Travel Group recommends an eye-opening trip to see Eid Kulhivaru – a four-day national celebration of the Islamic holiday Eid Ul Adha featuring spectacular street performances, Mashi Maali 'ghosts of mud' parades, feasts, and Bodu Beru drumming and dancing.

A key date in the Islamic calendar, Eid Ul Adha marks the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, and is a time for Muslims to give thanks for Allah's blessings. The annual holiday occurs in September or October and each year the Maldivian Government chooses one island to host the country's main celebration of the festival.  Eid Ul Adha falls on 23 September this year, and bespoke holiday specialist Experience Travel Group can organise trips for inquisitive visitors to experience the Maldives' unique Eid Kulhivaru festivities first-hand.

Packages cost from £1,325 per person and include seven nights' bed and breakfast, return flights from the UK, seaplane transfers and ATOL bonding.  Please note that the Eid celebrations are only finalised by the Maldivian government about a month in advance. Travellers are advised to contact Experience Travel Group to plan a tailor-made itinerary based around the festival. For further information and reservations, please call 020 3468 6268 or visit www.experiencetravelgroup.com.

Experience Travel Group specialises in bespoke holidays for passionate travellers. Offering adventures in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysian Borneo and Indonesia, Experience Travel Group expertly tailor-makes trips that enrich their clients' travel experiences.

For more information about Experience Travel Group, please visit the website, or find out what the team has been up to recently by checking out their blog or Twitter page.

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 Notes to Editors:

Founded in 2004 by Tom Armstrong and Sam Clark, Experience Travel Group has grown from featuring Sri Lanka to also specialise in Thailand, Laos, Malaysian Borneo, Burma (Myanmar), Maldives and the 17,000 islands of Indonesia.  Intimate knowledge of these destinations, combined with its engaging, enriching service ethos and an ability to create extra-ordinary local experiences, sets Experience Travel Group apart from the rest.

Experience Travel Group is a fully bonded ATOL agent (ATOL number 9324); a member of ABTA (membership number Y544X); and a member of AITO. The company's Sustainable Travel Policy is about continual improvement, monitoring and evaluation, and is available online at www.experiencetravelgroup.com/info/responsible-travel.

For further press information please contact:

Zoe Slater (zoe@bacall.net) or Nat Frogley (nat@bacall.net)

Bacall Associates  
Web: www.bacallassociates.co.uk  Tel: 08704 288 401