is Maldives worthwhile if I don't scuba ??

Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
time/money going ?
Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...

Thank you,

Jack

have you thought of V'au Vau? Fjords and palm trees. The Maldives are
too hot, but very pretty atolls, just like the title of Frederick
O'Brien's book "Atolls in the Sun," and that is what they are, although
his classic book is about the South Pacific, more specifically the
Society Island chain, the Tuamotos, I believe. But the Maldives are too
muggy and it is a very long trip out there.

How about Fiji in August? Breezy, balmy, and not too humid. The one
thing of several things that is wrong with French Polynesia is that it
is too humid -- all year long...no let up! Another thing that is wrong
with French Polynesia is that the natives are not all that friendly,
whereas I always tell people that when you get off the plane in Nadi,
"You feel the waves of love coming to you." When it comes to
hospitality, nothing beats Fiji, in my opinion.

Jack wrote:

> Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> time/money going ?
> Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jack

Try visit Soneva Fushi & Soneva Gili. Have been to Soneva Fushi two years
ago. Still believe that is the best resort ever been to. Soneva Gili is
very new though.
Try visit their official web-site :
http://www.sixsenses.com/corporate/i...hp?menu=soneva



"Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> ???
news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.google.c om ???...
> Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> time/money going ?
> Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jack

If you don't dive, you will get bored in a few days.
Very small islands and the coral has suffered a lot from the bleeching a few
years ago, especially the shallow reefs (i.e. most of the house reefs).

Paul

"Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.google.c om...
> Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> time/money going ?
> Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jack

Hi,

Like you I have been in search of the ultimate paradise. I'm still looking
since there's pros and cons to each tropical place I've been to (Maldives,
French Polynesia - Society and Tuomotu archipelago, Bali, Lombok, East Coast
Australia, Java, Malaysia and Sri Lanka). Probably top of my list are the
Maldives and French Polynesia for different reasons. I would also be keen
to hear whether anyone else has found paradise.

In my opinion ...

Bora Bora obviously caters well for tourists and its mountain provides a
striking contrast to the surrounding palm fringed beaches. However, I
didn't think the beaches were particularly impressive when compared to some
of the other FP islands.
I thoroughly recommend Tikehau atoll in the Tuomotu chain for chilling out
Robinson Crusoe style. It isn't very wide, it's flat and covered in coconut
trees. The main motu on the atoll (where most people live) doesn't have a
brilliant lagoon side beach but you can hire a kayak and paddle to your own
uninhabited motu (tropical island) for the day. Accommodation ranges from
full board homestays to one or two small hotels. The homestays suited me.
It really is a lovely quiet place. Snorkelling is limited from the beach
but if you like chilling out on your very own island and you don't need a 5*
hotel then this is the place to go. - There is little else to do on this
atoll, however the islanders do offer day trips to neighbouring motu. One
trip took me to a snorkelling site in the lagoon. The guide harpooned
parrot fish which we bbq-ed on an uninhabited island. I went in August and
the weather was hot but not humid.

If you want luxury in a paradise environment then I've not found anything
better than Filitheyo island resort in the Maldives. The downside is that
it can be expensive and you have to share the beach with other tourists.
You get enough space but you don't get your own beach. The plus side is
that it will put your Bora experience to shame. The beach and island are
extremely well kept (perhaps artificially so), no mossies, the food's great,
and the snorkelling the best I have ever come across by swimming out from a
beach. The beach has a coral wall about 15m out which drops away to about
15m. I spent hours drifting along the wall and saw all manner of fish. The
island also offers lots of snorkelling trips to other excellent sites. The
coral bleaching which affected most of the Maldives is slowly recovering and
there are signs of it whilst swimming out to the coral wall. However,
around the wall the coral is good and the fish life amazing. They even saw
a baby whale shark along the wall when I was there! (End Feb).

To summarise, if you want spoiling, you enjoy snorkelling and you'd like to
chill out on a lovely beach then Filitheyo would be my recommendation. If
you want to go for isolation in a beautiful setting at low cost (once you
get there!) and you aren't too bothered about snorkelling then go to
Tikehau.

Cheers
Roy


"Paul" <paul@xx.com> wrote in message
news:c5k1fp$r3f$1@news3.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
> If you don't dive, you will get bored in a few days.
> Very small islands and the coral has suffered a lot from the bleeching a
few
> years ago, especially the shallow reefs (i.e. most of the house reefs).
>
> Paul
>
> "Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
> news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.google.c om...
> > Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> > the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> > time/money going ?
> > Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> > better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Jack
>
>

"Roy Byres" <roy.byres@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:<0QUgc.232$KR6.17@newsfe5-gui.server.ntli.net>...
> Hi,
>
> Like you I have been in search of the ultimate paradise. I'm still looking
> since there's pros and cons to each tropical place I've been to (Maldives,
> French Polynesia - Society and Tuomotu archipelago, Bali, Lombok, East Coast
> Australia, Java, Malaysia and Sri Lanka). Probably top of my list are the
> Maldives and French Polynesia for different reasons. I would also be keen
> to hear whether anyone else has found paradise.
>
> In my opinion ...
>
> Bora Bora obviously caters well for tourists and its mountain provides a
> striking contrast to the surrounding palm fringed beaches. However, I
> didn't think the beaches were particularly impressive when compared to some
> of the other FP islands.
> I thoroughly recommend Tikehau atoll in the Tuomotu chain for chilling out
> Robinson Crusoe style. It isn't very wide, it's flat and covered in coconut
> trees. The main motu on the atoll (where most people live) doesn't have a
> brilliant lagoon side beach but you can hire a kayak and paddle to your own
> uninhabited motu (tropical island) for the day. Accommodation ranges from
> full board homestays to one or two small hotels. The homestays suited me.
> It really is a lovely quiet place. Snorkelling is limited from the beach
> but if you like chilling out on your very own island and you don't need a 5*
> hotel then this is the place to go. - There is little else to do on this
> atoll, however the islanders do offer day trips to neighbouring motu. One
> trip took me to a snorkelling site in the lagoon. The guide harpooned
> parrot fish which we bbq-ed on an uninhabited island. I went in August and
> the weather was hot but not humid.
>
> If you want luxury in a paradise environment then I've not found anything
> better than Filitheyo island resort in the Maldives. The downside is that
> it can be expensive and you have to share the beach with other tourists.
> You get enough space but you don't get your own beach. The plus side is
> that it will put your Bora experience to shame. The beach and island are
> extremely well kept (perhaps artificially so), no mossies, the food's great,
> and the snorkelling the best I have ever come across by swimming out from a
> beach. The beach has a coral wall about 15m out which drops away to about
> 15m. I spent hours drifting along the wall and saw all manner of fish. The
> island also offers lots of snorkelling trips to other excellent sites. The
> coral bleaching which affected most of the Maldives is slowly recovering and
> there are signs of it whilst swimming out to the coral wall. However,
> around the wall the coral is good and the fish life amazing. They even saw
> a baby whale shark along the wall when I was there! (End Feb).
>
> To summarise, if you want spoiling, you enjoy snorkelling and you'd like to
> chill out on a lovely beach then Filitheyo would be my recommendation. If
> you want to go for isolation in a beautiful setting at low cost (once you
> get there!) and you aren't too bothered about snorkelling then go to
> Tikehau.
>
> Cheers
> Roy
>
>
> "Paul" <paul@xx.com> wrote in message
> news:c5k1fp$r3f$1@news3.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
> > If you don't dive, you will get bored in a few days.
> > Very small islands and the coral has suffered a lot from the bleeching a
> few
> > years ago, especially the shallow reefs (i.e. most of the house reefs).
> >
> > Paul
> >
> > "Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
> > news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.google.c om...
> > > Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> > > the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> > > time/money going ?
> > > Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> > > better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
> > >
> > > Thank you,
> > >
> > > Jack
> >
> >

Why was there a bleaching problem with coral in the Maldives ??

JAck

I don't really know the full reason for the bleaching. I think it has
something to do with the water temperature. Coral will die if the water is
too hot. A few years back I believe this was the case for the Maldives.
The house reef at Filitheyo drops off about 15m out from the beach. This
makes it easy to swim out to the wall and see the coral that did survive or
wasn't affected so badly.

Roy
"Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:209b7e58.0404201415.3125f56f@posting.google.c om...
> "Roy Byres" <roy.byres@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:<0QUgc.232$KR6.17@newsfe5-gui.server.ntli.net>...
> > Hi,
> >
> > Like you I have been in search of the ultimate paradise. I'm still
looking
> > since there's pros and cons to each tropical place I've been to
(Maldives,
> > French Polynesia - Society and Tuomotu archipelago, Bali, Lombok, East
Coast
> > Australia, Java, Malaysia and Sri Lanka). Probably top of my list are
the
> > Maldives and French Polynesia for different reasons. I would also be
keen
> > to hear whether anyone else has found paradise.
> >
> > In my opinion ...
> >
> > Bora Bora obviously caters well for tourists and its mountain provides a
> > striking contrast to the surrounding palm fringed beaches. However, I
> > didn't think the beaches were particularly impressive when compared to
some
> > of the other FP islands.
> > I thoroughly recommend Tikehau atoll in the Tuomotu chain for chilling
out
> > Robinson Crusoe style. It isn't very wide, it's flat and covered in
coconut
> > trees. The main motu on the atoll (where most people live) doesn't have
a
> > brilliant lagoon side beach but you can hire a kayak and paddle to your
own
> > uninhabited motu (tropical island) for the day. Accommodation ranges
from
> > full board homestays to one or two small hotels. The homestays suited
me.
> > It really is a lovely quiet place. Snorkelling is limited from the
beach
> > but if you like chilling out on your very own island and you don't need
a 5*
> > hotel then this is the place to go. - There is little else to do on this
> > atoll, however the islanders do offer day trips to neighbouring motu.
One
> > trip took me to a snorkelling site in the lagoon. The guide harpooned
> > parrot fish which we bbq-ed on an uninhabited island. I went in August
and
> > the weather was hot but not humid.
> >
> > If you want luxury in a paradise environment then I've not found
anything
> > better than Filitheyo island resort in the Maldives. The downside is
that
> > it can be expensive and you have to share the beach with other tourists.
> > You get enough space but you don't get your own beach. The plus side is
> > that it will put your Bora experience to shame. The beach and island
are
> > extremely well kept (perhaps artificially so), no mossies, the food's
great,
> > and the snorkelling the best I have ever come across by swimming out
from a
> > beach. The beach has a coral wall about 15m out which drops away to
about
> > 15m. I spent hours drifting along the wall and saw all manner of fish.
The
> > island also offers lots of snorkelling trips to other excellent sites.
The
> > coral bleaching which affected most of the Maldives is slowly recovering
and
> > there are signs of it whilst swimming out to the coral wall. However,
> > around the wall the coral is good and the fish life amazing. They even
saw
> > a baby whale shark along the wall when I was there! (End Feb).
> >
> > To summarise, if you want spoiling, you enjoy snorkelling and you'd like
to
> > chill out on a lovely beach then Filitheyo would be my recommendation.
If
> > you want to go for isolation in a beautiful setting at low cost (once
you
> > get there!) and you aren't too bothered about snorkelling then go to
> > Tikehau.
> >
> > Cheers
> > Roy
> >
> >
> > "Paul" <paul@xx.com> wrote in message
> > news:c5k1fp$r3f$1@news3.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
> > > If you don't dive, you will get bored in a few days.
> > > Very small islands and the coral has suffered a lot from the bleeching
a
> > few
> > > years ago, especially the shallow reefs (i.e. most of the house
reefs).
> > >
> > > Paul
> > >
> > > "Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
> > > news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.google.c om...
> > > > Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
> > > > the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
> > > > time/money going ?
> > > > Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
> > > > better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
> > > >
> > > > Thank you,
> > > >
> > > > Jack
> > >
> > >
>
> Why was there a bleaching problem with coral in the Maldives ??
>
> JAck

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004 15:15:18 -0700, Jack wrote:

> Why was there a bleaching problem with coral in the Maldives ??

In May 1998, the water temperature in the Maldives hit at least 32C even
at depth. Normally it's about 29C. This caused a lot of the hard corals
such as table and brain corals to expel their symbiotic algae. This is
what caused the bleaching. Bleaching isn't always fatal. Unfortunately in
this case, the mortality rate was very high though it varied from location
to location.

All the experts told us that that was it. I'm glad to say they were wrong.
The coral is growing back nicely. Table coral grows particularly quickly
and below about 10m, it's not much different to how it was before. The
shallower corals suffered most, though from my personal experience they
seem best in Ari Atoll.

As for what caused the rise in temperature, it may have had something to
do with El Nino, but the warm water mass of El Nino didn't actually reach
across to the Maldives. It was a local current change that was the
problem. Lets hope it doesn't happen again before the coral has a chance
to completely recover.

I've got 7 trip reports on the Maldives on my website. I'm currently still
writing up the 8th. It's a place people go back to year after year and the
majority of people staying there aren't divers.

Jason

--
See http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ to view UK dive spaces or add your own.

no

Roy Byres wrote:

> I don't really know the full reason for the bleaching. I think it has
> something to do with the water temperature. Coral will die if the water is
> too hot. A few years back I believe this was the case for the Maldives.
> The house reef at Filitheyo drops off about 15m out from the beach. This
> makes it easy to swim out to the wall and see the coral that did survive or
> wasn't affected so badly.
>
> Roy
> "Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:209b7e58.0404201415.3125f56f@posting.google.c om...
>
>>"Roy Byres" <roy.byres@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
>
> news:<0QUgc.232$KR6.17@newsfe5-gui.server.ntli.net>...
>
>>>Hi,
>>>
>>>Like you I have been in search of the ultimate paradise. I'm still
>
> looking
>
>>>since there's pros and cons to each tropical place I've been to
>
> (Maldives,
>
>>>French Polynesia - Society and Tuomotu archipelago, Bali, Lombok, East
>
> Coast
>
>>>Australia, Java, Malaysia and Sri Lanka). Probably top of my list are
>
> the
>
>>>Maldives and French Polynesia for different reasons. I would also be
>
> keen
>
>>>to hear whether anyone else has found paradise.
>>>
>>>In my opinion ...
>>>
>>>Bora Bora obviously caters well for tourists and its mountain provides a
>>>striking contrast to the surrounding palm fringed beaches. However, I
>>>didn't think the beaches were particularly impressive when compared to
>
> some
>
>>>of the other FP islands.
>>>I thoroughly recommend Tikehau atoll in the Tuomotu chain for chilling
>
> out
>
>>>Robinson Crusoe style. It isn't very wide, it's flat and covered in
>
> coconut
>
>>>trees. The main motu on the atoll (where most people live) doesn't have
>
> a
>
>>>brilliant lagoon side beach but you can hire a kayak and paddle to your
>
> own
>
>>>uninhabited motu (tropical island) for the day. Accommodation ranges
>
> from
>
>>>full board homestays to one or two small hotels. The homestays suited
>
> me.
>
>>>It really is a lovely quiet place. Snorkelling is limited from the
>
> beach
>
>>>but if you like chilling out on your very own island and you don't need
>
> a 5*
>
>>>hotel then this is the place to go. - There is little else to do on this
>>>atoll, however the islanders do offer day trips to neighbouring motu.
>
> One
>
>>>trip took me to a snorkelling site in the lagoon. The guide harpooned
>>>parrot fish which we bbq-ed on an uninhabited island. I went in August
>
> and
>
>>>the weather was hot but not humid.
>>>
>>>If you want luxury in a paradise environment then I've not found
>
> anything
>
>>>better than Filitheyo island resort in the Maldives. The downside is
>
> that
>
>>>it can be expensive and you have to share the beach with other tourists.
>>>You get enough space but you don't get your own beach. The plus side is
>>>that it will put your Bora experience to shame. The beach and island
>
> are
>
>>>extremely well kept (perhaps artificially so), no mossies, the food's
>
> great,
>
>>>and the snorkelling the best I have ever come across by swimming out
>
> from a
>
>>>beach. The beach has a coral wall about 15m out which drops away to
>
> about
>
>>>15m. I spent hours drifting along the wall and saw all manner of fish.
>
> The
>
>>>island also offers lots of snorkelling trips to other excellent sites.
>
> The
>
>>>coral bleaching which affected most of the Maldives is slowly recovering
>
> and
>
>>>there are signs of it whilst swimming out to the coral wall. However,
>>>around the wall the coral is good and the fish life amazing. They even
>
> saw
>
>>>a baby whale shark along the wall when I was there! (End Feb).
>>>
>>>To summarise, if you want spoiling, you enjoy snorkelling and you'd like
>
> to
>
>>>chill out on a lovely beach then Filitheyo would be my recommendation.
>
> If
>
>>>you want to go for isolation in a beautiful setting at low cost (once
>
> you
>
>>>get there!) and you aren't too bothered about snorkelling then go to
>>>Tikehau.
>>>
>>>Cheers
>>>Roy
>>>
>>>
>>>"Paul" <paul@xx.com> wrote in message
>>>news:c5k1fp$r3f$1@news3.tilbu1.nb.home.nl...
>>>
>>>>If you don't dive, you will get bored in a few days.
>>>>Very small islands and the coral has suffered a lot from the bleeching
>
> a
>
>>> few
>>>
>>>>years ago, especially the shallow reefs (i.e. most of the house
>
> reefs).
>
>>>>Paul
>>>>
>>>>"Jack" <jack_posemsky@yahoo.com> schreef in bericht
>>>>news:209b7e58.0404100814.27eee0a2@posting.goog le.com...
>>>>
>>>>>Hello I am searching for the ultimate tropical paradise and believe
>>>>>the Maldives is the place...however I don't dive, am I wasting my
>>>>>time/money going ?
>>>>>Just looking to snorkel and hang out in paradise....or are there
>>>>>better places suited to this ? I am trying to "top" Bora Bora...
>>>>>
>>>>>Thank you,
>>>>>
>>>>>Jack
>>>>
>>>>
>>Why was there a bleaching problem with coral in the Maldives ??
>>
>>JAck
>
>
>