5 replies to this topic

[Travelnsj]

Anyone been to the Maldives?...I am checking this out for 2007.

Best time of the year to go?
Best Island for diving?
What do you see?

Thanks for sny info.

[ScubaGypsy]

Anyone been to the Maldives?...I am checking this out for 2007.

I had never even heard of Maldives before but then recently found out that the worlds first underwater restaurant opened there in April 2005 (http://www.divenews....rticle&sid=3561). The name of the restaurant is "Ithaa" and it is at the Hilton Maldives Resort & Spa. More information about the construction can be found at http://www.mjmurphy....arestaurant.htm.

Edited by ScubaGypsy, 18 January 2006 - 11:07 PM.

[blacklatexozdiver]

Anyone been to the Maldives?...I am checking this out for 2007.

Best time of the year to go?
Best Island for diving?
What do you see?

Thanks for sny info.

I've not been there before. The tsunami that struck on Boxing Day 2004 may have damaged/destroyed some of their facilities.

[drbill]

Singapore Jenny went there last October and loved it.

An instructor friend of mine now in Beijing taught there for six months. He said the diving was great but the social life was terrible... most of the folks going there were couples, often honeymooners. Take a buddy with you.

[peterbj7]

Did a one week liveaboard there a few years ago, starting fr0om Male (where the airport is) and covering two atolls south of it. So in other words just the SE corner. The diving was amazing, far better than I have ever seen anywhere else. Strong currents, with many coral ergs not coming quite to the surface, definitely not "beginners" diving. But not necessarily expert either. Very warm water - it was 34C when I was there, which I think is somewhere around 93F! Copious wildlife - I remember single dives with numerous hammerheads (at least 20) and many large turtles. Allegedly many mantas, though I never saw one (nor ever have before or since - sob!).

I really can't recommend the Maldives strongly enough, especially since as global sea levels rise the entire country will disappear. No part of it is more than 3' above sea level and it is (or was) the only country in the world with an official total evacuation plan. A number of its islands disappeared permanently in the tsunami. I don't know what packages exist from the US, but you'll find packages easy to get from London and it's pretty easy to get there from the US.

Edited by peterbj7, 19 January 2006 - 01:19 AM.

[Travelnsj]

Peter,

Sounds like great diving...from a liveaboard....but I am not a liveaboard person...do you know any of the Islands that may have the type of diving you saw from the liveaboard? Have you dove Palau? If so how do you compare. also what time of the year were you there?

I have heard the Maldives is overdove because of all the Europeans that dive there but I read a recent report from Undercurrent that was exceptional...but it was on a liveaboard So I am in hopes someone will have heads up on an Island that is great!

Thanks everyone else for the info...keep it coming.