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knowledge indian ocean
ttglive.com
Active holidays
Mission
possible
Many visitors to the Indian Ocean region want
nothing more than an idyllic beach and a
pampering spa. But there’s plenty here to keep
adrenalin junkies happy too, says Jon Watson
MALDIVES/SEYCHELLES. person half-board including return flights. are included, bike hire is £145. The
Although holidays in the Maldives are Kitesurfing costs around $55 for a day’s equip- Stok Kangri climb costs £1,899, including
usually reserved for pampered honeymoon ment hire and $80 for a day’s instruction. accommodation and flights.
indulgence, one extreme sport is taking off
at the region’s resorts. Kitesurfing is the INDIA. MAURITIUS.
latest craze to emerge and it offers thrill- For clients interested in high-altitude, high- One way to see the island’s java deer and
seekers the chance to use wind power to octane activities, the Himalayas in India wild boar is on a
DoSomethingDifferent.com
reach speeds up to 50mph on a kite board offer the perfect playground with a variety of quad bike tour. The three-hour tour encour-
– the fastest way to sail on the water. thrills available. For keen climbers, Exodus ages thrill-seekers to get muddy while tour-
Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort, teetering on offers Stok Kangri mountain, a beast whose ing the L’Etoile & Ferny Reserve on four
the edge of the Maldives archipelago and peak exceeds 6,000m. Challenges include a
exposed to the necessary winds, introduced number of steep cliff climbs at high altitude
the sport to the islands in 2001. Despite and long treks. Clients acclimatise by first
the extreme tag no experience is required; visiting the remote villages of Ladakh above
WS International
VD
there’s plenty of space for beginners and the Indus Valley.
seasoned experts to fly across the water. Exodus also offers a gruelling mountain
Kuredo Island Resort, located in Lhaviyani bike escapade – a chance for enthusiasts to
Atoll, 80 miles north of Male’s international teeter across two of the highest passes in the
airport, also offers kitesurfing and wake- world, cycling from Manali to Leh in the
boarding at its watersports centre. Instruc- Ladakh region. Only the toughest thighs will
tors give free introductory lessons to help conquer the winding roads of the western
clients get the bug. Himalaya, close to the borders of China and
The sport is also developing in the Tibet. Clients will be expected to cover at
Seychelles, and is now offered alongside least 40 miles every day, 50% of which is on
other adventures such as swimming with craggy paths. While the climate will be
40ft whale sharks. Elite Vacations can make warm during the day, the tour group has to
arrangements for divers to swim with these huddle together at night when temperatures
gentle giants. drop to -4C.
Sample Price: Thomson has seven nights at Sample Price: Exodus offers the Manali to Leh
Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort from £1,349 per ride (18 days’ half-board) from £1,799. Flights Kitesurfing is gaining popularity in the Maldives
56 22.01.2010
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