Maldives Day 5 - Terrible Snorkeling Trip and Amazing House Reef 🐢

30th July 2021

Today the alarm goes off at 8:30, we want to go on the snorkeling trip at 9:30. I have read in hotel reviews beforehand that the trip is terrible, but it's included in the All-Inclusive package, so 'let's just go for it'. In retrospect, a complete waste of time 🤷🏻

But let's start from the beginning:

We are at the reception at 9:15, along with many other snorkel enthusiasts. I'm already wondering how everyone will fit on one boat with social distancing. We set off at 9:30.

We are divided into 2(!) boats. Once everyone has found their place (except for one couple, everyone is wearing masks, including the crew), we set off.

As it turns out, we anchor directly at the reef of the island Bandos. Oh how funny, the husband and I did island hopping here 23 years ago when we were on the island Kanifinolhu. Back then, Bandos' reef was amazing. Close to the beach and lots of fish. Today it is completely dead and deserted. I don't understand why they bring us here when the resort's own house reef is teeming with fish and sharks. In addition, we are only allowed to swim 10 meters along the reef. Anyone swimming further around the island is immediately called back.

We see a few fish and starfish, among others an anemone with clownfish. These are the highlights...

Son and I are the first ones to climb back onto the boat. What a waste of time 🤷🏻. We wait until everyone else is back on board, then we continue. Since it is only 10:45, we think that we will go to another snorkeling spot, but no: back to Thulhagiri

Oh man... So please, avoid the snorkeling trip! If we had paid $25 for it, we would have been really annoyed!

We immediately head to our house reef and are not disappointed. Highlights include a turtle, sharks, and the small manta rays, stingrays, and plenty of schools of fish. Amazing!

In the tree in front of the restaurant, there are lots of chirping parakeets again

After lunch, we have a lot of fun wave hopping again. There is plenty of that today.

In front of our bungalow and on the beach, the hermit crabs are busy again.

In the Beach Bar, we once again have a good laugh about the selfie skills of the Russian women. Especially funny is a couple: he is supposed to film her running on the beach with her hair blowing in the wind. So she jumps around smiling on the beach, watches the video, curses loudly, and starts all over 🤭😂

The scene repeats itself countless times until she isn't paying attention and a big wave hits her. Better than the movies!

After trying out several cocktails, I stick with the Black Russian, but today we try a Tequila Sunrise and a Margarita. The latter is not really my thing...

However, I don't get the impression that there is a lot of alcohol involved here. Most of the cocktails taste like fruit juice mixes. But that's alright, I don't want to be tipsy before dinner 😉

At dinner, we follow the Russian tradition: we start with dessert! Before everything disappears, we take different slices of cake and place them on the table, then we move on to the salad - or main buffet.

What is unfortunate is that you really have to be at dinner at 7:30 and eat quickly. If something is empty, it will not be refilled or cleared. The buffet shrinks as it gets later. Officially, dinner goes until 9 o'clock, but by 8:30 there is only leftover food... 🤷🏻

There is no wind this evening. I start sweating a lot during the evening card game. Tomorrow we'll have to find a spot under the fans...