Ellaidhoo - Maldives

[chiara]

I'm desperately trying to get things sorted out for the next big diving trip: the Maldives in January.

I know it's a bit early, but I want to be there for my birthday and want to do things in the right way.

I heard that Ellaidhoo is the right place to go if you want to go diving and that's about all: I won't be on my honeymoon and evening entertainment is not my cup of tea (unless you talk about Spanish ballerinas, the ones in the water).

Is reality up to their reputation?

[neilstewart]

Hi Chiara,

Can't tell you about Ellaidhoo specifically but can recommend another island that would suit your requirements.

I stayed at Ari Beach last May and am going again in 7 weeks time. I traveled solo and had a fantastic time, there were maybe 12 other guests who had traveled alone. The resort is really relaxed without airs and graces, standard rooms are comfortable and functional and they have the more classy water bungalows.

diving is by Dhoni both AM and PM, site are suggested by the dive operator team but guests do have some input. Euro-divers operate on the island and they are terrific.

A couple of examples of particularly good service follow

Some days only 8 guests were diving 4 more advanced and the rest o/w students - Even though a Dhoni takes 10 the operation would still take out 2 boats so that the more advanced divers could do deeper or site with more current.

Perhaps even more unusual - night dives were conducted every night even if only 1 guest wanted to go.

The operation is swiss and the manager and all DM's/Instructors are first class.

The island is one of the cheaper places to go in the Maldives and the dive prices do reflect this. check out their web site on www.euro-divers.com

What can you see

Manta's, Whale Sharks (over the week I saw 6), reef sharks, plenty of reef fish, Octopus on nights and much more.

The evening entertainment was meet up with the other divers and staff for a couple of drinks at the bar and thats about it except the Saturday disco which was in the bar anyway. Of course honeymooners are on the island but as it's not top notch luxury I think there are fewer. It really is just about relaxing and diving. The guests were from all over the world, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and even Hollywood which made for very interesting conversations and that was a nice social part of my trip.

You are going in a diffent monsoon season to when I went so you do need to consider that. I am told that the best whale shark spotting is during the change of monsoon which happens april/may and October/November as there is less current.

If you focus is on the diving in January your choice of destination should be made with the prevailing wind coming from the outside reef as a most important factor. I think this would be East side of the atoll, but you ought to check that as I may have it round the wrong way. This is because the current bring nutrients and you get greater concentrations of sea life on the sides the current hits the atoll.

Neil

[neilstewart]

I see that Ellaidhoo is in the south Ari Atoll, this would make it very close to Ari beach, Ellaidhoo seems to have a house reef which is something Ari does not as the lagoon is large.

What a great part of the world this is!!

Neil