Why you should try snorkelling

Snorkelling | Image Courtesy: I.DeSouza , Great Barrier Reef , CC BY 3.0

Maldives islands are one of the best places you could visit for an exotic holiday. The pristine sand and the lush green palm trees surrounded by the tranquil waters of the Indian Ocean will definitely be a welcoming site. Maldives places to visit and things that you can do are not limited for anyone who visits the islands. The beautiful ocean itself provides an ample amount of activities that you can do while holidaying in the Maldives.

Water sports and activities around water are very famous in the Maldives. Even if you are not much into adventure, you should not miss the opportunity of exploring the beautiful waters around you. Snorkelling is one such safe and easy way to get a glimpse of the world underwater. Most hotels in Maldives, including Adaaran Prestige Water Villas provides their guests with an opportunity to go snorkelling.

Snorkelling is for everyone, you do not need to be good in swimming for this, the life jackets that you will be wearing will keep you afloat while you explore and experience the world beneath you. With a little equipment and a few minutes of practice, you will be able to witness a mind-blowing world. There will be beautiful corals that are home to many underwater species, bright coloured beautiful fish schools will be swimming past you and if you are lucky you might come across turtles that will be swimming along. Learn about marine life through the first-hand experience and enjoy every bit of it.

While you connect with nature in a different perspective rather than what you usually see in the land, you will get many more benefits out of snorkelling as well. Snorkelling has its health benefits both physically and mentally. Snorkelling in the pristine waters will calm your mind and relax you also while strengthening your muscles, improving your cardiovascular health and much more.

Capture some cool photos using an underwater camera and take home memories that would last a lifetime.

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Aquatic adventures in Sri Lanka

A holiday in Sri Lanka has so much to offer travellers seeking fun and adventure. Whether you are planning a sandy beach vacation at one of the beautiful beach hotels in Sri Lanka, such as the luxurious Amagi Hotels and Resorts, for example, or an exciting safari tour around the island, Sri Lanka has something for everyone. With so many beautiful beaches to choose from, it’s no wonder water activities top the list of sought after activities by visiting tourists. The West coast of the island is famous for its stunning beaches, coral reefs that are close to the shoreline; ideal for snorkelling and diving.

Img. Src:[Destinations at Amagi Hotels]
Coastal towns like Hikkaduwa, Ahangama and Weligama offer the best surfing conditions along the South-west coastline, with waves reaching as high as 6 feet. However, these areas are also popular tourist destinations and therefore generally crowded. If you’re willing to travel a longer distance to experience the great surf waves, head to the surfing paradise of Arugam Bay. Located on the east coast, A-Bay, as it’s fondly known by locals, is less crowded and offers world class surf breaks.

There are several coral reefs around the island that are located close to shore, which are perfect for snorkelling and diving. The top diving sites are Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna, to the west and Trincomalee on the north-east coast. North of the international airport, are holiday destinations like Negombo and Kalpitiya. Negombo is great for fishing and boating whilst Kalpitiya, a peninsula bordered by the Indian Ocean and a lagoon, is a good spot for Kite surfing. Kalpitiya is also well-known as a prime location for whale/dolphin watching. For those who prefer leisure activities over extreme sports, southern towns like Bentota and Koggala offer water safaris along the lagoons, where tourists can view wildlife, try their hand at fishing and even take in a view lagoon islands.

 

Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers. Google+

Top Diving Spots in the world

There’s no better way to explore the beauty that makes up the underwater world of fascinating marine creatures, colourful coral reefs, ancient shipwrecks and so much more, than with scuba diving. Whether you are just beginning or have been diving for years, there are a host of different diving sites around the world, with each offering its own uniquely wonderful diving experience.

The turquoise waters and vast coral formations are just some of the reasons that attract divers to the stunning Maldives Islands. Resorts themselves boast great diving opportunities within their house reefs, like the Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi, for example, which is located near other note-worthy diving sites. Maldives offers several deep reefs and shipwreck dives along with the mesmerising experience of leisurely swimming alongside groups of manta rays and sharks.
Travel further east, and discover the many exciting diving locations that Indonesia has to offer. From the coral gardens off Bali’s coast, to the staggering amount of life diversity at Raja Ampat, the options are endless, but it’s the Lembeh Strait that wins out as best Indonesian diving location. Under the calm waters that divides Lembeh Island from the mainland, lies an extraordinary world, full of exotic looking flora and fauna. An underwater photographer’s dream, the dark ocean’s bed is home to an amazing display of rare sea creatures – mandarin fish, mimic octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish, hairy frog fish and dragonets to name a few.
However, if you’re more interested in wrecks than reefs, the Red Sea is the place to be. The tumultuous waters and strong winds and numerous reefs make this area hazardous to navigate. The ancient Egyptians and Romans travelled along Red Sea regularly and often ran aground. Even today, it’s not unusual to hear of vessels sinking near the reefs; plus, there are several sunken war ships in the area. These are of course, just a few places that offer great diving sites. From beautiful coral reefs to wreck diving, there’s so many diving destinations in the world to discover.

Roland Lefevre is a travel writer who specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe. Google+

Banana Reef

Maldives is well known for its remarkable natural dive sites. Banana Reef is one of the oldest dive sites that can be found in Maldives that is renowned internationally. The reef is shaped like a banana which provides excellent protection to the marine area. It is also a protected marine spot due to its exceptional shape, a large number of fish varieties that dwell beneath the shimmering waters and rare caves and canyons that are found scattered across the depths of the sea. Due to its popularity among divers, it is frequented by tourists as well as locals who enjoy diving in spectacular natural locations. If you are a diving fan and staying in a Maldives luxury resort the likes of COMO Cocoa Island, The Maldives, you can take a boat trip to this must visit location to fulfil your diving fantasies. Beginners, as well as professional divers, are sure to enjoy this panoramic reef that boasts beautiful soft coral growths, overhangs and small canyons.

The multicoloured coral reefs and large schools of small to big fish that can be seen here make your dive worthwhile. Some of the predators that can be seen here include barracudas, sharks and groupers. It is also home to an array of small and attractive fish species that can be widely seen while diving.

Banana Reef is situated north of Male within the atoll when you pass the airport. Diving takes a new meaning at Banana Reef when the current is relatively mild. It is the best time for all types of divers to take a plunge and explore the breathtakingly beautiful soft corals quite safely. However, diving near the middle of this reef area can be quite risky for amateurs due to the strong incoming currents across the channel that can create an effect of a spinning washing machine!

Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+

Snorkeling in Bentota for that unforgettable liquid adventure

Located 64 kilometers south of Colombo, Bentota is a charming rural town with leafy landscape   sheltered with tall coconut trees majoring on sandy tropical beaches. Bentota can be reached through the Colombo- Galle main road and also by the Colombo Matara Southern Railway.

Bentota is a popular beach resort in Sri Lanka with a wide selection of luxury resorts together with budget and mid range resorts offering the visitor all amenities required for a comfortable stay and it is known to offer the lovers of water sport all facilities with a  tried and tested infrastructure.

Bentota is renowned as an idyllic destination for snorkeling between the months November and April and blessed with calm seas that are ideal for snorkeling and is geared to meet the needs of the visitor. A simple stroll around the town will fetch many outlets hiring out diving/snorkeling equipment that are mostly managed by industry professionals with PADI certification.

It is a well- known fact that Bentota’s undersea spectacle is as spellbinding as the inland topography. Underneath the Indian Ocean waters lie acres and acres of colored coral, tropical fish and submerged ship wrecks which will activate the diehard visitor to take up a memorable and everlasting snorkeling adventure. The seas of Bentota are warm and maintain a consistent warmth of almost 27C almost throughout the year.

Various species of fish are in plenty off the reef of Bentota. Almost 500 varieties of fish can be found in Sri Lanka. Your snorkeling adventure will find you a spectrum of fish from small damselfish to large parrot fish, jacks and groupers. It is believed that the good locations to see hoards of fish are in places where commercial fishing does not take place. The main dive site in Bentota is the Canoe Rock, where one will come across sandy belts together with segments where formation of coral takes place. Snorkelers have the preference of snorkeling from a boat or from the shore and Bentota will not disappoint even the die hard enthusiasts of snorkeling.

Avani Bentota Resort is a Bentota hotel which is unique because of its design, radiating an invigorating minimalistic character enveloped with its leading edge style offering a dreamy getaway for the family or the individual traveller. It is one of the best resorts in Bentota with well- appointed comforts, thought provoking atmosphere and just right place to wind down, chill out and let go.