It shouldn’t be taken as a slight to the ‘Jewel of the Desert’ when we admit our time in Dubai was a direct result of checking the Maldives off the travel bucket list. These famous tropical islands have not only been on our list for some time, but always enjoyed one of the top spots, with this being the second attempt to enjoy the famous atolls.
While Dubai was never a primary destination, the opportunity of breaking up our trip to the Maldives by spending time exploring souks and mosques all seemed a perfect fit. However, it was fair to say by the end of our stay in the Middle East playground we were ready to head down to the luxury islands that have long enjoyed the world’s attention.
Not least of which was to finally swim with a whale shark.
Is the third time really the charm?
Ever since we were a couple Wendy has wanted to visit the Maldives and swim with whale sharks. They’re migratory animals so one bucket list item, doesn’t necessarily need the other. We had traveled twice before in pursuit of whale sharks, both times to Mexico but without much luck. The first time we were too late in the sense they had completed the migration past Mexico and on the second attempt we were too early. Rubbing salt into the wound, friends had posted pictures of swimming with whale sharks on social media a week or so earlier before both our trips.
Whale sharks it seems are not ones for sticking to schedules. Probably because they don’t have pockets to store the schedule? Needless to say, there were high expectations on several levels for our trip to the Maldives.
The Maldives – A nation of islands
The Maldives, a tropical paradise nestled in the Indian Ocean, is a captivating island nation known for its breathtaking beauty and unique charm. Comprising 26 atolls and over a thousand coral islands, it is a haven for travelers seeking a serene escape from the bustling world. The crystal-clear turquoise waters surrounding the Maldives are a diver’s dream, showcasing an awe-inspiring underwater world of vibrant marine life and coral reefs.
It’s also one of the world’s most geographically dispersed sovereign states and the smallest Asian country!
Beyond its natural splendor, the Maldives boasts a rich cultural heritage, influenced by South Asian, Arab, and African traditions. The nation is officially one of the smallest Muslim-majority countries by land area with around 557,751 inhabitants. The country overwhelms guests with warm hospitality and friendly locals who welcome visitors to explore their customs and way of life.
Just as with our time in and around Dubai, we learned many of the ‘locals’ we met were in fact from other countries, making up the large service industry needed to satisfy the huge number of tourists. At its peak, the Maldives welcomed 2.7 million tourists before COVID shut down the world. Needless to say, tourism forms the backbone of the nation’s economy, exceeding 70% of its GDP.
However, the Maldives also faces environmental challenges due to rising sea levels and climate change, which threaten its existence. The nation is at the forefront of the fight against climate change, advocating for global cooperation to protect vulnerable island nations. This makes the Maldives is not just a picturesque holiday destination; it is a resilient nation, striving to preserve its natural wonders and cultural heritage for generations to come.
Travel Tips – How to enjoy your slice of paradise
One of our recurring travel tips, make any travel adventure affordable by booking on a shoulder season. The definition of shoulder season varies by destination, but it typically means the period of time between a region’s peak season and offseason. For instance, if a place’s peak season is summer and its offseason is winter, then the shoulder season would be spring and fall.
The advantages are lower air fares, saving as much as 25%, less competition to book hotels or excursions, and best of all, fewer tourists.
The downsides are variable weather and fewer available excursions.
In the case of the Maldives, we risked cooler temperatures and more rain. Looking to keep the glass half full, while you might forgo sunny summer days on the beach, that also means less heat and more importantly, less sweating!
Demand may drop so low during shoulder season, or offseason some places or excursions aren’t open or available. In the case of the Maldives, boat tour operators may not offer their full itineraries.
Finally, check twice before taking a drone. The very reason travelers spend so much time and money to visit the Maldives is the same reason drones are most likely banned from that resort you have your eye on. It’s sort of a chicken and egg situation, travelers spend a lot of money to visit the Maldives, so it’s no surprise resorts would ban drones.
If you do find a resort that allows drones, the second drone check should be flights and connections. Many countries in that part of the world have complete bans on drones and if a drone is found in your luggage it could be confiscated and lost forever. This was the case with our time in Dubai.
This frustration was eased when we realized our resort didn’t allow drones. However, there was a moment of confusion when we heard the distinctive sound of a drone taking off, but the sound quickly disappeared! It would’ve been great to be there when the guest was told to land and pack it away!
Behind the Scenes (possible spoilers)
If this is your first time reading a ‘closer look’ at one of our YouTube videos, watch the video before reading any further. There are definite spoilers ahead!
As mentioned in other posts, this trip was the first travel adventure we knew would make it onto YouTube. While there aren’t as many moments of speaking to the camera as a modern travel Vlog, even one would’ve been more than seen in any prior trips. And yes, we do plan on publishing past travel adventures, low resolutions and all!
It should be noted, every time we did talk to you the viewer, it wasn’t rehearsed and aside from editing to trim down the conversation, it’s pretty much shown as it happened. This is seen most obviously with the (drunken) room tour and the bad framing of each shot!
This video can be summed up in two words, bats and seaplanes, both of which enjoys an abundance of footage, far more than we can ever post! We are toying with the idea of a seaplane video to not only show the journey to and from the resort (pretty much) in its entirety but also the incredible feeling to fly by seaplane. Speaking of which, you can see our villa as we’re landing (6’34 mark). Of course, we didn’t know that at the time.
Let’s Go to the Videotape
We didn’t know at the time if we actually recorded any of the whale sharks seen on both dives. In fact, Laurence didn’t ‘see’ the whale sharks during the dives at all! Some background.
This was the first opportunity using our newly purchased GoPro in the water and wasn’t aware you could, or even needed to, lock the settings. Knowing the GoPro 11 was waterproof up to 33 meters and understanding we would be making shallow dives, there was no waterproof case on the camera. Whether it was the water’s warm temperature or just it coming into contact with the touch screen, the camera settings would go crazy once we jumped in the water! Between troubleshooting the issue during the dive and being obsessed with capturing the whale shark, Laurence completely missed seeing the whale sharks on both dives.
Really speaks to the importance of living in the moment.
Fortunately, the camera captured the whale sharks better than we could ever hope. But that’s not the only thing that caught our eye when reviewing the footage. The diver that comes into view at the 17’02 mark is in fact Wendy. That’s correct, she was happily kicking her husband in the face in order to keep up with the whale shark!
Looking back
At the time it was disappointing to arrive with overcast skies, but a quick reality check makes anyone realize how lucky they are to explore these far-flung parts of the world. Having our friends right next was incredibly nice and certainly unexpected. That surprise expressed at the beginning of the (drunken) villa tour was very genuine.
If you enjoyed this or any of our videos, please let your travel friends and buddies know. If you and they can take time to subscribe to the YouTube channel it would be greatly appreciated. Clicking the like button lets Youtube know they should recommend it to others. The icing on the cake would be a comment on the video! Let us know what you thought, or even your travel experiences!
Thank you for taking the time to join us on this travel adventure and we look forward to having you along on the next one!
