paradiseA scuba diver’s
Discover the Maldives
Many plan a trip to the Maldives just to have the opportunity to swim with the massive and mysterious whale sharks, which are indigenous to the area.
I made a splash in slick scuba gear, slowly sinking into warm, crystal clear turquoise water. I’m immediately transported from the breezy, palm-adorned, sunswept beaches the Maldives are so famous for, into a rich cobalt blue world full of wonder.
My jaw drops at the aquatic life swarming around me, but am quick to squeeze the mouthpiece between my cheeks to ensure I keep breathing safely through it all. I’m diving one of the Maldives’ most famous sites, the simply titled Fish Head, known as a favourite feeding ground for sharks. The name came about as local fishermen would joke that once they let out their line and pulled back their catch all they’d have to celebrate was a gnawed off fish head.
I manoeuvre through a column of bubbles as thousands of violet tinted red-tooth triggerfish swoop across an endless multicoloured coral garden. I follow my guide along the terrace edge and survey the sun-drenched scene. At 25 metres below sea level the clarity here is worldrenowned and as I glide past friendly meandering tall- fin batfish I can’t help but feel as though I’m soaring over the Grand Canyon.
My group literally hangs out inside an underwater cave as a choir of blue-line snapper form a cloud of yellow and white. A duo of whitetip reef sharks, the puppy dogs of the sea, swim a few feet from my flippers. I look up as a storm of snapper quickly jolt out of view, revealing a team of massive, slow-cruising grey reef sharks. We stare in awe at the beautiful creatures as their tails sway slowly back and forth.
After hauling myself up a wooden ladder, I peel off my wetsuit and, after a short cruise, we arrive back at our floating home, the Explorer, affectionately dubbed “the world’s smallest Four Seasons Resort.”
The Four Seasons Explorer is a luxurious, 11-cabin, three-deck catamaran that cruises through the Maldives’ sun- drenched islands and atolls. Guests hop on at Four Seasons Resort Kuda Huraa or Landaa Giraavaru, adding a private isle experience to the start or finish of their marine odyssey. Guests can choose from 3, 4 and 7-night all-inclusive itineraries that incorporate a minimum of three dives a day.
The fastest and most luxurious liveaboard in the Maldives, Four Seasons Explorer offers effortless access to a large range of dive sites and some of the Maldives’ most sought-after locations; untouched reefs, vibrant thilas, exciting channels and wrecks, prime sunrise and night sites plus seasonal manta ray and whale shark hot spots.
Want to take a break from the underwater world? Guests can still enjoy the warm waters here by opting to snorkel, water-ski, windsurf, fish, kayak or sail.
Or simply cosy up to a cocktail on the top deck while chatting with the onboard marine biologist, a wildlife lover’s dream date.
Blissful memories onboard also include sumptuous gourmet feasts, a visit to a secluded island for a cultural castaway experience, a stroll through an isolated arts and crafts village and a romantic feast under the stars via an al fresco sandbank barbecue.
Many plan a trip to the Maldives just to have the opportunity to swim with the massive and mysterious whale sharks that are indigenous to the area. Your best bet at spotting these magnificent beasts is by snorkelling around Maamigili Island, a tiny isle located in the South Ari Atol Marine Protected Area.
Our captain spots a congregation of boats in the distance. We zoom over and immediately hop into the water with our snorkel gear.
A 5-metre-long whale shark, the size of a small school bus, is swimming directly toward me. I hover to the surface and then spend the next 10 minutes swimming as fast as I can in an attempt to keep up to the massive fish.
Most who visit the Maldives rarely have an opportunity to have an authentic interaction with locals as the remote resorts they visit are never situated on inhabited islands. The separation of tourists and locals is intentional as the Maldivian government requires resorts to build outside of local communities. The strict Muslim country has criminalized pork, alcohol, nude bathing and even dogs, but resorts are offered an exception to the rule and act as a bit of a bubble.
Guests on the Four Seasons Explorer are offered a unique opportunity to wander through the local village of Dhangethi to get a better understanding of how Maldivians live out their day-to-day lives.
We wave at a group of smiling children who are playing football, and pop by a tiny shipyard where old boats can be found sitting in the sun ready for repair.
On my final evening we enjoy an unforgettable feast under the stars. After splashing onto Meerufenfushi’s shore we walk down an alley featuring flaming tiki torches and are greeted with Mai Tai-filled fresh coconuts and are led to a man-made feasting table hollowed out of the islands sandbank.
During the next two hours our server presents platters of perfectly-barbecued prawn, lobster, chicken and lamb.
We’re delighted as a band playing local indigenous tunes arrives, encouraging us to finish the evening with an impromptu dance.