INDIAN OCEAN WILDLIFE DESTINATIONS
The Indian Ocean is often overshadowed by nearest neighbour Africa when it comes to wildlife, and yet it is home to a dazzling array of creatures, both on land and in the water. Whether clients want to snorkel
in paradisiacal blue waters to look for brightly coloured fish, dive deeper among coral reefs, trek through forests looking for lemurs or venture out on a safari in search of elephants, the Indian Ocean is a veritable treasure chest of wildlife experiences. Here, we round up six of the
best animal adventures for clients to try, from marvelling at leopards in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park, to looking out for the elusive dugong in the remote Comoros Islands. Whoever said the Indian Ocean was just about amazing beaches?
1
MANTA RAYS IN THE MALDIVES The Maldives is made up of 100 or so islands, with
most of its overall land mass lying below sea level. Its 26 separate atolls, formed of coral reefs and sand bars, teem with an incredibly rich abundance of marine life, making it a haven for scuba divers.
Deep channels run between
the atolls, pushing nutrient-rich currents along that allow for vast numbers of fish, from parrotfish
to snappers and butterflyfish. In 2011, the Baa Atoll was named a Unesco World Biosphere, and it is here that clients can catch sight of manta rays and whale sharks in the summer months, and may even be lucky enough to swim with them if the conditions are right. The area is home to only a few
resorts, meaning that the region is less busy than its southerly neighbours, so diving is enjoyed away from the crowds. Phil North at Dive Worldwide
recommends clients stay at Reethi Beach Resort, an elegant, laid-back property boasting gin-clear waters, and a remarkable selection of more than 35 boat dive sites suitable for all levels of divers. The house reef is one of the
best in the Maldives, and divers and snorkellers regularly spot passing spinner dolphins, eagle rays, shoals of barracuda, and thousands of fusiliers. Book it: Dive Worldwide offers a week’s diving in the Baa Atoll, Maldives, from £2,375, based on two sharing, including seven nights’ half-board accommodation, international flights from the UK, return seaplane transfers, six days’ diving, tanks and weights. The price is valid for departures between June and October.
diveworldwide.com
2
ELEPHANTS IN SRI LANKA Sri Lanka boasts some of the world’s most
amazing biodiversity thanks to a varied, monsoon-prone climate, separation from India’s mainland and a wide range of altitudes. Since it is home to some of the most jaw-dropping big-game wildlife in the world, the destination is hugely popular for wildlife safaris, which mainly centre on the country’s majestic national parks. Wildlife lovers are spoilt for
choice here, with highlights including looking out for big cats on a leopard safari in Yala National Park – home to around 30 of the spotty creatures – to gawping at more Asian elephants than you can shake a trunk at in Udawalawe National Park. That’s just the start for wildlife enthusiasts though, as Sri Lanka’s parks teem with water buffalo, wild pigs, cheeky monkeys and 433 species of birds. If you count the ocean, the
list of creatures goes on, with Sri Lanka’s waters welcoming blue whales, sperm whales and schools of playful dolphins. Book it: On the Go Tours offers a 10-day Wild About Sri Lanka trip, including visits to Yala, Udawalawe and Bandula National Parks and an optional add-on of Whale Watching in
Mirissa. Prices start from £1,149 including accommodation, some meals, and tours and transfers.
onthegotours.com/agents
3
DIVING IN THE COMOROS ISLANDS For clients who love to drop off the radar
while on holiday and eschew busier resorts, suggest the remote, staggeringly beautiful and nature-rich Comoros Islands, where life is slow and the culture is a fascinating melting pot of African, Malay and Arabic traditions. Tiny Mohéli island – dubbed
the nature island – is one of East Africa’s major turtle nesting sites, and it’s more or less a dead cert that clients will be able to see them nesting or even swimming past them as they snorkel. Explore’s recce trip takes clients to spend a day discovering the calm, clear waters of the protected Mohéli underwater marine park by boat, with the chance to spot whales, dolphins and the mysterious dugong, a large mammal which is related to the manatee. There will also be opportunities to snorkel above the pristine coral reefs and search for an array of multi-coloured fish. Other wildlife highlights include a trip to Itsamia, a haven for ornithologists; and a
10 November 2016
travelweekly.co.uk 55
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