The following image was taken from the sliding door of our stateroom.
Nice views during the approach this morning.
As always, the images and any videos in this posting are best viewed on the web page. View the complete set of blog posts here.
Tour Description – “Island Paradise at Crossroads. Indulge in relaxation, entertainment, and culinary delights at Crossroads, a luxurious island in the Malé Atoll. Board your motorboat and set sail across the azure waters of the Indian Ocean towards the marina. Upon arrival, you will be captivated by the picturesque marina, adorned with high-end yachts, upscale restaurants, and boutique shops. Explore the marina and select your culinary delights, at your own expense, from the wide range of eateries on offer, catered by renowned chefs from across the globe. Afterward, indulge in the beauty of the stunning beachfront, where the white sands meet the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean. Relax on the soft sand, cool off in the deep blue waters, or enjoy the peacefulness of the pristine beach. Soak up the warmth of the sunshine and the endless vistas of the azure ocean.“
The day started with a tender ride to Malé, followed by a second quick boat ride to the Crossroads Resort on the South Malé atoll. We spent the morning on this island resort complex of hotels, shops, restaurants, and beautiful beaches, relaxing and enjoying the beach and sun. After a quick walk, we ended up at the Hard Rock Cafe beach. Kara and Greg walked with us. Cheryl enjoyed her first swim in the Indian Ocean (images 3 and 4).
After learning the prices for Hard Rock beverages and food, and realizing we were in the wrong resort area, we then walked over to the SAii Beach Club, where the drinks were included in our resort fee. Today we had fantastic weather for swimming at this white-sandy beach, and Cheryl took advantage of it.
I spent some time talking with the lifeguards. They are actually from the Maldives and live on the atoll in the resort employee lodging. Two really fun guys to chat with. In the fifth image, a small shark was hanging out beneath the gangway from the marina to the island.
We returned to Malé and then split up for the afternoon. Cheryl had a snorkeling outing.
Because the city is so densely populated, the streets are very narrow. As I was walking, I ended up behind a delivery truck that held up traffic. The vehicle and pedestrian flow after the bottleneck was mesmerising (the fourth image is a video). Because it was Ramadan, several businesses were closed until early evening, meaning that this is probably light congestion!
Video of a narrow road. Delete.
Video of a narrow road. Delete.
Like Georgetown in Penang, Malaysia, Malé has a street with hanging umbrellas. The second image is of the Malé Friday Mosque, the oldest in the city, completed in 1658. I needed a haircut and found a great local barber. Notice the US eagle protective cover. Finally, seatbelts, or even in-vehicle seats, are clearly not required when delivering produce.
Cheryl: I spent the afternoon on a snorkeling trip. We made three stops, including one near a coral reef area. I didn’t bring an underwater camera, so I don’t have images to share, unfortunately. We did see a fair number and variety of fish types. The second photo below was taken by a fellow passenger. Our second stop was outside a fish processing plant to observe stingrays and other smaller fish scavenging for processing waste (eew). It was incredible being so close to these large stingrays, which were 4-5 feet in width. Our guide told us not to worry, that they wouldn’t try to hurt us, and one of the participants said, “Well, that’s what Steve Irwin thought!” I don’t know how many stingrays were in this area, but it was a lot – more than 50. I kept my distance from them; however, some of them were curious about us humans and would swim close by. Our last stop was in a shallow, sandy ridge area, but there were no fish to be seen in the late, windy afternoon.
This excursion should have been an amazing experience, but that was tempered by the boat’s condition and the rudeness of the crew, both of which were unacceptable. Note how people are trying to get back up onto the boat. There was a broken two-step ladder, with no handles, next to two hot outboard motors. I was seriously worried someone would get hurt, but fortunately, that didn’t happen. Many of us talked to Viking staff about this really unsafe situation, and Viking promptly fired the company and refunded our money.
Flora from the resort.
End of Post.