The captivating Maldive Islands have acquired a reputation as a premier tourist destination. The Maldives enjoy a delightful climate, with year-round sunshine and a leisurely idyllic ambience. The powder-soft sandy beaches, sapphire hued Indian Ocean waters and exotic palm trees create a truly magical environment that lingers in the memory long after the visitor has left the islands.
The Maldives are also renowned as a superb diving location, with a number of excellent dive sites which provide ideal conditions for the diving enthusiast. The coral formations and mesmerizing underwater life never fail to bewitch the visitor who takes a plunge into the depths.
However perhaps the most thrilling underwater excursion of all is the opportunity to swim alongside those amazing denizens of the deep, the sharks. There are not many locations around the globe where one may see an entire school of sharks at close range, but the island of Kuramathi in the Maldives is one of them. At a particular site off the island the inquisitive diver will be able to encounter schools of hammerhead sharks, one of the most intriguing of ocean inhabitants.
The thrilling adventure of encountering the hammerheads begins very early, before the break of dawn. The diver must wake up at about four thirty and walk down the path to the diving centre in complete darkness. The aptly named ‘Hammerhead Point’ is a mere 5 minute boat ride away. However there is also another option; divers may stay overnight at the site on a ‘liveaboard’ ship to try their luck.
The distinctive feature of the hammerhead shark, its hammer-shaped head serves a useful purpose; according to scientific research, the unusual shape evolved to assist the shark’s vision. The distinctively shaped structure and the positioning of the shark’s eyes provide excellent binocular vision; the shark is able to constantly see above as well as below it making it an efficient hunter of fish. The hammerhead is also unusual as the female gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs as most shark species do.
The discerning visitor seeking a Maldives island resort will find an attractive accommodation in the Kuramathi Island Resort. One of the excellent resorts Maldives offers, no visitor leaves this idyllic rest disappointed.