Satellite
Show on map
  • Day 6

    Day 6 - Not what we planned

    November 6, 2022 on the Maldives ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Day 6 and today we were excited to get up early. We had booked a Manta Ray snorkel tour and couldn’t wait. We had talked to other guests that said if we do any tour while we were here, this is the one to do. You get to go to 3 or 4 sites, and swim with the massive manta rays. They guides know the feeding and cleaning stations and they get you up close and personal. Bring it on!!

    We got to the dive centre early as requested, and they gave all of us (24 had signed up) a briefing in the mantas and their physiology, how to interact with them and rules about no touching them etc. then off we went on the boat. It was to be a 3 hr tour and our first stop was about 20 mins away. Well, no stop at 20 mins. Or 40, 60 or 80. They slowed the boat down a few times, they radioed other boats and companies. Nothing. Not a manta to be seen anywhere. So after over 2hrs on the boat, they went round and told us we were stopping at a beautiful reef. They often see lemon sharks, reef sharks, rays, turtles and sometimes mantas here because it’s a “cleaning station”. Off the boat we go. We likely snorkelled for 30mins. Nothing exciting at all. All the regular fish we have seen, corals and about a dozen small jellyfish stings were all I got out of it!! Back in the boat and within 10 mins or so, we are back at the resort. What the actual heck??? That’s it, that’s all? And the girls from the dive center not only came round to collect our signatures that we had been on the trip (bye bye $125 USD for the two of us) but also to ask for tips. Uuummm….no. They didn’t DO anything to warrant a tip. 30 mins in the water. And to be honest, we have seen more snorkelling on our own (for free) at the house reef. Not happy at all with this excursion. Now before you get your knickers in a twist, I KNOW sightings are not guaranteed. These are creatures in their natural habitats and they may not always be where you expect them. But look - we didn’t even get the water time we anticipated. We got 30 mins out of a three hour boat ride. And that’s not ok. It wasn’t an excursion boat where we had someone telling us things about the local area, stories, or teaching us something. It was the paying guests sitting on the boat in their little groups or parties while the dive staff stayed out in the bow of the ship together, looking for mantas. Whatever. More money wasted but it is what it is. I did see two flying fish and the fin of a dolphin, along with all the jelly stings. Woohoo…

    After the abortive manta snorkel, Kat and I hit the pool deck for a couple of hours. Same old, same old. Back to the room to shower and change and then the Thari bar as usual. We did get a print out of our bill so far (slight sticker shock!) and I cancelled the massage I had planned for tomorrow. Figure I’ve spent enough and not gotten great value (except for the gin bar hahaha). It was spitting rain when we left the room and for a short while when we were at the bar. We went down to the water to get some photos and lo and behold, we were in time to catch a lovely rainbow too!

    I know I’m bitching about this tour and our expensive lunch. But honestly, these and some nickel and dining at the dive shop have been the only not good parts. The food, beach, snorkelling, our villa and most of all, the people - have all been amazing. A few things out a damper on the trip but it has mostly been excellent!!

    Tomorrow is our last full day, so we will likely make the most of it by doing nothing, again :-). Kat will still go for her massage in the late afternoon but I think other than that, there is just sun, sea, sand and snorkelling in our future. And maybe a couple of drinks at the gin bar 😁
    Read more