Maldives: what makes it different?

[WeRtheOcean]

Several months ago, I posted to the Maldives destination on Couchsurfing:

"The world is full of places with beautiful reefs, tropical beaches, and friendly locals. Could you tell me something that makes the Maldives different from other places with these three things?"

No one replied. Perhaps someone here will.

 

[Hoag]

I hope someone replies too. I am looking at going to the Maldives in the fall of 2019, and I hope it is worth the effort and the expense that it will take to get there.

 

[Damselfish]

We were there in 2007. We saw immense amounts of fish life, and a squadron of 100s of mantas flew over us. We were there after one of the bleaching events but some spots escaped and the colors in those spots were truly magical. Very dense critter life on some reefs, where you sometimes wanted to hook in but had trouble finding a spot where something wasn't living there.

I wasn't fond of the crazy currents, between that and so many other places to see I don't know if we will go back there. But glad we went.

Politics aside, it's also an interesting and unique place.

 

[Dogbowl]

@CWK has a lot of experience diving in the Maldives. Maybe he will respond?

 

[Wiggsy]

The Maldives is unique in its isolation and its fragility. Being out in the middle of the Indian Ocean and no more than 3 metres above sea level (most of it being 1 metre or so) there is a very really feeling of a nation on the edge - it seems ridiculously exposed and yet the whole island chain is well used to life only metres from the sea. They are a people of the sea - the family sedan is more likely a small dhoni (local boats) than a Mazda as roads are few and largely irrelevant. I would think also there would be few places (if any) with as much coral reef per head of population - there is a vast number of islands but only a small number of them are inhabited. The seascape is unique - no hilly islands - just flat coconut palm clad sandbars here and there. It is beautiful - I recommedn a liveabord for great value and different vistas each morning. As regards diving - it is hard to see it as 'unique'. Outstanding yes, but not really 'unique'. I've dived the Maldives five times and just come back from Komodo and Komodo is similar if not better for fish life diversity. The Maldives possibly has more of the huge fishies like Dogtooth Tuna and Giant Trevally and it really excels at turning on the big fish action from the predators sweeping through the bait schools. Yes there are currents to contend with but the bonus will be the fish life in action at the current sites. I guess the most 'unique'dives I've done in The Maldives were night dives at Alimathhaa Jetty - a night dives with hundreds (yes hundreds) of Tawny Nurse Sharks, lots of Rays, Bluefin and Giant Trevally.

 

[ronscuba]

Several months ago, I posted to the Maldives destination on Couchsurfing:

"The world is full of places with beautiful reefs, tropical beaches, and friendly locals. Could you tell me something that makes the Maldives different from other places with these three things?"

No one replied. Perhaps someone here will.

For me, coming from NYC, I can get there easier, quicker and cheaper than to Asia.

 

[Dogbowl]

For me, coming from NYC, I can get there easier, quicker and cheaper than to Asia.

What does your flight look like?

 

[ronscuba]

What does your flight look like?

From NYC, there are plenty of 1 stop options. 18 hrs total going through Dubai is how we went last time.

 

[Adam K]

went to the maldives in October 2017. Overall this was my favorite diving trip. we went one of the ScubaSpa liveaboards (there is the Ying and Yang, which are basically identical). We did the best of the Maldives tour and we were not disappointed. Yes, it was a little pricey, but so worth it. The boat is a luxury liveaboard with a spa on board. One dive spot was a manta cleaning station with 7 huge mantas just circling the area - one of my top 3 dives. there was so much variation of wildlife and types of dives through the week. we did 18 dives total which included 2 or 3 night dives. i look forward to another trip back to the maldives.

 

[Doc]

The biggest "difference"?

For North Americans, it is the most common antipodal destination.

Just as for the Brits (and people who live in that Time Zone of 0 degrees Longitude), they get all fuzzy over the Galapagos.

It's the antipode, the other side of the world from where you're standing. For me, that's Maldives, Seychelles. It's therefor got to be the best.

Is the diving good enough to endure that air trip connection? I have no regrets about my liveaboard trips there. Have I bothered to convince my wife to go? No.

The Male airport and transfer system to your LOB or resort will be one of the stranger experiences of your travels.