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Whale and Dolphin Watching:
Did
you know that Maldives ranks among the top five places on Earth for
watching whales and dolphins? Over 20 different species (a quarter
of the world’s total) call the Maldives home. These range from the
mighty Blue Whale (the largest animal alive) to the diminutive but
highly acrobatic Spinner Dolphin.
Spinner Dolphins are the
commonest species, and they occur here in their tens of thousands. They
have a regular daily routine to their lives, feeding offshore at night,
coming into the atolls in the early morning, and leaving again for the
open ocean in the late afternoon. This dependable schedule means that it
is very easy to find Spinner Dolphins at certain times every day. And as
a result, many Maldivian resorts offer morning or afternoon dolphin
excursions to see Spinners. While nothing with wildlife can be
absolutely guaranteed, you will never have a better chance to watch wild
dolphins playing in their natural environment than right here in the
Maldives.
Alternatively, if you
would like to see even more dolphins, and whales too, why not try a
cruise on one of our many comfortable safari boats? Species that are
regularly seen on special whale watching safaris include the Blue Whale,
Sperm Whale and Pilot Whale as well as seven different types of dolphin
(Spinner, Bottlenose, Risso’s, Spotted, Striped, Fraser’s and
Rough-toothed). Maldivian specialities, which are frequently seen here
but hardly ever anywhere else, include Dwarf Sperm Whale, Melon-headed
Whale and Tropical Bottlenose Whale (long considered the rarest whale in
the World, but now known to be a Maldives resident). You may also be
lucky enough to spot a pod of magnificent Killer Whales (Orcas), which
contrary to popular belief do not live only in cold waters.
You may not have realized
this before, but with our unbeatable diversity and abundance of whales
and dolphins, plus warm clear waters, Maldives really is one the very
best places in the world for whale and dolphin watching.
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