Maldives, Similan Islands or Andaman Islands?

[gee13]

I havent dived Similan or Andaman but I was on a Maldives liveaboard to Ari Atoll. I also did a week on resort based in North Male Atoll. If you are into your wide angle and pelagics, which I am - where else can you see in a space of a week - Black and White Tips, Grey Reef Sharks Hammerheads, Whale Sharks, Manta Ray Schools, Eagle Ray Schools? An Instructor I showed photos to said that what else did you want to see in a week? - you've pretty much seen it all! Now name me another destination where I can see all of this in a week and Id like to go there. Well...ermmm there could be a place I hear called Galapagos! But that will be another story...

 

[threeopus3]

Thanks gee. It sounds like Maldives is the place for big fish. Also, I would be heading in November, and this seems to be a good time to see whale sharks. A liveaboard in the Maldives would be $1500, vrs. $1000 in the Similans, and that seems reasonable.

 

[Luko]

If you are into your wide angle and pelagics, which I am - where else can you see in a space of a week - Black and White Tips, Grey Reef Sharks Hammerheads, Whale Sharks, Manta Ray Schools, Eagle Ray Schools? An Instructor I showed photos to said that what else did you want to see in a week? - you've pretty much seen it all!

Hmmh... lemme think what could be added :
schools of thousands of barracudas or trevallies
frogfishes
pygmy seahorse and ghost pipefish
flamboyant squid, mimic octopus or blue ringed octopus
dozens of various nudibranchs
tens of species of shrimps and crustacia
bottoms carpeted with soft and hard corals

... thousands of various fish species.

Obviously your instructor didn't have a good fish Id. book

Otherwise, if you're into "sharks and rays only" dives, I would suggest French Polynesia or Mozambique at least it's more typical overland. If you prefer sharks and corals, Fiji is a better bet...

 

[gee13]

Of course there were lots of other fish and sea life that we saw I fogot to (ooops) mention...

:mooner:

 

[Luko]

Of course there were lots of other fish and sea life that we saw I fogot to (ooops) mention...

:mooner:

Well young man... we'd rather look at your photos than at the whiter side of your moon.

 

[gee13]

Gladly Kind Sir Luko, here are some taken with my compact from Ari Atoll (have omitted some of my infamous close focus wide angle moon shots)

 

[wailer]

I havent dived Similan or Andaman but I was on a Maldives liveaboard to Ari Atoll. I also did a week on resort based in North Male Atoll. If you are into your wide angle and pelagics, which I am - where else can you see in a space of a week - Black and White Tips, Grey Reef Sharks Hammerheads, Whale Sharks, Manta Ray Schools, Eagle Ray Schools? An Instructor I showed photos to said that what else did you want to see in a week? - you've pretty much seen it all! Now name me another destination where I can see all of this in a week and Id like to go there. Well...ermmm there could be a place I hear called Galapagos! But that will be another story...

I saw, lepord,whitetip, mata ray schools, devil rays, sea trutle and when we had the normaly boring safety stop a group of dolphins swimmed by us. All this in Andmans

all this in one dive

 

[threeopus3]

Great photographs Gee!

 

[Luko]

Gladly Kind Sir Luko, here are some taken with my compact from Ari Atoll

Ok thanks Gee!
The eagle rays are difficult to get, they usually swim into the blue and they're quite fast.

(have omitted some of my infamous close focus wide angle moon shots)

Thanks for that too!

 

[gee13]

Yes we had a school of about 8-10 of Eagle Rays. The shot was taken at around 34m and they were swimming out toward the blue...fast! I had one or 2 shots and had to really fin to keep up (thanks to Avanti Excels!) Im glad the shot turned out fine.

I saw only 1 Eagle Ray in Sipadan. At Rasdhoo Madivaru where this was taken I say about 10-15 in one dive! And a school of Hammerheads. Unfortunately the Hammerheads were a little too deep to get to for a decent shot at 40+ m and swimming fast.

You can barely pick the Hammerhead sillhouttes here, it was early on in the dive at 6am, and there was barely any light.

Magnificent Eagle Ray