Browsing Tag

El Nino

travel

Kuramathi – The People’s Island

So far on my travels to this beautiful blue archipelago, the island’s have been one beautiful breathe of fresh air and nothing but relaxation awaiting you. They all persuade you with a wide array of sandy, tropical and underwater sanctuaries to explore and all have a similar variety of cuisine on offer, with copious luxury-laden opportunities for you to fully enjoy your weekend away. KuramathiKuramathi is however, without doubt, the island you could quite happily move to more permanently. Kuramathi went through major refurbishment in 2009, where more than a third of the rooms were completely redone and environmentally friendly methods implemented across the island. Kuramathi

It is the Maldives but on a much larger scale, boasting 1.8km from tip to tip, it’s the largest one I’ve visited so far. It houses 4 different water villa complexes and it’s actually fairly easy to get a little lost in the midst of all their footpaths. I was a bit affronted by the golf buggies tearing up and down the island as their main mode of transport, because I wanted nothing more than to remain barefoot and enjoy the jungle trails as I had done on the past few islands. Here however, they are more of a necessary evil, especially welcomed when the giant fruit bats start flying about in the canopy and you can’t quite see what’s making all the noise!Kuramathi

One of the nicest traits the island has is the full community vibe in the middle of it, where staff are kept almost hidden in other areas, here there’s frequent football and cricket matches held in the middle of the island for their 1000+ employees. Amidst such a big community, it’s a welcome sight to see the sustainable hydroponic garden producing all the deliciously fresh produce and plant life across the island. Kuramathi

If you’re looking for a longer trip then this is the perfect place for you to enjoy getting lost in. Not only is there plenty to do above the water during the day, the evening’s are well covered with restaurants like Reef – the local seafood restaurant, with a substantial wine cellar, that boasts nothing but 100% fresh catch where nothing goes to waste – all set to the sound of absolutely no music, so that you are settled solely by the waves all around you in their open dining hotspot. Kuramathi

Looking for a way to explore the reef’s but finding the water a little chilly? We’ll there’s two options for you here… Kuramathi offers a unique diving experience like no other – in a submarine! Expect to be fairly surface-side most of the time, so it’s ok for those who are a little claustrophobic like me. KuramathiIf you’d rather get a tan in the process too, take out the monokini– a see through canoe – for the afternoon. It’s a great way of being able to drift across the reefs and spot all the fish below without getting wet. But if you are a diver… this island has a full Hyperbaric Chamber available to you too – especially if you’ve been out on one of their early morning boats to Hammerhead Shark Point – only 8 minutes by boat from Kuramathi and these gorgeous creatures can be seen all year round! Kuramathi

If you’re an early bird like me, there’s a sunrise yoga session that’s sure to stretch you out, after all, it’s hard doing almost nothing ☺ If that’s not for you however, the spa certainly will be! Treat yourself to the signature massage (which I’ve checked – differs from island to island) and enjoy the post-relaxation thrum of the jungle around you. Kuramathi

Because it’s such a vast island, the eco-sanctuary and marine station have a much bigger job of keeping it all growing. We spoke with their resident biologist who’s having a tough time with the thorny crown fish in the area, attacking what’s left of their mostly bleached reefs. It’s not a total loss though as if it’s even 10% of the Maldives at their best, it’s still 100% better than most other places in the world! Kuramathi

travel

Maafushivaru – The Adventure Awaits

When you read about the Maldives, the thing you don’t necessarily realize is just how many different options there are here. With over 330 resorts amongst 1000+ islands, how do you choose your perfect Maldivian getaway? Most of the islands are under 15mins wide (walking distance) and with their very friendly staff; you can so easily get comfortable here. I’ve been extraordinarily lucky this trip to be able to try out a variety of different resorts, and test their levels of adventure, nature and aquatic experiences. Maafushivaru

One white-knuckle seaplane transfer from Male airport later and we’ve landed at our new atoll, Maafushivaru. Straight off the boat onto the pontoon we’re greeted with sea turtles and juvenile lemon sharks basking in the shallows, so I knew from the start this was going to be my kind of island. Maafushivaru

It’s got a very casual feel to the place, compared with our previous resort. It’s a smaller resort and as there’s less people at any one spot, it feels a bit more private. The weather had been threatening us all morning and during our lunch we first got a taste of its infamous tropical climate as we sat and enjoyed a very fuss-free buffet meal. It feels a bit like a luxury diving resort, it’s the kind of place that travelling solo, you’d feel totally at ease. Maafushivaru

This island has its own private island too, if you’re feeling like you want a bit more of a castaway experience (VIP of course) you can check into a separate atoll that’s completely yours for the night. Perfect for families or even a hen do! It’s got a restaurant on the island for when there’s no bookings though so you can still visit it during the day and hang out on an old dhow. Maafushivaru

After lunch we were invited on a private manta ray excursion, where we were also told whale sharks had been spotted in the area too! Not wanting to waste any more time at the dinner table, we all got our equipment ready and headed out with their on-site marine biologist to a nearby sandbar. The weather was determined to keep us guessing but unfortunately that meant the visibility had dropped. Maafushivaru

We didn’t hesitate to see what was beneath the waves (which had started picking up so for those of you who suffer from sea sickness… the best cure is really just to jump in!). Armed with a Go Pro and a snorkel, the water was actually a much warmer place to be than staying in the boat! Maafushivaru Wearing paddle suit from The Upside at Sun & Sand Sports

We toured the reef for all of about 30 minutes, with a few turtles popping up to say hello, amongst a bevvy of colorful fish. What was extremely noticeable amongst all the islands is the global El Nino phenomenon that’s hit them hard. There’s nothing locally that can be done, it’s a weather phenomenon that makes the shallow waters too warm to sustain the plant life.

From corals and reef-beds that used to line the coasts with colours in the Maldives, it’s estimated that over 60% has been lost. You can see a lot of broken corals, white and bare, covered in algae, to the point that live corals or anemones were few and far between. It’s not as bad as Australia of course who’s rumored to have lost up to 90% of their beautiful reefs!

No manta’s or sharks were spotted on our trip, but that gives me even more reason to come back! If you’re looking for more of an aquatic adventure, this island will make sure you get what you came for. Maafushivaru

Top tips:

– Take a Go-Pro!
– Enjoy some table-cooked Teppanyaki on the boardwalk
– Even if it rains, swim!