Marine Wildlife of the Maldives

We boarded our boat, Felicity, and set off almost straight away for a lovely trip around the islands of the Maldives. They say it is a romantic place and it is but it is also very suitable for any occasion for friends or even singles. There were 11 of us, 5 singles and 3 couples, mostly British. I would definitely recommend doing the Maldives on a boat, as you get to see different islands and you are not just stuck on one island. There are only 7 double cabins so 14 is maximum.

This was a magical ‘out of this world’ adventure that went way beyond my wildest dreams. Dive in - a spectacular tropical paradise awaits below and above the warm turquoise water. It was incredibly spine-tingling getting up unbelievably close to whale sharks, manta rays, turtles, eagle rays, dolphins, sharks and a vast array of stunning colourful fish. ‘MV Felicity’ was THE ideal way to have these unforgettable encounters with marine wildlife and ‘chill out’ at the same time. I can not recommend this more highly and it totally ‘recharged’ my batteries. Captain Shafi and crew were outstanding and from the moment I stepped aboard this gulet, I felt at home.

Its not often that I ever write a review for anything. Felt compelled to do so for this holiday! We were the 1st group to do this trip..... This holiday was excellent on every level! Perfect combination of the sea, snorkelling 2-3 times every day in the azure sea, truly unbelievable that I managed to snorkel alongside a giant whale shark (about 6 metres long & 15 tons) within touching distance for about 15minutes!

Just stunning :0 One of the best holidays I have had and just what I needed to de-stress Wanting to visit the Maldives and travelling on my own this is a fabulous way of seeing it As soon as you step out of the airport ...there it is ! absolutely stunning turquoise sea !! You get transferred to the gullet via boat. Stepping on board kick your shoes off and RELAX :) My double room was a decent size as was the bathroom The rest of the group (5) were lovely and we got on well All of the staff were lovely and nothing was too much trouble The food was gorgeous and fresh and also plentiful !! You will not go hungry

This trip will stay with me for a long time. To snorkel with whale sharks and manta rays was amazing. The reefs were fantastic with a huge variety of fish to watch and wonder.

I had a fantastic time on this trip. The boat crew is great. Whether it's serving your meal, helping you on and off the boat, or taking your hand in the water to show you whatever's been spotted, every member takes their role very seriously and strives to ensure that they give you the best experience possible. The ship's captain accompanied me on a dive and filmed it on his own camera. He then presented me with the disk on the last day, which was so thoughtful and unexpected. The amount of fish, sharks, mammals etc to see is vast and the colours are amazing. I swam with a whale shark called Fernando, who is 22ft. I also saw huge manta rays and lots of sharks.

From day one you are part of the Felicity family. From being welcomed on board and shown your surprisingly comfy cabin, to the last breakfast on board, you are looked after and made to feel so welcome, you will not want to leave. Captain Shafy, Guide Kamey And all the crew work tirelessly to get you the best wildlife experiences. Their knowledge of the Maldives and all its creatures is endless and no doubt why you get to see, and experience, so much.

If you like small ships, great food and spending time in and on the water than this is a great trip. Keep in mind that this is a snorkeling trip with a lot of leisure time built in. Be prepared to sit back, read and chat with your fellow travelers.

What a week! Everything you might wish for and more. We spent time with whale sharks, mantas, stingrays, turtles, and all reef life. Also had a great laugh in a beautiful place - lovely group who looked after each other, crew were attentive and focussed on all the details of wildlife spotting and safety. A big bonus for me was the diving. Shafi was truly superb as dive leader (and ships captain). Did 4 memorable dives with him.

The Maldives is known as paradise to some, others probably wouldn't even consider this part of the world. This trip exceeded my expectations in more ways than one and if your looking to do something different, then give this a go. I have previously done walking/hiking trips or discovery trips and didn't think a boat trip would be exciting enough. I was wrong. I never considered the Maldives previously as a must see destination, and had an image in my head that said "it looks like a boring place to visit with not much to do". I decided to book this trip due to my "give it a go" attitude, and it has been one of my favourite trips I have done that I would go back and do it all again. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone that likes wildlife, great food and good company. The corals and reefs were so vividly clear to see and colourful. The amount of marine wildlife was staggering.