Beneath the clear blue waters of the Indian Ocean surrounding the Maldives islands is found a spectacular range of marine life. If you’re not interested in simply lounging about, taking some time off and just relaxing by the soft white sands; perhaps an eco-venture is what you need on your vacation. Interested travellers can pick from one of the many available Maldives Eco Resort options, such as the Anantara Veli Maldives Resort, among many others that offer accommodation and a place to kick off their adventures underwater.
The waters around this archipelago remain home to a vast variety of marine life. Maldivian hospitality encourages all visitors to indulge in all that this exotic paradise island has to offer, providing for all sorts of underwater adventures. Snorkelling with manta rays is possible between July to September. Cruises are available to those interested in catching a sight of the playful spinner dolphins. Even a simple dive into the crystal waters gives one a chance to catch a glimpse of the wonderful marine life underneath.
Sea turtles happen to be one of the many interesting underwater creatures. Out of a total of seven species of sea turtles in existence worldwide, five of them can be found in Maldives. The Hawksbill turtle and Green turtle are the most common and can be found along the reef. Loggerhead turtles and Leatherback turtles are harder to find but indeed can be spotted occasionally. However Olive Ridley turtles, the smallest species of sea turtles, can mostly be found when trapped in drifting fishing nets due to its habit of scouring through the open seas.
The Maldivian government has noted the importance of nature conservation and endorses a sea turtle conservation programme that began in 2011. The programme focuses on three main points of turtle conservation; rehabilitating injured turtles, protecting turtle nests and satellite tracking and photo identification. The government’s ban on catching / killing / sale of sea turtles has significantly reduced turtle poaching, but the issue still remains in turtle egg harvesting.
Fritzjames Stephen is a travel writer, who writes content based on the myriad of experiences and indulgences that the world has to offer travellers across all walks of life.