The tropical blue waters of the Maldives are famous for its rich and diversified marine life, above all, the abundance of whales and dolphins around the atolls. Dolphins in their hundreds and thousands and to a lesser extent, whales, have been seen swimming off the coastlines; as of now, around 23 species of whales and dolphins have been recorded.
From the reclusive blue whales to the acrobatic spinner dolphins, you can find them all in the Maldives. Hotel and resorts spread out across the atolls, like the Kandolhu Island Maldives for example, organise a variety of bespoke excursions for guests interested in whale and dolphin watching. The waters here are home to a diverse range of dolphins from Spinner Dolphins, Bottlenose Dolphins, Risso’s Dolphins to Spotted Uninhabited Island Dolphins and Striped Dolphins. In fact, Maldives is ranked as the 5th best place in the world to view most of these magnificent species.
Dolphins, unlike whales, have very regular daily schedules, feeding offshore at night, swimming through the atolls in the early morning, and then leaving again for the open seas in the late afternoon. Experienced guides know where the dolphins are most likely to be found at different times of the day so catching a glimpse of them as they glide through the ocean is quite easy. The Spinner Dolphins are the common most species, and they can be seen here in their tens of thousands.
Relax on a comfortable safari boat whilst cruising along the seas and watch large pods of dolphins swim in their natural habitat. If you’re lucky, you can catch the spinner dolphins flying through the air as they play and “spin” their signature summersault through the open waters. With the abundance sunny skies, clear waters and fish to feed on, Maldives is probably one of the best places in the Indian Ocean to watch wild dolphins in their natural environment.
Catalina Forbes is a travel writer who bases her content on many thrilling escapades experienced across the world. Google+
