Stepping out of a Maldives beach resort to find fine white sand beneath your feet and the warm, inviting Indian Ocean before you is what many would envision as the perfect beach holiday. This large cluster of tiny islands in the Indian Ocean promises to deliver memories to last a lifetime with cab rides on sea planes, water sports of every description, breathtaking sunsets and luxury accommodation at Ellaihoo Maldives by Cinnamon.
If scuba diving is your passion, you have come to the right place. The greatest wonders lie in the waters that surround the one thousand one hundred and ninety small islands that make up the Maldives. The ocean’s currents twist and wind around the islands creating underwater passages and channels where Napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, snappers, jacks and sweetlips are constantly on the move in search of nutrients. Divers are warned to be mindful of poisonous stone and scorpion fish that are also present. There are caves, caverns and ledges to be explored that grow soft corals, sea sponges, sea whips and sea fans that thrive on nutrient-rich water. The lagoons are home to ‘pinnacles’ or vertical rocks that reach towards the surface of the water. They are adorned with sessile species like blue mussels.
The seas are also known for having a great many ‘cleaning stations’, where the larger marine creatures are ‘cleaned’ by tiny wrasses and shrimps. On the south eastern side of the North Male Atoll you will find Manta Point, one of the Maldives’ best dive sites that features a stretch of reef with several cleaning stations for manta rays. Peak season comes with the southwest monsoon, which lasts from May to October. The abundance of plankton during the rainy months attracts mantas in large numbers that come to feed and avail themselves of the cleaning service.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.Google+
