Meedhupparu

Mantas and more

Around 150 of the more than 1,200 Maldives islands are so-called "resort islands", and Meedhupparu is one of them. But not all islands are the same, and the associated dive sites can vary considerably. This report explains why this island in particular is an almost perfect choice for DiveInside after a week's stay.

Report by Linus Geschke

Writing something about a Maldives island is a terribly thankless task. A palm-studded sand hill, a hotel on top and the sea all around, that's it. They all have no history to speak of, no secluded corners and certainly no secrets to uncover. You get what you booked. Holiday dreams, delivered as ordered.

Fortunately, however, DiveInside is a dive magazine in which the surroundings play a much bigger role than the island itself, although the latter is also worth a comment or two. Only the sum of the individual parts add up to the big picture, and even the most enthusiastic divers don't manage to do more than three or four dives a day. The rest of the time is spent on land. In the bars, the restaurants, on the beach. 

The location, the facilities

Meedhupparu is a fairly large 4-star island in Raa Atoll, the transfer time by seaplane from Male is around forty minutes. 215 bungalows are spread over 700 metres in length and 290 metres in width, plus five restaurants and just as many bars. What sounds like a lot is put into perspective on site - you never have the feeling of being trapped with too many people in too little space. Everything runs smoothly and the different restaurants (main restaurant, Indian restaurant, the a-la-carte Italian and the "Café Mass") are all included in the obligatory all-inclusive - only the "Water Villa Bar" is available free of charge exclusively to the residents of the water bungalows.

We don't need to talk much about the pool, of course, but we have to talk about the bungalows: there are different categories, accommodations suitable for families and those more suitable for couples. If you are unsure when booking which option is right for you, you can go for the cheapest option - even there, you will be accommodated comfortably enough. Each bungalow has two showers (one outside, one inside), the free minibar is refilled every day, the beds are comfortable and there is a sea view everywhere.

The food

In a word, fantastic, both in terms of quality and choice! The meals in the main restaurant are served buffet style, with daily changing delicacies such as freshly grilled fish or a perfectly braised lamb shank. Everything tastes excellent, there is a constant refill, and anyone who manages not to come back after two weeks with an extra pound or two on his or her ribs must be a true ascetic. I didn't succeed, and at this point I'm happy to commit: anyone who finds reasons to complain here can't be helped - I've never eaten better and more varied food in the Maldives!  
 
The DiveInside tip for newcomers: breakfast in the main restaurant, lunch directly in Café Mass and then in the evening to the Indian restaurant or to the a la carte Italian, if you are in the mood for variety.

The dive centre

"Dive Point Maldives" is written on the blackboard, "Dive with Friends" directly below it. The first part can still be regarded as information, the second as pure advertising slogan, as every dive centre has to offer. It only becomes justified when the staff and the owner couple actually succeed in filling it with life.

The person primarily responsible for this is Marcus Hauck, and he is what you might call an experienced "Maldives veteran". The first stays of the native Franconian in the island paradise date back to the eighties. He now owns seven bases, the first of which was opened right here, on Meedhuparru.
"Why Meedhuparru of all places?", I ask.
"Have you been diving here?", Marcus wants to know.
I shake my head.
"Then let's talk about it later. After all, I want you to make up your own mind."
 

I'm quite happy with that for now and take a closer look at the dive centre instead. It has a well-stocked shop, offers lots of new rental equipment from Aqualung and the usual range of courses. I already know Andy, the base manager, from a previous trip to another island. He is a good guy. Friendly, competent and, above all, not a show-off whose core competence is limited to spouting off slogans.

"The biggest advantage of Meedhupparu is definitely that we have everything here," he says as we sit together over a beer on the first evening. "Lots of fish, lots of sharks and manta rays."
"That's what they all say."
"True," he says and takes a sip. "In this case it's true though! Wait till we go diving tomorrow. You'll like it."
"What's there to see?"
"Manta rays," he says, winking. "Lots of manta rays!"

Time for the practical test, then, which is the next day: Off into the neoprene (did it actually get any tighter?), up onto the boat, a short ride and then off into the water. I don't remember the name of the dive site, but names are smoke and mirrors anyway. It's the experiences that count, their quality and quantity.  

The dive sites

Every diving holiday is always a balancing act between wish and reality, between promise and truth, between expectation, fulfilment and disappointment. The more expensive the trip and the higher our expectations, the narrower the line becomes. Previous experiences also play a role, there is no denying that - the more you have already seen in your diving life, the thinner the air becomes for new things.

This is especially true for the Maldives. Those who fly here rarely do so for colourful corals or particularly interesting topography. Those who come to the Maldives want to see big fish. Sharks have to be there, manta rays preferably too, and no one has ever objected to a whale shark. At least those are the expectations, and if they are not fulfilled, the provider usually has more excuses on offer than the water shades of blue. Then it's the fault of the season, the lack of current or the proverbial bad luck. We often hear that the sea is not a petting zoo and that no one can say exactly when the coveted animals of desire will be where.

All this is true in many cases, but it does not begin to explain the discrepancy. The fact is that with some islands there is simply a gap between what is promised and what the dive site is actually capable of. I can tell you a thing or two about it, believe me. In my years as a diving journalist, I have been to Maldives islands where a lone pair of reef sharks was ecstatically celebrated, even though they are supposedly a dime a dozen.  On islands where not a single manta ray has been seen within two weeks, although according to the advertising brochure it was the best time for it.  

And Meedhupparu? What does it look like here? This island actually thrilled me. Completely. All the promises here are not only kept, but exceeded. The names of the dive sites don't matter, the highlights change anyway, but the base always knows where to find what. When it's "going to the mantas", it's to blocks where the biggest of all rays are almost in each other's way. They swim over each other, under each other, behind each other. In front of the divers and in their backs. A total sensory overload, best underwater cinema until the air runs out. The same goes for sharks. Around Meedhupparu there are spots where they cavort not only individually or in pairs, but by the dozen, again and again. There is no chance of leaving here again without experiences that will burn themselves into your memory forever. Meedhupparu - this is the Maldives as the Maldives should be everywhere but are far too rare.

"There are a few blocks in the atoll where the manta rays like to hang out," Marcus will explain later. "Depending on the currents or the time of year. Our advantage is that we always know exactly which area they are in, thanks to our many years of experience in the region."
"Always?"
"Well ..." he laughs. "Almost always. On any given day, there are always only two or three blocks that come into consideration. If they're not on the first, then the second or third."
"And the sharks?"
"There we searched for a long time until we found the best spots - interestingly enough, exactly where we didn't suspect them at first. Not far from the island."

Conclusion

If Meedhupparu has a disadvantage at all, it is that the island does not give a distinct "Robinson feeling" due to its size. Otherwise, however, Maldivian dreams come true here. The bungalows fit, the food is excellent and the dive sites deliver what they promise (and a little more). In addition, the island is comparatively cheap and the dive centre is certainly one of the best you can find in this business. You just have to be careful not to become oversaturated - by the power of the experiences, the images in your head.

More information and booking:
Reisecenter Federsee
Dive Point Meedhupparu on Taucher.Net