Trip Report: Maldives 1-10 Apr (Biyadhoo & MV Princess Lara)

[xariatay]

This trip report is kinda of late because I was taking more videos during the trip & editing the videos took a lot of time.
Spent 3 nights at Biyadboo Resort, then 7nights LOB on MV Princess Lara, 17 dives. Whalesharks, Mantas, 3 Hammerhead sharks...
Blog is here (trip report, photos & videos) 2010 Apr Maldives – Biyadhoo Resort & MV Princess Lara - Windows Live

 

[fish10]

Thanks for the report. I am planning a trip to Maldives during the first week of Aug. I will be departing from HK and the flights are expensive and long!

 

[xariatay]

fish10, Enjoy the trip! Which boat will you be on?

 

[Makhno]

Thanks; great report.

I've heard there's been a lot of coral bleaching in the Maldives. Have they recovered their zooxanthellae, or are a lot of the corals still bleached?

 

[xariatay]

Thanks; great report.

I've heard there's been a lot of coral bleaching in the Maldives. Have they recovered their zooxanthellae, or are a lot of the corals still bleached?

Glad u like it.
We could be at the wrong dive sites or the corals had not recovered. There weren't many soft corals, gorgonian sea fans etc, not very colourful... Most of the dives, we had water temperature of 29-30degC! Very warm, imho...

 

[fish10]

fish10, Enjoy the trip! Which boat will you be on?

i won't be on a liveaboard this time, only land resort, most likely Bandos.

 

[ambertiger]

Thanks for the great report. How were the corals? What was the macro life like? I heard from a friend on FB that the water is very warm right now, 30C +, and corals are in danger of bleaching.

 

[xariatay]

Thanks for the great report. How were the corals? What was the macro life like? I heard from a friend on FB that the water is very warm right now, 30C +, and corals are in danger of bleaching.

thanks for liking the report.
Not much of a macro life as we were out for the higher stuff, saw a couple of nudibranches, 2 pipefishes... Not much soft corals... Some of the hard corals were covered by algae of different colours. Yes, water temp was high 29-30degC.

 

[ambertiger]

Thanks for reply I just noticed this on-line Maldives suffering worst coral bleaching since 1998|Minivan News not good. Temps in the Philippines have been awefully high for the past 3 months, my friends who live there reported temps ranging from 35C`42C over the past 3 months.