Posted by: Vineet Bansal
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.
