Maldives: Kuramathi Cottage and Spa / Rasdhoo Divers
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Hi!
I have stayed in Kuramathi village and dived with Rasdhoo Divers in August 2003. That time they had 4 instructors and 1 Dm working there, if you are experienced you usually dive with DM, but they are very flexible, you can separate from the group and dive with your buddy. They are flexible in the bottom time, if you have enough air and the computer say it is ok to keep diving, you can stay 70 minutes under water.
The island have a beautiful reef for snorkel between the dives. You can dive twice a day (9.30 am and 14.30 pm), and twice a week you can do a dive safari (3 dives), between 6 am and 18 pm, you have breakfast, lunch on board. In safari you have to go to Fish head point (big napoleon fishes) and Maya Thila (many sharks). Twice a week you can dive at 5.45 am to see the hammehead sharks (I didn´t see any but some people saw 50 2 weeks later), and if there is people to dive with you can do nigths dives in a beautiful wreck with plenty of marine life (don´t miss this one).
I saw a manta, dive with dolphins (very lucky because I was the only person who swam with the dolphins at 20 meters), many parrots fish, turtles, many white and black tip sharks, a grey reef shark, ...
So, I definetely recommend this island to a diver.
If you have any questions, sent em a email
I have stayed in Kuramathi village and dived with Rasdhoo Divers in August 2003. That time they had 4 instructors and 1 Dm working there, if you are experienced you usually dive with DM, but they are very flexible, you can separate from the group and dive with your buddy. They are flexible in the bottom time, if you have enough air and the computer say it is ok to keep diving, you can stay 70 minutes under water.
The island have a beautiful reef for snorkel between the dives. You can dive twice a day (9.30 am and 14.30 pm), and twice a week you can do a dive safari (3 dives), between 6 am and 18 pm, you have breakfast, lunch on board. In safari you have to go to Fish head point (big napoleon fishes) and Maya Thila (many sharks). Twice a week you can dive at 5.45 am to see the hammehead sharks (I didn´t see any but some people saw 50 2 weeks later), and if there is people to dive with you can do nigths dives in a beautiful wreck with plenty of marine life (don´t miss this one).
I saw a manta, dive with dolphins (very lucky because I was the only person who swam with the dolphins at 20 meters), many parrots fish, turtles, many white and black tip sharks, a grey reef shark, ...
So, I definetely recommend this island to a diver.
If you have any questions, sent em a email
Hi Conce,
Thanks for the info, you are indeed very lucky to be diving with dolphins in Maldives!!!
I sent an email to Rasdhoo Divers and they recommended me to another dive operator together with themselves if I would like to do the early morning dive every day (ie alternate between the 2 operators for the early morning dives). Are there more than 1 operator on the island?
Regards
Yew Liang
Thanks for the info, you are indeed very lucky to be diving with dolphins in Maldives!!!
I sent an email to Rasdhoo Divers and they recommended me to another dive operator together with themselves if I would like to do the early morning dive every day (ie alternate between the 2 operators for the early morning dives). Are there more than 1 operator on the island?
Regards
Yew Liang
Hi Liangness!
The island of kuramathi has 3 hotels, kuramathi village, kuramathi cottage and the blue lagoon. People who goes on honeymoon prefer to stay on the blue lagoon or on the cottage because they have much more privacy. I met a great couple from Ireland and they really loved their honeymoon on the cottage hotel, and they didn´t stay on the water bungalows!
Each hotel have a dive center, but the 3 of them are run by the Rasdhoo Divers. Each dive center has instructors and DM. Some days we shared the same boat for the dive, other days (when there is a lot of people to dive), each dive center use their own boat. So, I don´t understand the recommendation of the another operator by the Rasdhoo divers. Did they say the name of this another dive operator? Maybe it is from another island ...
In Maldives 95% of the corals are dead because of the El Nino, but there are some places that the corals are still alive. So, if I were you, and wanted to see beautiful corals, I wouldn´t miss the dive safari because they have really great sites:
Maalhoss Thila
Dhonkalo Thila
Hoholha Faru
Maaya Thila
The dives close to the island of kuramathi, don´t miss
Veligandu Thila - in january, if you are lucky, you will see mantas;
trigger fishes, barracudas, morays, snappers, ...
Veligandu North - where I swam with the dolphins!
Hope I helped you
Cheers
Sylvie
Contributor
Hi Liang
I've styed on Kurmathi in Oct/ Nov 2001 and loved it.
As previously mention the island has 3 resorts, 12 bars and restaurants, a medical centre with decompressor and from what I remember two dive centres. Perhaps there were three, but I only went to two. In any case, they work together. Thus on the day before the dive you can see which boat goes where and choose which dive site or day trip you prefer. We drove primarily with the centre at the bottom of the island, because the other centres main boat was in repair. I didnt mind because Andrés boat was very nice, and after a dive or two you make friends and dont want to switch.
The dive spots mentioned are great. Maaya Thila remains my favourite diving spot in the world. There are so many fish and so much colour intensity in the coral that you might not even know where to look. You have to make tough decision like should you look at the coral, the school of orange fish, or the huge school or purple fish, or the turtle, or the octopus, or the moray or perhaps at the three sharks swimming around your head. Ive posted more comments about it in this board. I love the spot. It has some of the prettiest coral Ive ever seen.
Contrary to what some people claim, 95% of coral in the Maldives did not from el ninyo. Just a certain a species died. Below five meters the coral is fine, and the fish are plentiful. The dead corals at lower depth are starting to become covered by new soft corals. You even get to see a lot fish, eels, squid, turtles etc while snorkelling.
Aside from diving and snorkelling, I really liked the island because of its lush tropical vegetation and size. You can go for a nice long strolls and not run into anybody. There is enough to do on Kurmathi so you dont get board if you take a day off diving. We were lucky and asked for and obtained a well situated bungalow. The vegetation was so thick it was completely private - till they trimmed the bushes on about out 10th day that is. Most of the people choose to sun bathe close to the restaurants on the huge main beach, but if you choose another beach or cove, you can have it all to yourself, as we often did. Kurmathi spa has nice newly renovated bungalows with great outdoor bathrooms. I would not choose a water bungalow as they are all close together and dont offer as much privacy as the others. Depending on your holiday packing (breakfast, halfpension, all inclusive), you can also choose where youd like to eat. Alternatively, you can get a food voucher for something like $20. The food was fine but not outstanding. Although the Indian buffet at the beach was nice. My Thai cooking is better than what I had at the Thai restaurant, but I'm a better than average cook. I got bored of the breakfast buffet and started eating Maldivian fish curry and rice for breakfast instead. A surprisingly good way to start the day.
If you choose Kurmathi, you'll probably love it.
Cheers
Sylvie
I've styed on Kurmathi in Oct/ Nov 2001 and loved it.
As previously mention the island has 3 resorts, 12 bars and restaurants, a medical centre with decompressor and from what I remember two dive centres. Perhaps there were three, but I only went to two. In any case, they work together. Thus on the day before the dive you can see which boat goes where and choose which dive site or day trip you prefer. We drove primarily with the centre at the bottom of the island, because the other centres main boat was in repair. I didnt mind because Andrés boat was very nice, and after a dive or two you make friends and dont want to switch.
The dive spots mentioned are great. Maaya Thila remains my favourite diving spot in the world. There are so many fish and so much colour intensity in the coral that you might not even know where to look. You have to make tough decision like should you look at the coral, the school of orange fish, or the huge school or purple fish, or the turtle, or the octopus, or the moray or perhaps at the three sharks swimming around your head. Ive posted more comments about it in this board. I love the spot. It has some of the prettiest coral Ive ever seen.
Contrary to what some people claim, 95% of coral in the Maldives did not from el ninyo. Just a certain a species died. Below five meters the coral is fine, and the fish are plentiful. The dead corals at lower depth are starting to become covered by new soft corals. You even get to see a lot fish, eels, squid, turtles etc while snorkelling.
Aside from diving and snorkelling, I really liked the island because of its lush tropical vegetation and size. You can go for a nice long strolls and not run into anybody. There is enough to do on Kurmathi so you dont get board if you take a day off diving. We were lucky and asked for and obtained a well situated bungalow. The vegetation was so thick it was completely private - till they trimmed the bushes on about out 10th day that is. Most of the people choose to sun bathe close to the restaurants on the huge main beach, but if you choose another beach or cove, you can have it all to yourself, as we often did. Kurmathi spa has nice newly renovated bungalows with great outdoor bathrooms. I would not choose a water bungalow as they are all close together and dont offer as much privacy as the others. Depending on your holiday packing (breakfast, halfpension, all inclusive), you can also choose where youd like to eat. Alternatively, you can get a food voucher for something like $20. The food was fine but not outstanding. Although the Indian buffet at the beach was nice. My Thai cooking is better than what I had at the Thai restaurant, but I'm a better than average cook. I got bored of the breakfast buffet and started eating Maldivian fish curry and rice for breakfast instead. A surprisingly good way to start the day.
If you choose Kurmathi, you'll probably love it.
Cheers
Sylvie
Hi Sylvie!
"95% of the coral are dead in Maldives" was the number the biologist working in Kuramathi told us in the weekly presentation of the marine life that takes place twice a week in Kuramathi cottage.
I had great expectations before arriving Maldives about the corals and was a little dissapointed by the condition I have found. But as I said there is nice corals in specific places and the marine life is awesome!! It is worth to go there and scuba diving.
"95% of the coral are dead in Maldives" was the number the biologist working in Kuramathi told us in the weekly presentation of the marine life that takes place twice a week in Kuramathi cottage.
I had great expectations before arriving Maldives about the corals and was a little dissapointed by the condition I have found. But as I said there is nice corals in specific places and the marine life is awesome!! It is worth to go there and scuba diving.
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