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Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The Quiet, Yet Extraordinary Islands of Maldives

The Maldives, made of a group of atolls, are situated in the Indian Ocean and consist of over one thousand islets. In Maldive's waters you can find an abundance of marine life, which makes this place the perfect place for scuba diving. The most beautiful things to be done in Maldives are the night dives when the reefs get very active. The Maldives are very popular especially because there you can find lots of predators, such as sharks. As mentioned above, the marine life is extraordinary and the reefs form exciting labyrinths for you to visit when scuba diving in Maldives; however you will not find too many shipwrecks there. There are some wrecks in Maldives but they are not very interesting so if you like these kinds of adventures when you go scuba diving you will not get that there.

The best period for scuba diving in Maldives is between December and March because the visibility is the best and the humidity is very low. Between May and August the visibility is reduced but on May you can meet whale sharks so if you would like to find them when scuba diving in Maldive waters consider going there at the beginning of this month. The diverse life existing in those waters determine more and more tourists to visit Maldives for scuba diving. Although corals were affected by El Nino, they are quickly recovering and the number of fish species is also increasing so you will find there an amazing life that will fascinate your eyes.

You can do both drift diving and shore dives if you want. Of course, when you do drift dives you will have to be careful with the depth and to get with you an SMB. If you want to visit wrecks when scuba diving in Maldives you can do that too but you will be more interested in the life found there than in the shipwrecks by themselves. If the main reason for your vacation to Maldives is to practice scuba diving then you should choose a liveaboard. This way, you will have access to more dive sites of Maldives and you will have the chance to get there at the proper moments for meeting lots of species of fish. You will have to pay more for these services but you will get to see great scuba diving sites depending on the weather conditions.

The Maldives Islands are quiet so you will be very relaxed on this scuba diving vacation if that is what you want. The Maldives is the smallest country from Asia when it comes to its population so it is no wonder it is a silent place to go for scuba. However the tourism system is increasing and nowadays this is the most important way for the country to make money. For those who want to get relaxed and forget about the routine of every day life, snorkeling in Maldives can be the perfect choice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthias_Zeitler

Enjoying the Natural Beauty of Mauritius

Most tourists come to Mauritius for holidays. To able to enjoy the holiday at its maximum, various things can be done in Mauritius. One could head up to Grand Bay where a numerous of activities are readily accessible for tourists. Water sports such as swimming, parasailing, scuba diving, windsurfing and waterskiing among others are available. For those who do not want to dive, submarine ventures are a sensational thing to try. Grand Bay is considered as one of the most fun to go places in Mauritius. Filled with restaurants, pubs, night clubs and shopping arenas, every ingredient is present to offer some unforgettable moments.

Discovering Mauritius is the prime target of any tourist who has made the trip for the first time. So why not try to climb 'Le Pouce' mountain. The mountain is relatively easy to climb and is around 812 m high. Once on top, one will be able to discover a full view of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. If one is trying to see more of the natural beauty of Mauritius, touring the Moka Mountains could be a suitable thing to do. The tour can be made through the Domaine les Pailles nature park by bikes, horses or appropriate 4 wheel vehicles. The Domaine les Pailles is a relatively big nature park with around 1,500 hectares of land. Many tourists who come to Mauritius go to visit its Rum distillery or sugar mill or even go to eat in one of its restaurants.

Furthermore, one could also go hiking into the Black River Gorges situated in the Black River district of Mauritius. The Gorge is also a nature park and measures around 6,794 hectares. The place is one of the most famous areas to go hiking in Mauritius. The Black River Gorges is as well the home for many rare plants and birds. Therefore, it is protected by the Mauritius Wildlife Foundation. The Mauritius Wildlife Foundation has made a remarkable work for protecting endangered species of plants and animals and is recognized at international level. Additionally, wildlife is carefully preserved in Mauritius. A concrete example is the La Vanille Reserve des Mascareignes also known by most locals as Crocodile Park. The Reserve is situated in the south east of Mauritius and is the breeding place for thousands of crocodiles and tortoises. This Nature Reserve is the only place in the world to breed aldabra tortoises, an endangered specimen of tortoises.

Moreover, La Vanille Reserve des Mascareignes has also become an ideal place for the raising and exporting of monkeys. Mauritius is probably the only island in the Indian Ocean to do such a task. On the other hand, at its restaurant one would be able to taste crocodile gourmets. Similarly, its shop may unveil crocodile goods such as belts and bags. Since already in the south east, one would love to visit the Rochester Falls. Rochester Falls is a waterfall situated near Souillac village. The structure of this waterfall is unique as the water slides on rocks resembling hand made sculptures to fall into the natural pool below. Many locals dive from the top of the waterfall into the deep water beneath. Meanwhile many tourists profit from the immense occasion of swimming while others take pictures of the wonderful scenes that nature has to offer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Ramah