MALDIVES- (Indian Ocean)

Second Part

Ari atoll: Maayafushi

Inside of the Ari atoll, 3 and a half hours from Male by boat, Maayafushi is a long island with abundant trpoical vegetation and surrounded by a large lagoon. It's magnificient white sand beaches make of this islands one of the nicest in the atoll.

Lodging: 68 rooms (grouped bungalows) equipped with complete bathroom, ventilation and veranda. Also: exterior cafeteria, restaurant and small boutique.

For a few more dollars: scuba diving, apnoea diving, windsurfing, catamaran, ping-pong, volley-ball, fishing, barbecue and visit of surrounding islands.

Far away from the big touristic islands, Maayafushi is an exceptional island, famous for it's relaxed atmosphere and it's particular charm: most of you will want to come back!

It's diving enter is supervised by Herwath Voigtmann, under-water photographer and famous for is great knowledge of the Maldives' fauna, especially regarding sharks and manta rays.

Trnafers to and from the airport are done by hydroplane: flying over the atolls and landing directly in the lagoon are an unfogettable experience.

Ari atoll: Halaveli

Situated in the Ari atoll, one again 3 and a half hours by boat from Male, Halaveli is a very nice round island covered with coconut palms and an abundant tropical vegetation. It disposes of a magnificient big and deep lagoon, very rich in coralline fauna and flora.

Lodging: Each bungalow, built next to the sea, has it's own little private beach. The rooms are cumfortable and spacious and are equipped with a complete bathroom, telephone, mini-bar, air conditionind and a small veranda. Also: italian restaurant, boutique, night club.

For a few more dollars: scuba and apnoea diving, windsurfing, catamaran, fishing and excursions.

With a majority of italian tourists, Halaveli is a quality island with it's amazing lagoon where practically every nautical activity can be practiced.

Comfortable without being too sophisticated, this island offers you a relaxed atmosphere and a lot of activities: a great choice for actived or contemplative vacations.

Ari atoll: Ari Beach

Lodging : 120 rooms (grouped bungalows) of standard and superior quality equipped with bathroom, air conditionning, telephone and terasse. Also: bar, restaurant, cafeteria, boutique & night club.

Free : tennis, ping-pong, volley-ball & apnoea diving.

For a few more dollars : scuba diving, windsurfing, waterskiing, fishing, catamaran, parachute & boat and helicopter excursions.

Ari beach is a large island which offers a large range of activities and where the atmosphere is simple and relaxed.

The heliport, built a an extremity of the island and far away from the bungalows, makes tranfers to and from the airport very fast.

North Male atoll : Kanifinolhu

Lodging: 120 rooms (grouped bungalows) of superior and luxurious quality each one equipped with complete bathroom, ventilation & mini-bar. The luxurious rooms are more spacious are dispose of hot water. Also: restaurant, barbecue on tthe beach, 2 bars, cafeteria & boutique.

Free: tennis, ping-pong, volley-ball, apnoea diving.

For a few more dollars: scuba diving, windsurfing, water-skiing, fishing, catamaran and excursions.

Idealy situated for scuba diving and very close to the great barrier, Kanifinolhu presents itself as a vacation village with multiple activities.

North Male atoll : Helengeli

About 3 hours away from Male, Helengeli is situated at the extreme north of the North Male atoll. It is one of the rare island to have kept it's natural aspect.

Lodging: Double bungalows built on one half of the island, leaving the other half to the tropical vegetation. The 30 standard quality rooms are equipped with complete bathroom, ventilation and veranda. Also: restaurant, exterior bar and small boutique.

For a few more dollars: scuba diving, excursions on fishing islands.

Held by swiss people, Helengeli is a simple island. It's magnificient lagoon and it's very rich interior reef make of this island a very appreciated one by divers, both the amateur and very experienced.

North Male atoll : Meerufenfushi

1 and a half hours by boat from Male, Meerufenfushi is situated on the exterior barrier in the north-eastern part of the north Male atoll. It is one of the largest of the atoll, characterized by a luxuriant vegetation and a large amount of coconut palms.

Lodging: 200 simple rooms (grouped bungalows) equipped with complete bathroom, ventilation and veranda. Also: restaurant, exterior bar and small boutique

For a few more dollars: scuba diving, windsurfing, catamaran & excursions on the surrounding fishing islands.

Meerufenfushi is an island which we recommend to groups, due to it's size a big capacity. The atmosphere is relaxed and cosmopolitain, with visitoirs from nearly every nationality.

Addu atoll : Gan

Very far and different from islands frequently visited by tourists, Gan is part of the Addu atoll, situated at a distance of about 500 km from Male (1h15 by plane), south of the equator. It is a large island (5km by 3 km) with an extrodinary vegetation.

Lodging: 70 well furnished rooms with air conditionning, mini-bar and bathroom. Also: bar, restaurant, cafeteria, swimming pool & pool tables.

On gan island, there are no sand beaches. Each day, an excursions leaves Gan to go to the neighbor island where you can fing the nicest beaches of the atoll. Jogging, walking and bicycling amateurs will be able to practice their favorite activity.

Divers will discover a veryt different under water world with just a few coralline gardens but lots of boat and ship wreks. Thanks to a dyke, you will be able to visit 4 of the surrounding islands where 20,000 Maldivians live, principally of fishing. One one of these islands, you will be surprised to find a fresh water lake where a large number of birds come to spend winter.

DIVING IN THE MALDIVES

The tropical sun and the crystal clear water make of the group of atolls a giant aquarium. In a beautiful coralline environment, angel-fish, turtles, sharks, napoleons, clown-fish, butterflies, manta rays and much much more execute a magnificient ballet, in a paradise of colours.

Around the corals or on the sides of the exterior reef, diving is easy and very cumfortable. Diving is a little more difficult and reserved for the experienced in the sometimes violent currents of the channels, when the whole pelagic fauna is concentrated there.

Most of the scuba diving centers offers initiation and perfectionning courses. Illimited diving packages are reserved to autonomous divers: 2 boat outings are sheduled every day. There is no restriction on diving from the beach, day or night. The boat ride to the diving sites are generally not included in the diving packages and are treated by the island's reception.

To be considered as an autonomous diver, as in the U.S., presentation of a certification card is mandatory.