Posted by: Vineet Bansal
7 Excursions You Have to Take in the
Maldives
Maldives is famous for its
incredible blue sea, coral reefs that are every diver’s dream come true, white
sand beaches and its luxury private island-resorts. This place might also be
well known as the world best honeymoon destination, but there is so much more
to that then just lying on the beach on a private island.
DIVE WITH MANTA RAYS AND TURTLES
Diving is by far the best
activity you can do in the Maldives. If you want to dive deeper, but you are
not certified, you should know that you can receive your PADI certificate in
pretty much all the resorts in Maldives. Most of the resorts have diving
schools where the staff will provide you with all the necessary materials for
your open water certificate. It usually only takes you 3 days to receive it and
the price varies, starting from about 500 USD.
GO ISLAND HOPPING
If you are curious about the
lives that the real Maldivians have, you should take an island hopping tour. During
the tour, you will visit a local island, interact with some locals and get to
know how they live, what they eat, where they go to school to and what they
build their houses from (a cement-like powder made of shells apparently). The
truth is, staying in a luxury resort will never give you a full understanding
of how real life is in the Maldives.
SURFING THE WAVES OF THE INDIAN OCEAN
Yes, apparently you can. A boat will take you to the place where waves are strong enough for this and you can surf the day away if you wish to do. No crowds at all and the feeling of adventure is guaranteed. Actually, the waves of the Indian Ocean are super powerful, as the swell normally reaches a shoulder-to-head height and you can catch some really long waves. It is perfect for intermediate but also pro surfers. If you are a complete beginner, most of the resorts can organize lessons with instructors for you.
SNORKEL WITH SEA STARS
My diving instructor told me
that when you snorkel, you are a guest in the ocean for all its inhabitants,
but when you dive, you are one of them.
Being a guest was not that bad either. If you do not want/do not like to dive,
in many places in the Maldives you do not even need any special diving
equipment to see underwater life. Most of the hotels are located on the reef . You
will see schools of tropical fish and maybe even more if you are lucky enough.
The snorkeling equipment was provided free of charge in all the resorts I have
been to, but you can also bring your own just in case.
SPOT DOLPHINS OR WHALE SHARKS ON A
SUNSET BOAT TOUR
Yet again, the Maldives is,
probably, one of the best places in the world to visit if you want to see whale
sharks or dolphins. So, do not miss on this incredible opportunity while you
are there. On our dolphin tour, we were very lucky to see 8-10 dolphins playing
around the boat and following us for about 40 minutes. Keep your eyes open for
flying fish, manta rays and whale sharks too. Together with a spectacular
sunset and a glass of champagne that
was the recipe for a perfect evening.
GO TO A SUNSET FISHING CRUISE
The sea remains an integral
part of the existence of the Maldivian nation and if you want to learn the
ancient art of traditional Maldivian fishing, you should take this tour.
Although the idea of fishing might sound a bit boring in the beginning, I
wholeheartedly recommend it. It does not matter if you have no clue how to
fish, or you are a pro fisherman, you will surely have a lot of fun during this
tour. You will take a short boat ride just before the sunset. The crew will
explain to you the technique, which is very simple.
VISIT A DESERTED ISLAND
Not in all cases, but some
hotels can also take you to an inhabited island if you wish. Now, this is
really a romantic getaway. You can take some snorkeling gear and swim around
the island, read a book, chase the crabs around the tiny strip of land or
simply relax and connect with nature.
