Reef damage in Maldives

Hello: I had read a lot about how the reefs in Maldives are no longer what they used to be and how El-nino destroyed 95% of coral. I was told by a coworker today that after the damage done by El-Nino, the big animals are still there but reefs are now in the same league as most Caribbean destinations and not in the Asia Pacific category. He said that his long awaited trip was a disappointment because the kind of reefs life he saw was in the same class as the Caribbean which would costs 1/5th of the price tag.

Can anyone shed light into hoe extensive has the reef damage been and how has that impacted over all diving experience?

Interested in responses---have that destination in my mind for '16.........TIA.......

It's going to depend on what itinerary you do. Some of the damage I saw appeared to be more like development and/or storm damage. The further out we got the better it looked for the most part. I won't say that for the manta cleaning and feeding stations but trust me, you're definitely not going to be concerned about corals at those sites. Down on the southern itinerary, we had some stunning coral gardens. For me, the unfortunate part was we'd spent yoo much of the dive hooked in being thrilled by the shark show!! Next time I'll know better to break away earlier and get to the gardens so i czn hang out more. Beautiful very beautiful.

chillyinCanada:

It's going to depend on what itinerary you do. Some of the damage I saw appeared to be more like development and/or storm damage. The further out we got the better it looked for the most part. I won't say that for the manta cleaning and feeding stations but trust me, you're definitely not going to be concerned about corals at those sites. Down on the southern itinerary, we had some stunning coral gardens. For me, the unfortunate part was we'd spent yoo much of the dive hooked in being thrilled by the shark show!! Next time I'll know better to break away earlier and get to the gardens so i czn hang out more. Beautiful very beautiful.

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Thanks. In general how does the coral compare to other places you have been to specially Caribbean destinations?

CAPTAIN SINBAD:

Thanks. In general how does the coral compare to other places you have been to specially Caribbean destinations?

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The Coral in Maldives is way better than any Caribbean destination that I have been to. I have dived in the Maldives twice - 2008 and again in 2011 and on both occasions did Southern liveaboard itineraries, albeit rather different routs and reefs. The coral was healthy and vibrant for the most part.

Hintermann:

The Coral in Maldives is way better than any Caribbean destination that I have been to. I have dived in the Maldives twice - 2008 and again in 2011 and on both occasions did Southern liveaboard itineraries, albeit rather different routs and reefs. The coral was healthy and vibrant for the most part.

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But that was 4 years ago(& possibly even up to 7)---------wondering what they're like today......tia.

diver 85:

But that was 4 years ago(& possibly even up to 7)---------wondering what they're like today......tia.

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I'll tell it to you after a couple of weeks. Next week I am going to Maafushi for 4 days and then a week liveaboard at Ari atoll.

Last time I was at Maldives in May 2013, and there was a lot of big fish action and some nice corals. From my experience, corals is not the reason to dive Maldives, whale sharks, mantas, reef sharks, eagle rays and other pelagics are the main reason. And that is what I look forward.

I don't recall being particularly taken with the coral formations at Ari which is not to say there aren't any nice ones there. But the coral formations in the south, once we finished watching sharks was better than anything I can recall ever seeing anywhere in the Caribbean. Absolutely pristine. What I made of this is that the Maldives may be their own worst enemy. All of the very damaged corals were near development.

My next trip will be through the northern atolls. This is an exploration trip and I'm very excited as well as hopeful to find more spectacular coral formations.

I've been going to the Maldives since 1999 and love it; in the early years we did resort islands but now tend to stick to liveaboards that said this year we're doing liveaboard and then island resort and even though the world is a big place and with many places we'd like to dive we keep going back to the Maldives.

You can in places see the impact of El Nino but then you go to another dive site and see no impact; what I would say though is go far south. We've done the far south over the equator twice and is really is something else. The 1st time we went far south we only ever saw 1 other dive boat over 12 days and didn't see any other divers until we were back at the airport for the flight back to Male

The highlight of our last trip far south was a night dive (I hate night dives by the way) when 9 of us dropped down to 18m/20m and just watched the majestic performance of 8 manta rays who entertained us for 50mins - it was truly memorable and something that I will remember long after my diving days are over.
Safe Diving Wherever The Bubbles Take You
Vicky

Hi,

did a weeks safari at Ari Atoll last week. In general the most dived reefs were in average condition, sand and damaged coral all over. I would not recommend diving there, if the main focus is on hard / soft corals. But if you want to see big fish action, then it is an other story.

There were two undamaged reefs that we dived that were in really good shape and had spectacular soft / hard corals on them. Really impressive, first class coral. But we dived them just because the local dive guide was born on the island near them and knew them. The other dive guide who had been in Maldives for 5 years had never even seen them before...