Maldives 2014

 

 

Our first holiday in 2014 took us back to the Maldives...

This time we spent two weeks on one Island, Safari Island in the center of Ari Atoll. Not like 2008 when we spend one week at Bjyadoo and the second week at Ellaidoo

 

Safari Island:

Safari Island is a former 6-Star luxury hotel that was built up from the scratch again and reopened in summer 2013.

Accordingly, all facilities, rooms, the entire island have been “brand new”.

Guests are mostly coming from Europe, we have seen some Russians and some Chinese guests as well, but not that many.

Looks like that shortly after re-opening of the hotel there where many Chinese people around, but this changed now.

The hotel belongs to a small chain that is owned by a European guy; therefore they try to attract people coming from Europe. This will definitely help to protect environment and the reef over there.

You can book beach bungalows, semi water bungalows (partly built on land, partially built over water and pure water bungalows. We have been lucky hence we got an upgrade to one of the water bungalows.

Generally speaking it looks like all the bungalows are identical in size and interior, the difference makes the location on the island.

Semi Water bungalows and Water bungalows offer nice access to the reef itself. During low tide you may need to swim a bid to reach the marked access points for crossing the reef and reaching the open water, but nothing is really far away. During high tide you can easily cross the reef and directly swim into the open water.

Beach bungalows are either directed towards the main lagoon, where there is no coral reef or located towards the outer reef; however, those once are a bid further away from the open ocean than the semi water or water bungalows...

Snorkeling there is generally very nice, you can enjoy nice corals and all types of fished directly at the house reef. Diving at house reef is nice too, but not that special. Take a boat and go to the excellent dive spots that are close by or use the Safari boat to explore the sites in the southern part of Ari Atoll.

The restaurant offers excellent food. We stayed there for two weeks and of course you will find repetitive food, especially the type of food that people love to eat, pasta and other stuff. But all in all the variety of food, taste and quality is excellent, nothing to complain.

Also the main bar is very nice and offers some nice drinks.

Both, main restaurant and main bar are located in tents and over water; in case there is not too much of wind or rain the curtains are open and you get some fresh breeze.

When you cross the bridges towards the both tends have a look for the nursery of Black Tip Sharks, there are lots and lots of them around, hunting small little fishes…

Anything to complain: Not that much… The only problem, that the island is facing, is the sand erosion on the beaches. Depending on the time of the year there is on one part of the Island (main lagoon) more or less sand in front of the beach bungalows. During our stay there was lots of sand on the beach of the main lagoon, on the other side of the island there was hardly any sand left over anymore. Some guests made the joke that they have paid for a beach bungalow but actually got a semi water bungalow (because of the missing beach)…

Honestly speaking, it doesn’t look nice at all, so if you book a beach bungalow, make sure you get one with beach and sand in front of it… However, wave breakers like at Ellaidhoo don't look nice either...

 

Diving:

Diving with Joy Dive at Ari Atoll is just wonderful. The guys from the Joy Dive team are nice, friendly and extremely competent. The staff working at the dive center and the guys working at the dive boats are helpful and friendly.

It was a great pleasure to go diving with you. We did more than 40 dives (Manja and me) and we would not like to miss a single one…

House reef offers 24 hour shore diving, tanks and equipment is brought to the entry point and picked up at the exit point again. You can find all types of fishes / rays when you go diving there. However, take the chance and join the guys when they take a boat to go diving at the outer reefs, they are even more beautiful.

Joy Dive offers three tank dive trips (full day), two tank dives (from around 08:00 to 13:00) and a one tank dive to dive spots close-by in the afternoon (14:00 to around 16:00).

The dive spots around Safari Island belong to the best dive spots at Ari Atoll, more or less the “who is who” of diving at Ari Atoll. Places like Fish Head (grey reef sharks), Maya Thila (Whitetip reef sharks), Halaveli Wreck, Maalhos Thila, Orimas Thila and lots of other places are just around the corner…

In case you would like to go diving in the southern part of Ari Atoll, then don't miss the special offer from hotel and dive club. If you stay 14 nights (or 14 days, question of discussion with the guys at the reception) you will get a Safari Luxury boat for a two day (overnight) trip towards the southern part of the Ari Atoll. A dive guide is going to join you to show the nice places (Manta and Whale shark points) over there. The boat itself is free (costs for lunch and beverages depending on your accommodation), the dive guide you have to organize separately with the dive center, he / she will not be free but it is wise to spend that money…

We haven't been lucky enough to see Mantas and Whale Sharks. Some other people saw both of them including silver tip sharks…

Still, the Safari Tour, the luxury boat, the dive sites and the calm ocean along with nice other things that we have seen was breathtaking!!! Don't miss this tour...

By the way, in case you are out there for one week only the hotel will offer you a one day trip with the Safari boat.

So, all in all, what can be seen at Ari Atoll (if you are at the right place at the right time): Whale Sharks, Humpback Whales, Mantas, Silvertip sharks, Grey reef sharks, Whitetip, Blacktip, Nurse Sharks, Dolphins (mostly from the boat), eagle rays, sting rays, turtles, napoleons, lots of nice corals, all types of moray eels, tunas, sweet lips, shrimps and crabs, angelfishes, starfish, groupers, trigger fishes and in general big schools of different kind of fishes…

And, it is rare that you go out for a dive or go snorkeling and do not see any sharks!!!

That’s what we love the Maldives for…

Anything to complain: No, however, be aware that coral bleaching also affected the Maldives and be aware that more and more guests also means more and more damage at the reef.

Therefore, protect it and safe the nature…

And enjoy your vacation at the Maldives…

 

Below you can find pictures from the island and of course diving pictures. 

Have fun looking at the pictures and share with us our nice memories.