On November 27 we got a couple of bikes from the hotel and went around the seaside area. We then headed to a beautiful park which had nice bike paths. All of a sudden Carlos got a flat tire, we tried to get help but the guy that helped us called his bicycle rental company and the guy came but as soon as he saw it was not one of his bicycles he did not care much. We were short on time so we started walking and fortunately enough we found the bicycle shop where we put some air in the tyre and continue our journey to the hotel. We were very close of missing the bus to our next destination.
In the early afternoon we took a bus to Hualien.
Riding a Bicycle around Taitung, TaiwanRiding a Bicycle around Taitung, TaiwanRiding a Bicycle around Taitung, TaiwanRiding a Bicycle around Taitung, Taiwan
In the early afternoon we took the train to Kaohsiung. We left our bags at the hotel we will be staying, got a bus and went sightseeing around the city. We came across the Pier area; what used to be old warehouses it is now rebuilt and a trendy area of the city. There are a lot of sculptures, street art, etc.
Street Art, Kaohsiung, TaiwanRebuilt Old Warehouses, Kaohsiung, TaiwanStreet Art, Kaohsiung, TaiwanStreet Art, Kaohsiung, TaiwanStreet Art, Kaohsiung, TaiwanStreet Art, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
On November 24 we went to visit some unique temples by Lotus Pond. We visited the Spring and Autumn Pavilions and a few other temples in the area. There were a few crazy guys water skiing in Lotus Pond… look at the system they use to ski, no need for a boat!.
Spring and Autumn Pavilions, Kaohsiung, TaiwanSpring and Autumn Pavilions, Kaohsiung, TaiwanView from the Tower of the Spring and Autumn Pavilions, Kaohsiung, TaiwanTemple in Kaohsiung, TaiwanTemple in Kaohsiung, TaiwanTemple in Kaohsiung, TaiwanTemple in Kaohsiung, TaiwanTemple in Kaohsiung, TaiwanSkiing in Lotus Pond, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
We then headed to the City Centre and visited the main library in Kaohsiung, a modern building in the heart of the city. The view from the terrace is very nice, we could appreciate the modern style construction this city is adopting. Take a close look at the Convention Centre!
Library, Kaohsiung, TaiwanConvention Centre, Kaohsiung, TaiwanPet Show at the Convention Centre, Kaohsiung, TaiwanKaohsiung, TaiwanElectric Train, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
In the evening we took a ferry to visit Cijin, another area of Kaohsiung.
Tianhou Temple – The oldest temple in the city, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
On November 25 we visited the local market of the area we were staying. We then headed to the Pier area, where there was a comics convention. It was fun to see almost all the attendees dressed up in their favourite cartoon character. We spent over an hour walking around and taking pictures!
In the afternoon we took a train to Taitung, a city in the east coast of Taiwan.
On November 21 and 22 we walked all day around town and visited some of the temples and places of interest; we went to the Gran Matsu Temple, the Fort Provintia, Fort Zelandia and Tiangong Temple. In the evening we went to the night market to enjoy local food!
God of Matchmaking, Tainan, TaiwanCalligrapher, Tainan, TaiwanTrying the Best Tea in Tainan, TaiwanOfferings in one of the Temples, Tainan, TaiwanTainan, TaiwanOfferings in one of the Temples, Tainan, TaiwanGreat Matsu Temple, Tainan, TaiwanFort Provintia, Tainan, TaiwanFort Provintia, Tainan, TaiwanTainan, TaiwanTiangong Temple, Tainan, TaiwanTiangong Temple, Tainan, TaiwanOfferings for Sale close to Tiangong Temple, Tainan, TaiwanFort Zelandia, Tainan, TaiwanAnping Tree House, Tainan, TaiwanAnping Tree House, Tainan, TaiwanNight Market, Tainan, TaiwanNight Market, Tainan, Taiwan
In the morning of November 23 we went to the Confucius Temple and the Eternal Golden Castle before heading to Kaohsiung.
In the morning of November 18 we took a bus for Alishan, a town high up in the mountains of Taiwan. The bus ride took 3 and a half hours. We arrived in Alishan just to find out that accommodation was outrageously expensive. The guys at the information centre were kind enough to find a campground for us but it was far away. While debating what to do we met another backpacker who had already gone through most of the hotels and found that not only everything was expensive but that most of them were fully booked. There was an alternative… the catholic church in town apparently has some hostel-like rooms. The three of us headed there and sure enough we found a basic and semi-affordable accommodation for the night.
On the way from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan, TaiwanOn the way from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan, TaiwanOn the way from Sun Moon Lake to Alishan, Taiwan
We then went for a walk around the park. We visited several places including some temples and walk along a nice forest.
When the night comes the park dies, we almost cannot find a place to eat; everything closes by 8:00pm. We were the last customers at the only restaurant open until 8:30pm.
The reason we came to Alishan is because it is a very popular and traditional place to see the sunrise in Taiwan… let’s wait and see!
Temple inside the Alishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanTemple inside the Alishan National Forest Area, Taiwan
On November 19 we woke up at 4:00am to catch the first train up the hill to see the sunrise. We got to the top, walk for about 20 minutes and found this amazing spot to see the sunrise. I have to say that our luck continues to be really shitty when it comes down to sunrises… look at the pictures! There were lots of clouds and we could not see the sun.
Train in the Alishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanSunrise in Alishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, TaiwanAlishan National Forest Area, Taiwan
Since we waited trying our luck we missed the last train going down so we walked down to the hostel.
We took our backpacks and left for the bus station to get a bus to Fenchihu. At the bus station we met a couple of Taiwanese girls we had seen at the hostel, they were also going to Fenchihu. They helped us to get the bus ticket and were always looking out for us.
We got off the bus with them at Fenchihu, they looked for a hotel for us and even got a nice discount. We got a beautiful room with a nice view! We then went for a walk with them and they showed us all the culinary specialties of the area, we tasted almost everything on the menu. We also had lunch box which is very traditional in this area of the country. But they saved the best for last… the fried doughnuts were to die for!
Around 2:30pm our Taiwanese friends left on the train to Tainan, their home town.
We stayed in Fenchihu walking around and enjoying the scenery!
On November 20 we walked a bit more around town. We found a small traditional house that was converted into a museum. I spent a fair bit of time taking pictures.
We left Fenchihu in the 2:30pm train. The train ride is beautiful, the descend is quiet steep but enjoyable.
We arrived in Tainan in the early evening.
Fenchihu, TaiwanTemple in Fenchihu, TaiwanStreets in Fenchihu, TaiwanTraditional Taiwanese House in Fenchihu, TaiwanTraditional Taiwanese House in Fenchihu, TaiwanTraditional Taiwanesa House in Fenchihu, TaiwanTrain Station in Fenchihu, TaiwanTrain Ride from Fenchihu to Tainan, TaiwanTrain Ride from Fenchihu to Tainan, TaiwanTrain Ride from Fenchihu to Tainan, TaiwanTrain Ride from Fenchihu to Tainan, TaiwanJapanese Dinner in Tainan, Taiwan
We are now going to Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan’s largest natural lake. We took the bus at 11:30am and arrived in Sun Moon Lake at 13:30pm. Accommodation is very expensive here because it is a very popular destination for locals and foreign visitors, most of them from neighbouring countries. We opted for camping as the temperature is still nice and the facilities are available. We headed to Biwak Campground, set up our tent and headed to explore the town and have lunch.
In the afternoon we took the bus and headed for Itathao, another town across the lake. We then visited Lao Ren Cha Temple where we had a nice view of the lake. We headed back to Sun Moon Lake town for dinner. These towns shut down by 8:00pm, most of the shops will close and there are not too many restaurants that open late.
Camping in Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanSun Moon Lake, TaiwanSun Moon Lake, TaiwanLao Ren Cha Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanStore with Products Made out of Cardboard, Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
On November 17 we took the boat tour that was available on our combined ticket. The first stop was Hsuan Kuang Temple where tension was building up among Chinese tourists trying to take a photo with a stone that had an inscription we could not understand… it was interesting to watch people fighting and arguing because some of them cannot respect others, no surprise in that regard!
Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanSun Moon Lake, Taiwan
We then took the second boat to Itathao and walked to the Cable car. We went up to the mountain just to find out that the station we could get off with the ticket we purchased was in the valley and could not see anything, the only view is from the cable car or going up thousands of steps which we were not going to do! We then headed back down to take the boat back to Sun Moon Lake town. We have to mention that the boats are quiet unique, some of them have a very particular decoration!
Boat in Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanSun Moon Lake, Taiwan
In the afternoon we rented a bicycle… not a regular bicycle, a 2 person bicycle! This thing was more difficult to handle than any other vehicle I have ever driven. With all the inconvenience of handling and other hazardous tourists, we had a blast. We rode it for about 6Km return and had amazing views of Sun Moon Lake.
Bicycle Trip around Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanTourist Information Centre, Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
In the evening we headed to Wenwu Temple, the biggest temple in the area. We then went back to town to have dinner at the same restaurant we eat last night as it is the only one that opens until late.
Wenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanWenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanWenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanWenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanYue Lao – God of Love and Marriage, Wenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanWenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, TaiwanWenwu Temple, Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan
On November 13 we walked around Taichung. We headed to the train station to get information for our next destinations, however it was very difficult and sometimes frustrating. We also went to the bus station but did not have much luck either. We finally found a visitor information centre where we got some information. We basically wasted the whole day running around and asking for information. In the evening we headed to Fengjia Night Market where we had again great food and drinks!
On November 14 we went to Lu Kang or Lukang, a small town an hour away from Taichung. This UNESCO Heritage Site has still lots of traditional Chinese houses and buildings and temples. We walked around the area visiting as many places as we could before everything shuts down at 5:00pm. The most impressive areas were the Lu Kang Folk Arts Museum, Lu Kang old street and Lu Kant Mazu Temple.
Lu Kang Folk Arts Museum, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, TaiwanTemple, Lu Kang, Taiwan
On November 15 we went to the National Museum of Natural Science and then went for a walk around the Calligraphy Walkway, a very nice area in the middle of the city with parks and walkways for people to enjoy the late afternoon. It is very impressive that some busy cities can still have the luxury to save green spaces for citizens to enjoy nature a few blocks from their houses.
National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, TaiwanCalligraphy Walkway, Taichung, Taiwan
We left the Maldives on November 8 at 9:00pm and arrived in Kuala Lumpur on November 9 at 4:30am. We departed at 10:00am and arrived in Taipei at 2:40pm. After going through immigration and customs we headed to the metro station (MRT Station). With the instructions from our couchsurfing host we took the metro to the city centre and then to her house.
The ride from the airport to the city takes about 45 minutes. The train system is impeccable, everything looks brand new. The city is modern with great infrastructure, nice highways and very organized traffic.
Once at the interchange station we saw the book dispenser or library. Here, people can borrow books 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A beautiful system for people not to have an excuse not to read. There are also cellphone charging stations, bike rental places, etc. This place is nothing like we imagine and we are sure we will be in for more surprises!
Library in the Metro Station, Taipei, Taiwan
We waited at a restaurant for a few hours because our host was not arriving at home until 8:30pm. We arrived at Momo’s house at 8:30pm and met Ann and Derek, Momo’s daughter and son. Ann is 5 years old and Derek is 11 years old. Both are nice kids and eventhough they do not speak much English the language barrier was not an impediment to communicate with them.
We talked to them and played until 10:30pm and although tomorrow is a school day they do not want to go to bed. We think they are too excited of having us as guests.
November 10 was a day pack with activities. The day started breakfast at the local restaurant a couple of blocks away from Momo’s house. We had pork dumplings, soy milk drink and Shaobing youtiao (cake fritters). Momo had asked us if we would like to go to Derek’s school to talk about Colombia to the student… something we did not hesitate to accept. We then headed to the school and met Lucy, the music teacher, who asked a lot of questions about our lives, our country and everything in between. The kids arrived around 10:00am and we presented Colombia, watch a video and ended up the session teaching them how to dance. It was a great experience!
School, Taipei, TaiwanPresenting about Colombia at the School, Taipei, Taiwan
We then headed to Momo’s school, she is a teacher at a high school nearby, where we will be presenting again. On our way there we stopped at Baofu Temple, a beautiful Chinese temple that was recently renovated. One of the temple workers came to talk to Momo because he wanted to know where we were from and what we were doing in Taipei; he wanted to explain a lot about the temple and sure he did. He even gave us a souvenir. Momo acted as a translator for a while but then another lady helped and the information we got was great.
Yonghe Baofu Temple, Taipei, Taiwan
Once we arrived at Momo’s school we went to two classrooms to present about Colombia and dance… they really liked the dancing part of it. Look at the pictures.
In the afternoon we went to several activities the school has on Friday. There was a traditional bag painting activity where we painted our own small handbags using ink from persimmon fruit. We then went to an exhibition of handpainted bags and cushions. We ended up the afternoon playing a complicated boardgame with school teachers.
Painting Bags, Taipei, TaiwanPlaying the hardest boardgame ever, Taipei, Taiwan
At 6:30pm we met Carol, one of our first couchsurfers we received while in Canada. Carol and her friend Eva took us for dinner at a local restaurant. We had a taste of lots of local food, including drunken chicken, pork belly, etc.
With Carol and Eva, Taipei, Taiwan
After dinner Carol and Eva took us to the hot springs in the mountains nearby. This is not your ordinary hot springs, this is the Taiwanese version of hot springs. I will try my best to describe the experience without a lot of details. There are two options: private or public. Private is a room for a couple with a hot spring in pool. The public option is a big room with sauna, steam room, hot spring pools at different temperatures, spa and showers. In this option men and women are separate. We chose the public option so Marcela could be with Carol and Eva.
Once you register you get a locker key where you leave everything behind. Everything means everything… YES, YOU GO NAKED! Once inside the room you get the real Taiwanese hot spring experience… a whole bunch of retired old man enjoying the sauna, hot spring pools and steam room completely naked!
We went back to our couchsurfing host around 10:30pm. The kids were still up waiting to play with us. It was a very long but rewarding day!
On November 11 we went for a couple of free walking tours around Taipei. The first one was around Old Taipei. We visited the Longshan Temple, the Red House, 228 Park among other historical places.
Pilgrims Praying to the God of Love, Longshan Temple, Taipei, TaiwanPark 228, Taipei, Taiwan
In the afternoon we went for the Golden Age tour. In this tour we visited the north gate (Beimen), the Taipei Xia Hai City God Temple among other attractions. Both tours are highly recommended while in Taipei, however we enjoyed the morning tour more than the afternoon one. The company running the tours is Like it Formosa.
The day ended up at the night market where we had amazing food!
On November 12 we spent time with Derek, Ann and Momo. Momo invited us to have breakfast with them and then we walked to her mom’s house where we had an amazing lunch cooked by a local Taiwanese lady. Everything we tried was delicious!
Momo and Alex then took us to the train station where we got our train to Taichung. We arrived in Taichung a couple of hours later and after the battle trying to find our hotel we headed to the street night market. We had great food and drinks!
On November 5 we took the ferry to Gulhi, an island nearby. We met Cristina and Alicia on the ferry and when we got to Gulhi we met Irene and Lara. We spent the day by the beach and snorkelling in the area. The beach in Gulhi island is beautiful, just like the ones you will on the magazines that promote the Maldives. The snorkelling was very nice, we found a school of 8 baby squid which did not want to go away.
In the afternoon we went for a walk around the island where we talked to locals and took some nice pictures. The people in Gulhi are very welcoming and friendly.
We returned to Maafushi in the late afternoon.
Guhli Island, MaldivesGuhli Island, Maldives
Guhli Island, MaldivesGuhli Island, MaldivesGuhli Island, MaldivesThe fake blond guy in Guhli Island, MaldivesGuhli Island, MaldivesWe found this cuttlefish while snorkelling in Guhli Island, MaldivesWe found this cuttlefish while snorkelling in Guhli Island, MaldivesEncontramos estos calamares mientras hacíamos snorkelling en la Isla Guhli, MaldivasEncontramos estos calamares mientras hacíamos snorkelling en la Isla Guhli, Maldivas
On November 6 we went diving. The first diving spot was Kandooma Thila, a place infested with sharks, snappers, eagle rays, barracudas and anything else one can imagine. We descended to 30m and with the help of a hook stayed there like in an aquarium, watching sharks play with the strong current. It was honestly overwhelming to see so many marine life all at once, you do not know where to look; everywhere is nice and full of action. We then went to 26m and stay there again with the help of a hook due to the strong current. Here we saw the eagle rays and the school of snappers.
The dive continue along the Thila with more action along the way. What a beautiful dive!
The second dive was at Guraidhoo Corner. It was a nice dive as well but could not match the action of the previous one. We did see a beautiful coral reef at 6m and lots of colourful fish around.
The rest of the afternoon we took it easy.
Diving in Kandooma Thila, Maafushi, MaldivesDiving in Kandooma Thila, Maafushi, MaldivesDiving in Kandooma Thila, Maafushi, Maldives
On November 7 we got a visit from Alicia and went to the beach where we spent the morning. We went snorkelling but the water was infested with jellyfish… we were bitten so badly that had to leave the water. We then went for a walk around the island.
Around 1:30pm we headed to the shark nursery area, a place where lots of baby sharks take shelter from predators. They swim peacefully and graciously very close to the beach. We got great videos of them passing by.
Crias de Tiburones, Maafushi, MaldivesCrias de Rayas, Maafushi, Maldives
In the evening we went for a night dive. This was an amazing experience. The colours underwater with a light look much different that what you see during a day dive. The dive is a shallow dive, only 16m deep but we inspected a good portion of the reef looking for all sort of creatures. Look at the pictures for some of the marine life we found.
November 8 was our last day in the Maldives. In the morning we went to the beach and spent several hours just relaxing. By lunch time we went to the shark nursery and again the baby sharks were there but could not find them.
Bikini Beach, Maafushi, MaldivesBikini Beach, Maafushi, MaldivesBikini Beach, Maafushi, Maldives
At 5:00pm we took the speedboat directly to the airport for our flight to our next destination… Taiwan!
We had an amazing time in the Maldives. This muslim country has found a way to open up its doors to “independent travellers” as they call us; people that cannot pay the expensive resorts but still want to visit and enjoy such a beautiful paradise. They have created an infrastructure of small hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, water sports and diving tailored to budget travellers. They have also designed “bikini beaches” where people can enjoy the sea in bikini and not fully clothed. Of course it is important to be respectful of their culture by dressing appropriately when not on bikini beach.
We arrived in Guraidhoo at 6:00pm last night. Again, the hotel staff was waiting for us by the ferry terminal to collect our bags and direct us to the hotel. We checking in to a small hotel, only 4 rooms, but the cleanest and nicest hotel so far in the Maldives. Solih, the owner, and the staff are very friendly and helpful.
On November 2 we went snorkelling and due to strong current ended up on a resort in the island in front of Guraidhoo. We walked around the resort for a little bit and then worked on a plan to swim back to Guraidhoo. We walked to an area where we jumped in the water and used the current to swim diagonally. It was hard work but made it safely across.
While having lunch we met Lara and Irene, two Spanish girls also staying in Guraidhoo.
On November 3 we went snorkelling in bikini beach where we saw a school of rays. After snorkelling we met Carolina, Cristina and Alicia, 3 more Spanish girls that had just arrived in Guraidhoo. In the afternoon we went to have lunch with all of them.
There is not much to do in Guraidhoo so we met again with our Spanish friends for dinner.
On November 4 we left Guraidhoo at 7:00am. We arrived in Maafushi at 7:30am, our last stop in the Maldives trip.
Of course the hotel had somebody waiting for us by the ferry upon arrival in Maafushi. He picked up our bags and directed us to the hotel. We cheked in, took a shower and spent the day walking around the island and getting information about diving.
Maafushi Beach, MaldivesRays Nursery, Maafushi, MaldivesSharks Nursery, Maafushi, Maldives
It was an early start on October 26. We took the 7:30am local ferry to Male, then a taxi to cross the city so we could be on time at the Vilingilli Ferry Terminal for the 9:30am departure to Rasdhoo. After 3 and a half hours we arrived in Rasdhoo, a beautiful island in the north part of Ari Atoll. The hotel staff was waiting for us at the ferry terminal to take our bags and direct us to the hotel. After checking in the owner took us to Rasdhoo Diving Club, the diving school they recommend. There we met Yaante, a diving instructor, who gave us all the prices. We also wanted to check the other two diving shops in the island so we did not commit with him.
Yaante recommended Coffee Olé for lunch… well, there are only three restaurants in the island. Coffee Olé is a nice place, very upscale for the laid back island style. The food was amazing and the prices very reasonable.
We then went for a stroll around the island. Rasdhoo is a very small island, standing in the middle looking north, south, east and west you can see the sea at the end of each street.
We talked to the other two diving shops but the prices were a lot higher than the ones at Rasdhoo Dive Club so we went back to Yaante and booked 6 dives for the next couple of days.
In the afternoon we went snorkelling and relaxing by the beach.
On October 27 we went diving to Rasdhoo Channel and Madivaru Corner. According to Yaante both sites are very good and there is a lot of action everywhere… let’s see if it is true. At 8:30am we were jumping in the water to dive the Rasdhoo channel. It was a gentle drift and amazing dive, we saw reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleon wrasse among others. After the surface interval we headed to Madivaru Corner. This dive site is probably one of the best, it really lived to the expectations Yaante had created on us. We came to a point that was hard to choose which way to look, there were sharks everywhere, school of eagle rays, several schools of fish, barracudas, big tuna, etc. What a great dive, it will be hard to match all the action we saw in this area.
In the afternoon we had a nap and took it easy for the rest of the day.
October 28 was another day of nice diving. We went to Hammerhead Point at 6:30am for our first dive looking for hammerhead sharks but unfortunately they did not make an appearance for us. The dive is interesting because at some point we were diving into the blue deep ocean without a reference of what is up, down, east or west, the only indication were the bubbles. We encountered a massive jellyfish peacefully drifting away. For the end of the dive we headed back to the reef to see a little bit of fish. We do not think it was a waste of time and money, but when looking for specific species there is always the chance that they do not show up and you are disappointed.
Our second dive was at Rasdhoo Corner. Also a beautiful dive.
We found out that our hotel offers a free tour to the sand bar if we stay 5 or more nights. With such an amazing diving and with this offer the decision was easy, we will be staying for a total of 6 nights. On October 29 we were taken to the sand bar, we got there by 10:30am and will be picked up by 4:00pm. We got packed lunch from Coffee Olé, water, drinks and snorkelling gear. We spent an amazing day snorkelling in the area, relaxing by the beach and enjoying the crystal clear waters of the Maldives. Sadly at 4:00pm we got picked up and returned to Rasdhoo. It was a fantastic day!
Sand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesHermit Crab, Sand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSand Bar, Rasdhoo, MaldivesSnorkelling, Sand Bar, Rasdhoo, Maldives
On October 30 we went diving again, this time we were taken to the caves and Mardigaa or commonly known as the Manta Block. At the caves it was a nice day with the formations and the reef sharks. On the second dive we were looking for manta rays so we went to the cleaning station and waited for around 10 minutes. Tired of waiting we started looking around and found an octopus so we centered our attention on it; however, all of a sudden, there were 5 manta rays surrounding us. They were eating and playing. It was a fantastic seeing these magnificent animals swimming and playing, the way they glide effortless through the water is impressive.
Diving in Rasdhoo, MaldivesGarden Eel, Rasdhoo, MaldivesMatan Ray, Rasdhoo, MaldivesLionfish, Rasdhoo, MaldivesDriving the Diving Boat, Rasdhoo, Maldives
By the end of this dive Yaante had already delivered in all the promises he made to us about what we will see in the area… the hammerheads were still missing but he said it was very unlikely that we see them.
After such amazing diving the last few days we decided to repeat Rasdhoo Channel and Madivaru Corner.
On October 31 we went diving with Yaante again. The first dive was the Rasdhoo Channel, there we saw lots of sharks, a bowmouth guitarfish (It was the first time for Yaante to see it), big tuna, etc. When we came to the surface the weather had turned on us and it was raining, windy and the sea was too choppy. Yaante made the decision to call off the second dive for the day so we will have to do it tomorrow morning.
Bowmouth Guitarfish, Rasdhoo, MaldivesDiving in Rasdhoo, Maldives
We spent the afternoon relaxing, fishing (did not catch anything) and working on a few things.
November 1 was our last day in Rasdhoo, we have had an amazing time in this island. But before we had one last time to the deep ocean of Maduvaru Corner. This time the dive was not as spectacular as the first time, but still impressive. The visibility was not that great so that took a little bit of the dive.
For those of you that like diving, this is a highly recommended spot to visit!
At 11:00am we took the local ferry back to Male. We arrived in Male at 2:30pm and catch the local ferry to Guiraidhoo at 3:00pm. Guraidhoo is almost the last island in the Male Atoll. This will be our third stop in the Maldives.
