| A few months ago, in March 2009, my boyfriend | | | | intro dive, we saw some great marine life including |
| James and I went on what I can only describe as | | | | a Moray Eel, a couple of Turtles, a big group of |
| the holiday of a lifetime in the Maldives. For the | | | | Blue Stripe Snappers and a lot of Glassfish. That |
| last 10 years, since our first holiday together to | | | | was it for the first day, and everyone was tired |
| the Bay Islands of Honduras, where we got | | | | from travelling, so we relaxed, chatted with the |
| certified as SCUBA divers, we have been keen | | | | crew and other divers, mainly about previous |
| "holiday-divers". By this, I mean that we only dive | | | | diving holidays, and tucked into a delicious meal of |
| once or twice a year, while on holiday. It's a great | | | | Asian-style shrimp kebabs, salads and rice. It was |
| hobby, because it encourages us to travel | | | | absolutely delicious and we all crossed our fingers |
| somewhere different each year. So far, we have | | | | that every meal would be this tasty. |
| been to Egypt, Thailand, Florida, Mexico, Australia | | | | We spent the first two days of the trip cruising |
| and Malaysia, and all of the trips have been | | | | around the North Male and North Ari Atolls, visiting |
| amazing. However, our trip to the Maldives | | | | such dive sites as Nassimo Thila, Rasfari, Rasdhoo |
| eclipsed all other holidays in terms of comfort, | | | | Madivaru and Makaru Thila. Highlights from these |
| service and most importantly, the marine life we | | | | sites were the amazing Manta Rays at Rasfari. |
| saw there. | | | | While diving, we saw loads of Mantas getting |
| Travel to the Maldives is expensive, especially if | | | | cleaned and some batfish playing around the reef. |
| you stay in one of the many gorgeous resorts, | | | | Then, after the dive, we went for a short snorkel |
| some of which are at least US$ 500 per night! As | | | | around the site, and saw even more Mantas - |
| keen divers, when we were looking at the many | | | | maybe the same ones - they are such majestic |
| options, it made sense to choose a liveaboard | | | | and peaceful creatures, and so big, it's quite |
| holiday. Until we started researching, I didn't realize | | | | unbelievable. Another memorable site of the first |
| how very big the Maldives are. They cover an | | | | few days was Ghangethi Pass, where we saw a |
| area of about 300 square kilometers, so if you | | | | group of 30 White Tip Reef Sharks of various |
| want to visit a good selection of dive sites, | | | | sizes, an enormous Manta Ray, maybe 5 metres |
| staying in a resort is not feasible because you end | | | | across and a very cool Leopard Shark, something |
| up spending so much of your time in the dive | | | | I had never seen before. |
| boat travelling to and from the dive sites and less | | | | All of the sites were teeming with beautiful marine |
| time actually diving. With the liveaboard option, | | | | life. If we didn't see one of the 'big creatures', we |
| you simply cruise around the archipelago on the | | | | would always see a lot of pretty reef-fish, tiny |
| main liveaboard and then jump into the smaller | | | | invertebrates, gorgeous corals and usually some |
| dive Dhoni that travels alongside the main | | | | big pelagic species as well. The main star of our |
| liveaboard for every dive. This is great, because | | | | trip was definitely the Manta Ray, at some of the |
| the smaller boat can get to shallower waters - so | | | | sites there would be just one or two, but in |
| closer to the actual dive sites - and all the | | | | others there would be 30-50. We had never seen, |
| equipment is kept on board the Dhoni so you | | | | or even imagined, so many Manta Rays in one |
| don't have to drag it anywhere. Simply get into | | | | place. |
| the Dhoni, put on your gear, and jump in the | | | | Our night dive came on the fourth day of our trip |
| water. Of all the diving trips we have ever been | | | | at a site called Maaya Thila. Night diving is always |
| on, we have never had such an easy experience. | | | | an interesting experience and I think it's the one |
| One thing's for sure, the Maldives has definitely | | | | instance where even seasoned scuba divers feel |
| spoiled us! | | | | a little nervous. It's one thing being in the ocean |
| There is a wide variety of liveaboards in the | | | | when you can see, but surrounded by such an |
| Maldives, all of which offer differing levels of | | | | intense darkness is always a little intimidating and |
| comfort and amenities according to their price. | | | | gives that extra adrenaline buzz. The behaviour of |
| While our budget wasn't enough to get us one of | | | | the fish is a little different at night, when most of |
| the fanciest resorts, we were able to get one of | | | | them do their hunting. We saw a team of White |
| the higher end liveaboard boats. So, we chose the | | | | Tip Reef Sharks looking for some dinner and a |
| Island Safari 2 Royal, mainly because it looks like | | | | Moray Eel, out of his hole in the reef and |
| one of those cool private yachts you see in | | | | swimming around a Turtle, as well as a beautiful |
| places like Monaco and Key West. After all, when | | | | Lionfish and the usual phosphorescent plankton. |
| else are we going to get to spend a week living | | | | Very cool! |
| like kings for a fraction of the cost of renting a | | | | The next evening, we visited a local community |
| yacht like that? So, we booked for a 7-night | | | | on one of the islands. It's very interesting to see |
| "Scuba Safari". | | | | how these people live such a simple live life, totally |
| Our trip began with a long 14-hour flight from | | | | in harmony with their environment. Every source |
| London to Male International Airport, connecting in | | | | of protein that they eat comes from the ocean, |
| Qatar. Long flights are something that we have | | | | and is usually served with a coconut or some |
| grown accustomed to since our love affair with | | | | other fruit that grows naturally on their island. |
| scuba diving began. Unfortunately, living in the UK, | | | | They did some traditional dances for us and we |
| if you want tropical waters and the best coral | | | | bought some nice souvenirs from them. This |
| reefs in the world, long flights are part and parcel. | | | | seems to be their main source of income, apart |
| One good thing about London is that flights out of | | | | from what they make by selling their catches at |
| here are some of the cheapest in the world. Our | | | | market in Male or to resorts around the islands. |
| flight to the Maldives cost just over US$1,000, | | | | The last two days of the liveaboard safari, we |
| which we thought was pretty reasonable. Once | | | | spent around the South Ari and Vaavu Atolls, |
| we arrived in Male, we were met at the airport | | | | where the highlights were Fotteyo and Cocoa |
| by a representative from Island Safari 2 Royal, | | | | Thila. At Fotteyo we saw a group of dolphins |
| and were taken to the boat, which left from Male. | | | | come through, which is really unusual while scuba |
| We boarded the boat and waited a short while | | | | diving. We also saw some beautiful Eagle Rays |
| for all the remaining guests to arrive and then we | | | | and some of the best coral reef we had seen all |
| set off. | | | | week. This was a great opportunity for the |
| The boat was absolutely gorgeous. Even better | | | | underwater photographers in the group to take |
| than it had appeared in the photos! There are 8 | | | | some beautiful shots of the coral with the reef |
| rooms and 2 suites on board, and we chose the | | | | fish and pelagic species in the foreground. Sun |
| suite because it has a bathtub, and both James | | | | Island in the South Ari Atoll was one of the most |
| and I love taking a bath after a day's diving. I | | | | important sites of the whole trip, as it was the |
| think people underestimate the physical exertion | | | | only site where we saw Whale Sharks in the |
| of scuba diving; it's not a question of just floating | | | | whole trip, which is one of the big draws of the |
| around in the water. I mean, you're swimming for | | | | Maldives. There were actually two different Whale |
| several hours a day on a scuba holiday, so you | | | | Sharks at this location and they were HUGE! |
| get really worn out. Our suite was gorgeous, with | | | | All in all, the diving was superb, we saw far more |
| a nice big window so we woke up to views of | | | | creatures than I could ever mention here. |
| the amazing turquoise waters of the Maldives and | | | | Because a lot of guests leave the Maldives |
| seemingly permanent sunshine and spectacular | | | | directly from the liveaboard safari, there can be |
| sunsets. The rest of the boat was also gorgeous, | | | | no diving on the last day, because it's not safe to |
| with a nice dining room, that was slightly more | | | | fly so soon after scuba diving, so we spent the |
| formal than you might expect, two comfortable | | | | day snorkeling in the morning and then shopping in |
| lounge areas for relaxing and watching television | | | | Male in the afternoon. Male is a very congested |
| and a really big outer deck, perfect for | | | | city, and is definitely not the place to spend your |
| sunbathing, my second favourite pastime after | | | | Maldives holiday, but it's worth spending a day |
| scuba diving! There's nothing like returning to grim | | | | there just to check it out. The fish market is |
| England with an outrageous suntan. | | | | particularly interesting and you see how all the |
| Once all the guests were on board, we set sail | | | | fishermen from around the islands come in with |
| towards the first dive site; it was early afternoon, | | | | their day's catch and the resorts from around the |
| so we would have time for the introductory dive | | | | nation buy it up and carry it back to feed their |
| on the first day. Before that, we were given a | | | | hungry guests. |
| delicious welcome cocktail (non-alcoholic since we | | | | We chose to extend our trip by a couple of days |
| were going diving) and got to meet all the other | | | | and take advantage of these gorgeous resorts |
| guests. We had a very international group with | | | | and fully relax after our fantastic liveaboard |
| another couple from the UK, a group of 4 from | | | | adventure. We chose the Coco Palm, Dhuni Kolhu, |
| Italy and a couple from Germany. While the crew | | | | because it was only 30 minutes from the airport |
| spoke German, English and a little Italian, English | | | | and we didn't want to have to travel too much. |
| was the dominant language onboard, and since all | | | | We were more interested in the relaxing |
| the guests were fluent, there was no language | | | | massages at the spa and the over-water |
| barrier. Needless to say, James, I and the other | | | | bungalow. When you look at the Maldives in the |
| Brits had no language skills to offer up, so we | | | | travel brochure or on the internet, it's the |
| were relieved! Our first dive was the introductory | | | | over-water rooms that catch the eye, so it |
| dive where everyone gets to recap on their | | | | seemed almost wrong to leave without spending |
| diving skills and basically prove to the crew that | | | | at least one night sleeping in one. Our last two |
| we are all capable scuba divers. Currents in the | | | | days at Coco Palm were totally breathtaking, so |
| Maldives can be strong, so you really need to | | | | much so, it's going to be hard to find a |
| have some scuba experience to make the most | | | | honeymoon retreat more perfect than this one! |
| of a diving holiday here. Everyone on board had a | | | | After two nights at Coco Palm, we transferred |
| lot of diving experience and we all had at least an | | | | back to Male Airport ready to board our flight |
| Advanced Open Water certification, so we had no | | | | back to grim, dreary London. James and I loved |
| problems at all. | | | | the Maldives, everything about it, and we really |
| We took the intro dive at Hanns Reef on the | | | | hope to return one day, sooner rather than later. |
| North Male Atoll, and even though it was just the | | | | |