Following is an extract from a report by John Rudman about Diving in the Maldives.

Subject: Trip Report - Thudufushi, Maldives,
Feb'97 From: John Rudman <john.rudman@uk.sun.com> Date: 1997/02/18

LOCATION REPORT - THUDUFUSHI, MALDIVES 2nd to 10th FEBRUARY 1997 ================================================================

Introduction
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This report offers a *personal* account and opinions of the tourist island of Thudufushi in the Ari Atoll in the Republic of Maldives. For search engines, this island is also less commonly known as Thundufushi. The report is written using a non-proportional font. It is divided into subject areas so that those only interested in diving can easily skip the travelogue parts. Many novices, like myself and my partner Lisa, look to the Internet for information. This report is aimed mainly at them, but perhaps experienced hands can find something of interest too.

The vacation was booked through American Express travel services in Guildford, UK. The tour operator was Kuoni. The cost of the vacation was about UKP1200 per person. This price included all transport, accommodation, food and drink, and watersports (see the Resort section below). The only mandatory extras were the diving.

Efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of the trip, but latest details can be obtained by email from the resort manager Nigel Marshall at thuadmin@netlink.net.mv

The Journeys
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We checked in at Gatwick three hours before take off to find a 10 minute queue had already formed. Upon reaching the front, we were informed that the plane "had already been used that day" and as a result was delayed by one hour. Take off was eventually 21:20 - 1:15 late. The plane was a Britannia Airways Boeing 767 with seats arranged 2-4-2 across the body. Britannia is a charter airline owned by the Thomson group, and it was clear from the outset that they were better equipped for ferrying budget holiday makers to Almeria or Rhodes. As we wedged ourselves into the world's most uncomfortable seats, it certainly broke the ice with our fellow passengers. We apologized to each other in advance for any inconvenience our fidgeting and seat reclining were going to cause. Not only were the seats narrow with inadequate legroom, they were also badly designed with metal corners which were positioned for maximum inconvenience. So that's what the blankets and pillows were for! The neck cushion (supplied) was useless since the seat back was too low. The arm rests only lifted to 45 degrees, so a couple couldn't share their space.

The food was as expected. There is a complementary miniature bottle of wine (or was it aviation fuel?) with one one of the meals. All other drinks require pounds Sterling. There is also the usual tacky attempt to flog duty free items. The in-flight entertainment was similarly naff. Brits will be aware of "One Foot in the Grave", Croft and Perry and a ghastly feature called 'Showstoppers' - well know musical show numbers murdered.

The plane stopped at Abu Dhabi at around 04:00 (Gatwick time) for refuelling and a valet, so passengers had to disembark with all their possessions.

HINT: Beware ladies. Abu Dhabi seemed only to have one ladies lavatory with at least a 15 minute queue, so go before you land.

An hour later we reboarded to be told that the two navigational computers were in disagreement. After a 30 minute delay, we were airborn again. The pilot waffled about switching one computer off to "let it cool down", after which it worked. Be afraid.

Landing at Male was about 14:45 local time, 1:35 late. After a 20 minute shuffle through passport control, the luggage was already on the carousel and it was straight through customs. The luggage was X- rayed with no need to open it, although I believe any suspicious shapes (e.g. bottles, video cassettes) would be examined by hand. The Kuoni rep pointed us to a bus stop, where after a short wait we were ferried with our luggage across the main runway to a small building at the water's edge which constituted the Maldivian Air Taxi terminus. Refreshments were available, including cold bottled water at $1. This was most welcome, as the temperate was around 30degC.

HINT: Pack shorts and other cool clothing in your hand luggage and change before landing at Male. Pack jackets etc. in the main luggage since you won't need them after you're inside Gatwick.

The luggage was weighed and after another 20 minutes, we boarded the De Havallind (spelling?) Twin Otter seaplane (capacity 18 passengers). I did a double take when I noticed that the Canadian pilot was bare-footed. Sensible man. Take off and landing were very smooth and a great view of the Maldives was to be had during the flight. The plane taxied to a pontoon where a dhoni (the local boat) took us the last 100 metres.

The journey back was similar. The plane was 30 minutes late taking off but arrived at Gatwick on time. Male airport sold a fair selection of dive computers and underwater cameras at duty-free prices. If you're in the market, then do your homework before you leave home - you may be able to pick up a bargain. Abu Dhabi airport is noted for its selection of top-name watches, jewellery and electrical equipment, all at extremely tempting prices.

HINT: For those with special dietary requirements, double check with Britannia before flying. We only got 2 veggie meals on one of our 4 flights. Better to pack your own food. Theirs is awful.

The Setting
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LOCATION: Thudufushi is an island in the Ari Atoll, about 50 or so miles west of the capital, Male. For some reason, the local time is one hour *ahead* of the capital, rather than behind. Presumably this is to give more daylight in the early evening. Male is 5 hours ahead of London, Thudufushi 6 hours.

WEATHER: Being 5 degrees north of the equator, there is little by way of seasonal change. There are two monsoon seasons. The first, from June to September, corresponds to the "rainy" season, although there is still plenty of sunshine. The second, from November to April, sees the better weather. Temperatures are fairly constant at 28- 31degC, with only a slight cooling at night. According to my dive computer (and limited experience), water temperature is similar at 28-29degC at most depths. During our week there, we had mostly hazy sunshine and a brief shower. This just made the sunsets over the sea more glamorous!

FLORA & FAUNA: The island itself is about 400m by 300m and can walked right round in 10-15 minutes. Most buildings are at the edge, the centre having a good covering of coconut palms about 10-20m high. The undergrowth has been largely cleared and replaced with landscaped paths and tropical plants. This gives the island a spacious and unclaustrophic air, making it feel bigger than it really is. The horticultural development is still progressing, so should be even better next year. The general attention to detail is evident even here. Every day the staff sweep leaves from the sand under the trees and remove what little litter finds its way onto the beach. Twice a week the island is covered in insecticide to control the mosquitoes which would otherwise breed in water which settles in the tops of the trees. My partner had only one bite all week, without using any repellent. There are practically no insects on the island. There are few birds either - just a couple of crows and two semi-tame herons which crap on your verandah occasionally :-) A huge fruit bat can sometimes be seen among the tree tops. Two domestic cats and a couple of chickens manage to coexist at floor level. The largest population on the island is that of the crabs. There are thousands of hermit crabs living around high tide and much larger (and equally shy) relatives run around the beach after dark. To dispel any misconceptions, crabs perceive humans as natural enemies and are not a problem.

Culture and Laws
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The Maldives is a Muslim state and in order to accommodate their mostly Christian visitors, the native and tourist populations are kept separate where possible. This places certain responsibilities on the visitors to respect their hosts' culture: topless and nude sunbathing is forbidden; clothing worn in public places should not be overly revealing; on excursions to occupied islands, ladies should keep their shoulders covered and wear a sarong (available for purchase at the resort). Although alcohol is prohibited, tourist islands have special permission to import it in a controlled manner.

It is illegal to remove shells or coral from the beach or sea. The purchase of any turtle shell or black coral products are now illegal in an attempt to preserve these species. The republic's unofficial motto is TAKE ONLY PHOTOGRAPHS, LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS.

Needless to say only a fool would attempt to import any form of narcotic. Two Italians were recently given life imprisonment for carrying marijuana seeds.

The ecology of the Maldives is very fragile. Waste disposal is a particular problem. On Thudufushi, glass and tins are crushed and dumped at sea; food waste is either composted or becomes fish food; plastics can be partially incinerated, but all visitors are strongly encouraged to take any plastics (bottles, bags, wrappers, etc.) back to their home countries. To this end, we were issued with a (plastic!) bag by the airline for storing empty drinks bottles and sun cream containers.

HINT: Although these weigh very little, they can take up a fair amount of room in your luggage, so pack with this in mind.

The culture on the resort island is one of great informality. Apart from a request to keep armpits covered over the buffet table, anything goes. I didn't wear shoes for a whole week. Due to the heat you will only need denim jeans and trainers for the flights to and from. A couple of pairs of shorts and a few T shirts, plus for the gentlemen a pair of long light trousers if desired, are all that is required.

HINT: Don't pack any closed footwear or socks - you won't need them once you're off the plane.

The Accommodation
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In common with nearly all the tourist islands, there is only one hotel. In fact, the whole island, together with its neighbour Athuruga, is leased from the Maldivian government by the Italian chain Francorosso Sea Club Hotels. As a result, future expansion is impossible.

There are 42 rooms, roughly half to a third of which are detached and the rest semi-detached. There is also an enormous suite but this is in the administrative block, not at the water's edge. Kuoni takes a proportion of these rooms, and at a guess, I would say that three- quarters of the guests are Italian and the rest British. People are coming and going in small numbers regularly, so there is a constant number of guests and no great influx or exodus.

All rooms have air-conditioning, which is effective if not that quiet. The beds are comfortable and huge (German doubles I think) and must be over 2 metres wide. Each room has a refrigerator with 4 tins of beer, some still water plus soft drinks. As with all drinks these are complimentary and are re-stocked daily. There is a shower, lavatory, 2 sinks and a bidet all in the roofless "bathroom" which was tastefully decorated with living plants. There was always adequate hot water at good pressure. On the verandah, which abuts the beach, there are a couple of deck chairs and a glass table for those contemplative late night cigar smoking sessions, plus one or two hard plastic sun-loungers (which the staff drag above the high tide mark each night). Although the rooms blend in with their surroundings, on closer inspection the tiled roof turns out to be metal, which quickly heats the room as soon as the air con. is turned off. I'm sure they would do this differently if there's a next time.

Rooms are kept clean and tidy, and one evening we returned back from dinner to find the bed covered in small flowers arranged artistically in the folds of the sheets. Lisa was enchanted and I was made to take photographs.

Hotel Facilities
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The island has its own diesel generator in the middle of the island, which cannot be heard from the rooms around the edge. This powers the desalination facility, which delivers potable water to the rooms' taps. My partner drank this water all week with no ill effects - it saves on plastic bottles too.

There are two bars; a beach bar which closes at 19:00 and the cocktail bar, which serves a mean Rusty Nail :-S It is also from here that the only chargeable booze is to be had: French Champagne at $75 per bottle for Moet et Chandon, or $150 for Dom Perignon. All the other alcohol comes from South Africa. There is only one choice of beer, I think (lager) and the wines are drinkable if not something you would seek out at home.

Most unusually, free cigarettes are provided in both bars.

And now for the highlight: the food is quite possibly the best in the Maldives. It is an imaginative mixture of Maldivian and Italian, with deliciously prepared local fish (of course) as well as curry, pasta dishes, heaps of salady things, wonderful Brioche, banana bread, wobbly deserts, enticing tarts, endless pineapple, etc. - and all beautifully presented. Mostly this is a buffet format, but every few nights there is a menu with waiter service.

There are two boutiques on the island; one sells film, sun cream, etc. and does good custom-printed T shirts; the other sells Italian clothing and each evening has a representative from Diego Dalla Palma who will do a free make up (US makeover)(usually for the ladies).

A hairdressing service is included in the price, but the ladies speak little or no English so it will pay to learn a few Italian hairdressing phrases at home.

A resident doctor's surgery is open for a couple of hours a day, again at no extra charge. Very useful for those coral scrapes and stings or stomach troubles (caused by drinking too much Ari Atoll).

Telephones in the rooms are for internal use and alarm calls only. International calls may be made at reception, but are $14 for the first minute and $7 per minute thereafter - better to send a postcard.

Entertainment was low-key. We sat through a couple of quizzes and a surprisingly funny cabaret (done bi- or a-lingually). A disco plays a few numbers but not too late and never obtrusively. There was also a casino night and a crab racing night (strangely using real hermit crabs) for those who need to gamble. The after-dinner beach volleyball provided great fun one night.

HINT: If you're British, don't accept the invitation to play. Brits play volleyball like Italians play cricket. :-)

The usual island hopping excursions are available, mostly at extra cost. The best one is the Robinson Crusoe Island, where one and only one couple is dropped off on a deserted island with food and water for a few hours and left to their own [de]vices - for only $45.

Water sports including windsurfing, canoeing, sailing and water skiing can all be practiced, mostly for free. A mask, snorkel and fins may be borrowed for those who don't dive. Organized boat trips for snorkelling, plus group snorkelling around the island are both popular. The boutique sells a use-once camera which has a sealed waterproof case. This is ideal for snorkelling and we got some surprisingly good images. There are some challenging currents around the island at times, but generally the house reef is very rewarding (we saw a small turtle barely 50 metres from our room).

The staff wages are supplemented by tipping. It is recommended that guests tip $10 per week for each of the room boy, waiter and dive boat crew. If you use the bar regularly, then barman should be tipped too, as he makes a commendable effort to remember everyone's favourite drinks.

Scuba Diving
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The Italian owned "The Crab" diving school provides courses both for PADI and SSI (Scuba Schools International Italia). The school has branches also in Athuruga (Maldives), Mombasa and Malindi in Kenya, and Sharm el Sheikh and Hurgada in the Red Sea.

Two instructors and a divemaster (or is it 3 instructors?) look after the customers. All are Italian with good (and in one case excellent) English. Apparently they are all irresistible as far as females are concerned ("drop-dead gorgeous" I think was the phrase).

Open Water divers are required to perform a check dive before being allowed on the boats. This comprised mask clearing (2 partial, one full flood and one mask removal); 2 types of regulator recovery; fin pivots; neutral buoyancy hovering; use of buddy's octopus; and a short tour round the jetty. The instructor concerned, Francisco, was very patient and I discovered that he had a very dry sense of humour - you have been warned.

The dive centre has a good selection of shorty 3mm wet suits, which I found warm enough at all times. Octopuses/regulators are standard and I think well maintained, although on one dive I was forced to switch to the spare reg. after the main one let in heaps of water. After the dive we discovered a tear in the rubber mouthpiece. When you have chosen all the gear that you need to rent, a numbered plastic crate is provided in which it is stored for the remainder of your stay. Don't plan on buying anything after you arrive - the choice is limited and they don't make much effort to sell you anything. It is especially important to bring spare fin/mask straps.

There is a good selection of regular dive sites (see below) which are chosen by the instructors the evening before according to weather, tides and divers' requests. Usually there will be one or two boats in the morning and one in the afternoon, according to whether the snorkellers require a boat, whether it's Ramadan, etc. There are also regular night dives. Divers then add their names to a whiteboard outside the dive shop to book a place.

When you arrive at the jetty at the appointed time, the numbered plastic crate is already aboard, together with the weights and air cylinders. Two Maldivian assistants are always on hand to help with kit assembly and movement around the Dhoni. The same assistants will help you out of the water, disassemble your kit (if you let them) and provide fresh coconut and water after the dive. On returning to shore, your crate is taken to the dive school by the assistants where everything is rinsed and hung to dry ready for your next dive. This is the lazy person's diving holiday!!!

You should log your own dives as you go along. At the end of your stay, an instructor will stamp your logs to authenticate them.

Due to a particularly nasty flu or cold virus in England, I was not expecting to dive at all, but the humid tropical air cleared the remnants of a chesty cough rapidly and I managed 4 dives. As a novice I found 3 of them easy and enjoyable and one more challenging due to strong currents. Maximum depth was 28.5 metres, but most diving was around the 15-20 metre mark, resulting in dive times of 35-60 minutes, depending on the usual physical factors (gender, size, experience, currents, etc.).

What can I say about the marine life in the Maldives which hasn't been said. It is visually stunning. Visibility was quite reasonable (15-30 metres), the water was warm (28-29degC) and there was something of everything - turtles, sharks, tuna, Morays, eagle rays (although I missed out the Mantas this time). I would have taken some great photographs if the film had wound onto my MX10 properly :-(

Dive Sites
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For those in the know, this is a list of regular dive sites, together with distance in minutes from the island. As a rule, a tilla is a submerged hill which is swum around, a reef is swum over and a pass is a valley at the edge of the atoll which is swum through (currents permitting!)

Name .............Minutes
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HIMANDU PASS .....70
MOOFUSHI REEF ....50
KALUGHIRI ........50
DEGA TILLA....... 35
THUDUFUSHI TILLA .12
PANETTONE ........15
HINNAFUSHI........10
EMBOODHU TILLA ...25
EMBOODHU REEF ....20
ATABU TILLA...... 50
REETI TILLA...... 30
KUDA TILLA....... 35
TAMALA TILLA..... 15
BULALOI REEF..... 30
ALI TILLA........ 30
MANDHU PASS...... 40
FESDHOO WRECK.... 55
SHARK TILLA..... 120
HALAVELI WRECK ..120

Prices
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This is what you really want to know, isn't it? It goes something like this (all prices US dollars):

So, for a typical recreational diver who owns only snorkel, fins and mask, it works out at $50 per dive up to 5 dives.

NOTE: The check dive is priced as a normal dive.

Conclusion
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Thudufushi is a beautiful, well run vacation destination. It is even better than the brochure. My partner leapt out of bed on the first morning and looked out of the window to make sure it was still there! It is expensive, but then so is the whole of the Maldives. If you look at other Maldives reports you will see how much extras can cost, so the all-inclusive package is worth considering - in fact I would recommend it.

The diving is relaxing and ideal for the novice, but it is also a perfect destination for non-divers.

After 16 years with my partner we're thinking of getting married just so that we can have our honeymoon there.

Happy bubbles.

*** End of Report ***

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