Maldives

Up next on my trip through Asia I will travel to Maldives. The Maldives are a group of small islands located in the Indian Ocean right below India. This collection of islands is perfect for going snorkeling because there are an exceptional amount of coral reefs below the surface, so I will be spending most of my time underwater when visiting this destination.

The Tsunami Monument, Image by, Flickr

First, I will stay on the island of Boduthankurufaanu Magu. Yes, it is quite the mouthful, but an amazing place to start off my Maldives experience.  Boduthankurufaanu Magu is located in the Malé part of the Maldives, which can sometimes be hard to navigate since there are so many different islands, but this is a unique part of the country. I will start my adventure by going to the Tsunami Monument on the island that remembers those who were lost in the 2004 Tsunami from the earthquake in the Indian Ocean. It will be an interesting monument to go visit because it is this large wire structure that represents the tsunami and how tall it was. I will visit this monument during the day, but when you go visit it at night they can light it up in all different colors, to make it look amazing against the dark night sky. The monument will be right next to the beach, so I will spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach.

For my second day in the Maldives, I will go to a place called Secret Paradise. It is about an hour from the island Boduthankurufaanu Magu, so it will be easy to travel to. At Secret Paradise there are many different types of day tours that visitors can go on to explore the Maldives even more. I will choose to go on a tour that involves island hopping, to really get the full cultural aspect of the Maldives. When going from island to island on the boat, the tour guides will allow me to go snorkeling, and discover all of the gems the Indian Ocean has to offer. The first island that we will stop at is called Himmurfushi, and we will stop and go through some of their shops to get any souvenirs that spark are interest. At the next island called Huraa, we will talk to some of the locals of the island to see how they make a living by selling the fish that they catch. We will also learn about the eco-system of the island, and how it is such a big factor in the fishermen’s lives. While snorkeling between islands, I will be able to see some sea turtles, which has been a life-long dream of mine. I will be a little scared because the animals are so large, but they are also so graceful.

Huraa Island, Image by, Huraa Island

On the last island, I will have the opportunity to visit a locals home and have them cook dinner for me. A true meal to fully dive into the culture of these wonderful islands. I will have the kindest couple to take my into their home and cook me a traditional meal called Garudhiya. Garudhiya consists of fish served over rice, lime, chili, and onion. It will be a delicious meal, and I will ask for the recipe to take back to the United States with me. To end the night we will all venture back on the boat underneath the stars. It will be an amazing way to end the night and the little time I got to spend in the Maldives. I will never forget how beautiful the islands are. I will try to come back as soon as I can to spend a whole week on the amazing beaches, and feel like royalty.