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The Maldives Tours
The Maldives is an island nation nestled in the tropical waters of the central Indian Ocean, some 400 miles southwest of the southern tip of India. This tiny, idyllic country is composed entirely of coral atolls on which nestle a staggering 1,200 sandy islands. These are the picture postcard islands of your dreams, furnished with a tropical décor of swaying palms, white sand beaches and turquoise lagoons teeming with coral reef fish.
Although much-praised as a tourist destination, these exquisite islands are less well known for the bounty of whale and dolphin species that are home in these warm tropical waters. Our 8-day cruise will be spent on our comfortable, live-aboard safari vessel. She has a full-time crew of 8 Maldivians, including an experienced captain and a dedicated cook. All cabins are en suite and air-conditioned. On your days with us you can expect some of the finest cetacean viewing on the planet; in the last two seasons our lead guide, Dr Charles Anderson, a long time Maldivian resident and well-known authority on cetaceans and marine life, has seen an astounding 18 different species. Whilst frigatebirds and tropicbirds sail overhead we will scan the waters for such delights as Spinner, Striped and Rough-toothed Dolphin, the rare Longman’s Beaked Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale (the world’s smallest species), and the gargantuan Blue Whale, the largest animal ever to have lived on the planet! Without intruding on their behavior, our boat will maneuver in order for us to take full advantage of any cetaceans we spot. In many instances we will enjoy extended views of bow-riding dolphins in their entirety and at close range. Photographic opportunities are unrivalled, especially when playful dolphins perform their acrobatic leaps out of the crystal clear blue ocean. On most trips 10 to 12 cetacean species are observed and we expect to see between 50 and 90 separate cetacean sightings on our trip totaling a staggering 2-3,000 animals!
This wealth of cetaceans is complimented by tropical pelagic birds and we will spend our days on the deck scanning for Black-naped, Bridled and Saunder’s Tern, Lesser Noddy, Audubon’s and Wedge-tailed Shearwater and White-bellied Storm Petrel to name a few. Only 180 species have been recorded from the islands and, as the area is underbirded, many more species (particularly migrants) undoubtedly await discovery.
Each evening we will anchor in a sheltered lagoon of one of the atolls, and take time either to stroll the bleached shores of these idyllic islands or snorkel/ SCUBA dive the teeming waters, replete with a treasure chest of tropical fish and giant manta rays (we will visit sites where the latter congregate). A further blessing of being on these waters is the distance we will be from city lights, and atop the deck at night we will be treated to the equatorial skies bejeweled with stars. This is an unforgettable adventure and we invite you to join us on this magical oceanic and wildlife vacation.
| tour name and dates |
Customized private tours available on request
|
| tour cost | US$2,375 pp |
| maximum group size | to be advised |
| habitats covered |
tropical coastal and pelagic waters, coral reefs, sandy beaches and shorelines |
| climate |
sunny & warm |
| tour pace & walking |
easy pace, undemanding walks |
| accommodation | comfortable cruise ship |
| ease of mammal viewing | moderate |
| top mammals | Blue Whale, Longman's Beaked Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale, Spinner and Striped Dolphin |
| top birds | Lesser Frigatebird, White-tailed Tropicbird, Tropical Shearwater, Bridled Tern, Crab Plover |
| other attractions | paradise islands, incredible coral reef snorkelling and SCUBA, Manta Rays, star-gazing |
| photographic opportunities | good |
Contact us for a detailed itinerary or other details.
