Pictures from The Maldives March 28-April 2, 2007

At long last and only four months past due, here are some scenes from our beautiful holiday in the Maldives! Below is the city of Male, the capital, as taken from our seaplane. Not much room for expansion, is there?

















The Maldives look like this (minus the seaplane prop on the right). There are about 1200 small, low-lying coral islands and uncountable reefs that form the 26 atolls. these stretch out across the Indian Ocean in a vertical strip about 850 km long and 130 km wide. Less than 0.3% of the country is actually dry land! There are no hills or rivers and none of the islands rises more than about 3m above sea level. Only about 202 of the 1200 islands are inhabited, and naturally the biggest industry is tourism.



































A Maldivian "sofa" at the seaplane terminal...according to Pat, actually quite comfortable!


















The entrance to the reception at Mirihi in the Ari Atoll. Yes, the sand really WAS this white and therefore not hot to walk on at all!

The view from the front door of our water villa (30 in all) looking back towards the tiny island.

Sunrise on the first morning! The stairs from our deck led right into the water for easy access to snorkelling and swimming in the warm, clear water.

Pat (in green with a hat on) at the bar for lunch.























The ocean is encroaching on the island right outside the bar. Note the water villas in the background.




















Walkways/paths both inside and outside were of the same soft sand as found on the beach. They were raked and smoothed out daily. The only time we wore our sandals was to walk along the hot dock to our water villas!




















Even the main dining room had a sand floor...don't drop your food! Buffet breakfast was included in our room rate and what a spread it entailed from fresh fruit and juices, to baked goods made fresh daily, to an omelet station, and various Asian specialities. One night we dined on the beach under a full moon and another found us at the A la Carte restaurant on the jetty over the water for a special wine-tasting menu!

Besides total R&R, sun, sand, spa and great food, people come here for the diving. Pat enjoyed three days while I snorkelled around the island, spotting several of the hawksbill turtles that are "in residence" on the very first trip! More of sealife in the Indian Ocean below:



















The highlight was, of course, the spotting of a whale shark one afternoon from the diving boat...after everyone had removed their gear! They had just enough time to don snorkels and masks and jump into the water to take a look! He was huge.

Below are Oriental Sweetlips-they made me think of jailbirds in their stripes!






























A Clown triggerfish...can he add any more patterns to his body?

Plans are underway to play "Robinson Crusoe" again next year...anyone want to join us?!? Jumpa lagi...