Maldives Reviews

Imagine the Fun You Will Have on a Scuba Diving Liveaboard Journey

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:23:49 +0000

Have you ever thought about taking an exotic vacation? Somewhere far away from the hotels the theater shows and the malls? Then think about a scuba diving liveaboard journey!

When you choose a scuba diving “liveaboard” journey, you are not just taking a scuba diving adventure. You literally live aboard the cruiser—for days on end! It’s the perfect vacation because it is a cross between a cruise ship luxury holiday and an outdoor adventure complete with scuba diving, snorkeling and many other activities.

You Will Have Plenty to See

What can you expect from liveaboard scuba diving? First, never feel threatened. In fact, it’s sometimes annoying how often the crew does safety checks, just to make sure no one is ever faced with adangerous situation. Then, the crew takes you aboard one of the ships (there are several, and each contains its own personality and level of luxury), and then chart a course. Along the way, you will get
to see spectacular scenery involving the best of Maldives, including the ocean, islands and marine life from above the surface of the water.

Now when it’s actually time to scuba liveaboard style, you will see unbelievable sights, like rainbow-colored coral reefs and aquatic animals. What are some of the species of life to look forward to? We’re talking whale sharks, manta rays, reef sharks, napoleon wrasse and many other smaller fish. You will literally see schools of fish passing by your head and the colors are unimaginable. It’s definitely something to experience!

You Will Have Plenty To Do

However, the point of scuba liveaboards adventures is that there is more to see than just underwater life. You can also come back to the cruise and enjoy hotel-quality cabins, lots of space to move around in, social activities, cooked meals, drinks and a very friendly staff. Comfortable home settings wait for you here, such as air-conditioned rooms and hot showers. Imagine what it would be like to spend a night under the stars and looking into the sky from the ocean with your sweetheart!

Besides luxurious amenities you can also enjoy an island visit for dinner, volleyball and football games (the staff is always eager to play!) and even snorkeling activities if scuba diving is too deep a thought for you. There is also plenty of fishing activity to enjoy and you can catch red snapper, barracuda, tuna, jackfish and grouper, all of which the cook will make into a fine meal immediately after your catch.

Although carrying alcoholic beverages aboard is banned, you can still enjoy drinks courtesy of a licensed and trained bartender. Airport travel is also provided, including a trip to and from the airport. Safety is always a top priority here, as there is no diving activities scheduled in the last 24 hours of the trip, just to make sure guests are ready to fly.

Why not come experience an exotic vacation like no other? It’s not just an adventure, it is an adventure and a spiritual journey!

Imagine the Fun You Will Have on a Scuba Diving Liveaboard Journey is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Top 10 Dive Sites

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 11:12:16 +0000

Nassimo Thila is one of the top 10 dive sites. Nassimo Thila is an oval-shaped Thila displaying a good variety of colourful, soft corals. The most interesting aspect of Nassimo Thila is the randomly scattered pinnacles. Spend as much time as possible around the scattered pinnacles but limit your depth to maximize bottom time as the scattered pinnacles go down to more than 30 meters. Currents at Nassimo Thila scuba diving site are usually strong, so it is only recommended for advanced divers. Depending on the strength of the currents, many pelagics can be seen near the coral reef at Nassimo Thila or in the deeper water just off the reefs, including Giant Trevallies, Jacks, Dogtooth Tuna and many more. A surface balloon is a must as the dive site is subjected to heavy boat traffic from the nearby resort island.

Last minute specials for Southern Sharks Cruise…

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Just in… 2 incredible last minute offers on-board the MV Aquarius on a VERY unique Southern Sharks cruise.

This area is very secluded and remote. There are only 2 resorts in the area and almost NO other boats or divers at this dive site.

This is an unspoiled area with masses of sharks and amazing hard corals, a site not to be missed!!!

January 23^rd – 30^th – Last Minute Steal!
Cruise: “Southern Sharks”
Price: USD $999 per person (includes 6% T-GST tax)
Atolls: Laamu, Huvadhoo, Formulak, Addu
Boarding Point: Kadhdhoo, Laamu Atoll
Disembark: Gan, Addu Atoll
Domestic Flights: Clients need to purchase additional domestic flights Male/Kadhdhoo and Gan/Male. These flights (approx. US$ 360 return) can be booked on here or we would be happy to do it for you!

February 6^th – 13^th – 7 nights for the price of 6!
Price: USD 1.177 per person inclusive 6% T-GST.
Cruise: “Southern Sharks”
Atolls: Laamu, Huvadhoo, Formulak, Addu
Boarding Point: Kaadedhdhoo, Huvadhoo
Disembark: Gan, Addu Atoll
Domestic Flights: Clients need to purchase additional domestic flights Male/ Kaadedhdhoo and Gan/Male. These flights (approx. US$ 360 return) can be booked on here or we would be happy to do it for you!

Book now before we are sold out.

Last minute specials for Southern Sharks Cruise… is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Vacation Resorts in Maldives

admin — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:47:32 +0000

The Maldives is a true destination of pleasure leisure and relaxation. With a beautiful coast line and bustling inner city Maldives is the place to visit. Where is the Maldives, the Maldives are located just south of Sri Lanka. Between scuba diving, walking the beaches, and its inner cities what else is there to know about Maldives.

Top Diving Sites

admin — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 13:22:08 +0000

Okobe Thila is one of the top diving sites around the Maldives. Okobe Thila is one of the most uniquely shaped Thilas in the North Male Atoll and it comprises three large coral heads. Usually the boat is fixed to the mooring on these dive sites and divers use the mooring as both the descent and ascent line. Once divers reach the end of the line at Okobe Thila, they start swimming towards the up-current. If the current allows, divers can zigzag from one coral head to the other while observing the fish life, which commonly includes Eagle Rays, Jacks, Tuna, Napoleon Wrasse and Bannerfish. A surface balloon is a must to dive at Okobe Thila.

Scuba Dive Sites

admin — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:23:05 +0000

As far as scuba dive sites go, Maalhos Thila is up there. Maalhos Thila is strictly only suitable for experienced advanced divers. The best part of this dive locations is deeper than 25-metres. It is possible to dive at Maalhos Thila both when the current is incoming and outgoing. The main attractions at Maalhos Thila are the coral heads found about 28-29 metres below the surface. There are three large coral heads and these are covered with spectacularly-coloured soft coral. Close to the coral heads, you will see Giant Sweetlips and the bottom of the channel is a resting ground for White Tip Reef Sharks. The caves and overhangs at Maalhos Thila are filled with blue color soft coral and extra cloud of yellow brought by the Blue Striped Snappers (Lutjanus Kasmira). The top of the reef displays a good diversity of hard coral and it’s worth spending sometime here before the end of the dive. A safety balloon is a must at Maalhos Thila especially when the current is running out of the Atoll.

MY THEIA Dive Cruise Report

admin — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 20:43:04 +0000

Looking back after a diving week in the Maldives with the MY Theia, I had a tremendous experience and lots of great encounters.

Walking off the plane from cold Vienna and being embraced by the very hot and very humid Maldivian climate in my winter outfit was my first experience. OK, the experienced travelers bring their tropical clothes in their carry on luggage and step out of the restroom in shorts and tank tops before landing, but not me

We got picked up from the airport and headed off to start our liveaboard dive trip for the week on board the MY Theia. The ride to the boat was about 10 minutes, and wow – what a boat!! 15 divers with more than enough space on board, cabins were king size and beautiful. We met on deck for briefing, hanging out with the guests and crew with 2 great bunches of the world´s best bananas – I became an addict.

1st dive, Check gear dive at the outer reef, almost no current but turtles, 2 murray eels and 2 white tip juvenile sharks – my best check dive so far. I like the liveaboard dive system, gear remains on the dive boat where tanks get filled during the trip, no carrying the equipment around.

2nd dive at a manta “cleaning station” where herds of small fish with beaklike snouts provide tweak out parasits-service to big fish like mantas on eastern outer reef of north male atoll. After 5 minutes close to the station 2 medium size mantas turned up out of nowhere and gave us a great show. Perfect photo op for cameras

For the next dive at Rasdhoo, a small atoll between south & north male and ari atoll, we were late but were still able to dive which turned night dive for the 2nd half.  The outer reef on Rasdhoo east side is a great location. Dive guide local Mikey found a camouflage colored 2´ leaf fish doddering under an overhang, don’t know how he spotted it, but we were sure glad he did. Divers from another boat took advantage also, we had our very own paparazzi

Next morning, same place but 50 m out into the blue before sunrise – the main hammer head area in the Maldives. We went down about 25-30m… waiting, looking around, down and up – at this time we had about a 50% statistical chance of no encounter. No hammerheads today, maybe another time Up to the dive boat and back to Theia for breakfast. I LOVED the meal schedule – early morning dive at 7am after only coffee and crackers, after the dive a serious breakfast with all egg varieties and fruits tasting great after a good dive.

Next dive same place at the colorful reef with the great fish life and then we proceeded 2hrs to the Maayya Thila inside north Ari Atoll. A “Thila” is a kind of shallow inside atolls raging from 4-6 m. This one is home of greys reef, white tip sharks, big murray eels, sting rays and turtles.   We did a night dive here as well, and it was one of best night dives ever – I tend to overlap night dives as they use to be done on good safe but boring sites – but Hussen, the ship manager convinced everybody that it´s not always like that, and he was so right.   Descending into a melting pot of white tips, murray eels, barracudas and sting rays hunting the thila mainly for restless fussilier schools which move over the thila top like a kind of liquid, in between an occasional stone fish (undetectable fish finding Mikey again) and sleeping turtles in overhangs on the side of the thila – a most memorable experience.

Next day 1st dive was at Makaruh thila, similar topography as Maayya thila with great coral growth on the top and in the overhangs around at 8-15m. The home of small fish like gobis, blennies and a cute sleeping baby white tip between 2 table coral storeys.  At the up current side 2 cruising grey reef sharks, big fish seem to be mainly up current wherever you are if its a “thila” or a channel, a “kandhu” between open see and an atoll.

The next dive, Malhoss Thila, known as Blue Caves was my week´s favorite in respect of UW landscape and colors. 200m deep overhang adjusted with clear blue soft corals, schools of blue stripe snappers hang out in their blue living room. At the top of broken out coral blocks of extreme coral growth diversity of 2 grey reefs. On the sandy bottom a bunch of white tips sleeping and swaying in the smooth current.  3rd dive at the Thila with a swim thru chimney and zillions of glass fish forming different shapes. Who is the boss? Again a busy camera matter.

One main safari issue: whale shark. Cruising along the south side of Ari Atoll was really valuable – the crew watching from atop of the Theia for whale shark shapes and shadows near the outer reefs at some 10m depth were successful. We dropped close to the first whale shark, we had the honor of snorkeling with this 10m giant  until my legs failed to move, a condition challenge.  After getting picked up by the dive boat we continued to a dive site called Maamigilli Kandhu and were happy to encounter 2 whale sharks coming out of the atoll at slow speed which made it possible to follow even with dive gear. 10 memorable minutes with this gentle beast, a literally breath taking devotional dive.

Next dive which took us to the house reef north west of Dhigurah delivered another manta ray encounter + a king size sting ray hunting on the top reef – seriously productive dive again. Seems rays and shark have all 5 gills. On the way back from dive site to the Theia, some of the fitter divers went snorkeling with 2 further mantas who were cruising the lagoon of Dhigurah island near the night anchorage.

Next days diving an the Kudarah Thila in the middle of Dhigurah Channel showed a stunning landscape with tremendous rich fish life. Herds of trevallies cruising around, school of blue stripes, scorpion fish dwelling in their camouflage in spite of one who probably failed primary camouflage school, so I found it without Mikey. Good models as they hardly move and they have the most characteristic profile.

Famous last dive – Ranveli corner north of Dangheti on the east side of south Ari atoll. Good visibility, school of eagle rays, trevallies, white tips and turtles.   I forgot the Raadhigaa Thila north of Raadhigaa island – an unspoilt shallow well exposed to currents in the Mandhu channel on the middle Ari atolls west side. Its like coral bleaching never took place. Pristine hard corals on the top reef, great overhangs with swim throughs on the south side, fantastic UW-landscape.

In summary – one week was not enough, without obligations I would have booked next week. The chefs from sri lanka did a great job, the service, the….ah well, everything!!! I just don’t have anything to complain about.

Jan Bouzon Vienna

MY THEIA Dive Cruise Report is a post from: Maldives Blog

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Top Dive Sites in the World

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:20:20 +0000

A list of top dive sites in the world should no doubt contain Makunudhoo Kandu (Kuda Faru) – the Maldives dive site. Makunudhoo Kandu, located in Kuda Faru, is a popular 2km stretch in the Maldives, which has several diving locations. The entire north face has been declared a protected marine area, and Kuda Faru is one of the highlight in this region. Kuda Faru is a well-coveted dive site Maldives, shaped like a finger extending into the channel about 500 meters from the outside corner of Makunudhoo Kandu. The reef is almost like a thila, with the top at 13 meters, somewhat oval in shape and around 50 meters long. It is separated from the main reef by a sand saddle at 15 meters. The thila protrudes into Makunudhoo Kandu for quite a distance on the southern side. The northern face however, is the optimal spot for viewing white-tip reef sharks and grey reef sharks. When the current is strong, divers can hang onto the dead coral around this point and look over the deep sand valley where as many as 20 sharks can be seen at any given time, many of them juvenile.

Scuba Diving Sites

admin — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:17:16 +0000

Vattaru Kandu – on of the best scuba diving sites in the Maldives. The dive site in Maldives Vattaru Kandu is a protected marine area, located in the channel south of Vattaru Atoll. Vattaru is a small rounded atoll towards the south of Felidhe Atoll, about 45 minutes from Rakeedhoo. The island corner is the premier top dive site for diving in this location. The outside corner declines very sharply to about 45 meters, then steadily slopes to a deep sandy bottom where you will often find big sea fans and leopard sharks. The entrance of the channel is at around 32 meters, around which there are several caves and overhangs, not to mention outside of which, where you will find even more caves, ledges and overhangs. Near this corner, most caves are between 10 and 20 meters.

Best Dive Sites in World

admin — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 01:58:14 +0000

The best dive sites in world must include the Maldives dive locations. The reef top houses a great balance of hard and soft coral and the outer slopes contain many sponges, seawhips and seafans. No wonder that Makunudhoo Kandu is regarded as one of the best scuba dive spots in the world. Between the months of November and May you will often see eagle rays gliding through the area. At around 27 meters there is a large overhang, a popular location for squirrelfish, turtles, napoleon and nurse sharks. Be wary that currents are funneled through the sand saddle at highly accelerated speeds. Even the slightest current can potentially become a swift torrent. Strong ingoing currents may render the swim back to the main reef difficult, so a safety balloon should always be on hand in case you require and open water safety stop.