Wildlife In The Maldives

While most people would expect a tropical paradise to contain large variety of land animals, this just isn't true of the Maldives. There are a number of different bats, most memorable of which are the large fruit bats that roost in the trees at night. There are also many species of lizard and gecko that are pretty ubiquitous and can be seen crawling on most walls and even ceilings.
There is one important point to make about the land animals in the Maldives, and that is that they are relatively safe. There are very few animals that will do you harm, and even mosquitoes are rare. There are ants centipedes and even scorpions but these are generally not a problem unless you go about intentionally annoying them.

There are as can be expected a large number of seabirds, most of which are migratory or introduced, as the land mass in the Maldives is just not big enough to support large populations of many different species. However, there are about 12 or 13 different species of Heron that can be seen feeding in the shallows at low tide.

The real exciting wildlife in the Maldives can only be seen when you put on your swimsuit and get into the water, preferably with either a snorkel or dive gear. The underwater fauna is absolutely amazing. There are several species of turtle, many of which are endangered that can be found in the waters around the Maldives, at least four of which nest on the islands. However, widespread collection of eggs and reduction in the number of nesting sites means these turtles are in serious trouble.

Coral is probably the single most important organism in the Maldives, as it is responsible for all of the reefs surrounding each island. The coral reefs are particularly beautiful, creating habitats for hundreds if not thousands of tropical fish. It is these reefs that pull the thousands of tourists that visit the Maldives every year. If you are interested in tropical fish it might be worthwhile taking a field guide with you as they are very easy to find and most are easy to identify with the right guide.

Sharks! There are of course many different species of shark in the Maldives, from the white tipped reef shark, through to hammer heads and even the occasional whale shark. However, this should not put you off diving in the Maldives as there is such an abundance of food in the waters that the chances of being attacked are slim to none. And this is probably one of the few places in the world where you can feel safe swimming with 2m sharks!

Dolphins and Whales are also relatively common in the Maldives, however you will need to take a tour boat or whale watching trip to see them up close.
The Maldives are renowned the world over for there dive sites and abundance of tropical fish, we all want it to stay that way so be careful and don't take any fish or damage any coral while you are enjoying yourself.

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Travel to the Maldives

If you are looking for extreme luxury with tropical surroundings, you don't have to look any further - the Maldives is a perfect destination for a once in a lifetime vacation.

Once a completely remote and isolated tropical paradise, the Maldives has now become a very popular holiday destination for Europeans and Americans. The Maldives is made up of a group of atolls with luxury resorts scattered around its coastline.

The Republic of Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean. Situated south of India and south west of Sri Lanka, the Maldives total twenty-six atolls with over 1000 small islands, most of which are inhabitable.

Most of the resorts have their own entities with some resorts taking up whole islands - these resorts offer great privacy and ensure a relaxing vacation. Nearly all of the holiday resorts are located on the five main atolls, which are Kaafu, Vaavu, Baa, Alifu and Lhaviyani. Alifu is the main tourist zone where new hotels and resorts are in the process of being built.

Travelling to the Maldives is pretty straightforward. Standard travel documents, such as a passport are needed, but you don't need a visa. Visas are only required if you are planning to work there.

Accommodation in the Maldives differs from resort to resort and from island to island. Some resorts offer basic huts with outdoor bathroom facilities that will give you the traditional island feel, while others offer all the standard services that we are accustomed too.

Most of the resorts in the Maldives provide some, or all, types of water trips. Night time fishing trips are a special treat. The Maldives is also known as one of the best diving destinations in the world and the resorts cater very well for this. Most of the resorts have got their own diving school.

The seas around the Maldives also provide great areas for snorkelling; the coral reefs are amazing and are full of great and wonderful marine life. But to see the full extent of the amazing sea around the Maldives you need to go deep into the sea. A deep-sea dive will certainly be worth it and these are widely available.

The Maldives is also a perfect spot for any type of water sports, especially windsurfing and scuba diving and is also a great destination like Anantara Kihavah for sailing and water-skiing.

Most of the resorts have their own bars and restaurants. The food is similar on most resorts with restaurants ranging from Oriental to Middle Eastern. Most resorts have coffee shops that serve light snacks. Fish and rice are the two most common dishes in the Maldives

If you are looking for some thing different a cruise around the islands of the Maldives is certainly the best way to see the area. This is a unique experience and will give you a great insight into the region.

The resorts of the Maldives are very well known for their lavish spa treatment. Along with its stunning white sandy beaches and glorious sunshine the Maldives will certainly make for a great holiday.