I have looked after Andrea and Chris’ holidays for some time and got to know what they like - and what they don’t like. Both active and adventurous, they aren’t keen to sit still for long, and they always like a new experience, where possible.
They were torn between destinations for their latest trip, and though relaxing in the Maldives was never at the forefront, they had always wanted to visit. I knew just the way for them to do so...
Whilst the Maldives have always been appealing, my husband, Chris and I, aren’t single resort sunseekers.
Enter Elaine with the excellent suggestion of a Dhoni cruise, sailing around different atolls with lots of snorkelling and stops at multiple islands. Perfect.
We joined an Explore group of 14 adults and flew to Male for a day of exploring before being split into two groups the following morning to join our respective vessels for the week.
Each boat had a crew of four, plus a guide, and we travelled together, mooring each night, anchored to each other out at sea. What an adventure!
We headed south, passing breathtaking islands, many uninhabited; others inhabited only by locals and several resorts, including Guraidhoo, Felidhoo and Dhiggaru, at which we stopped.
Every morning and afternoon, we had the opportunity to snorkel for around an hour if desired or simply to relax onboard taking in the views.
Snorkelling was suitable for all abilities though as the water was very deep, we all wore life vests to maintain buoyancy and be able to concentrate on the wonders below the surface.
There were hundreds of varieties of fish of every colour imaginable, plus rays, octopus, turtles, and my highlight - swimming with nurse sharks off the back of our boat - a daunting thought yet a most wonderful experience.
The captain would find a reef daily and either pull up alongside it or nearby for us to transfer to a motorised dinghy and be able to swim along the edge of it.
Mo, our guide, was constantly looking out for us and made us feel very safe; and the crew would clean our equipment after each dive and set it up ready for the next one.
The food that came out of the Dhoni’s tiny kitchen was amazing. Three meals a day, buffet style, were served on a table at the rear of the boat with lunch and dinner, including at least two choices of mains plus rice, pasta, freshly cooked bread, a dessert and limitless fruit, including bananas, papaya, mango and pineapple.
Incredibly, this was supplemented with both elevenses and afternoon tea, where most days the cook would bake a cake.
Our cabin was small but compact with bunk beds and a cupboard, and each had their own shower and toilet. There was also the opportunity to sleep under the stars, which was wonderful.
Travelling with Explore, we shared our boat with a mixed bunch of fabulous people, well-travelled and used to holidaying in small groups so very easy to get along with. A mix of couples and solo travellers, all very interesting, who shared stories of previous adventures, giving us lots of ideas for future trips.
This was a fantastic adventure in a beautiful part of the world and recommended to anyone interested in getting a real feel of the geography of the area and seeing more than a single resort island.
Elaine organised absolutely everything and it ran like clockwork. She takes the stress out of arranging any holiday and we always book with her.
Andrea