Banana Reef Snorkelling Trip (Maldives)

The best Reef for snorkelling and diving in the North Male Atoll is considered to be the Banana Reef.
Today we took a tour with Dive Club Maldives for $35 to go and see a couple of Reefs with a Lunch Break on a local Island.

The rickety boat skilfully manoeuvred by our driver with his feet (yes feet) on the rudder took  us first to a reef (I didn’t catch the name of this one) outside the Sheraton Resort Island .

Off we jumped into the wonderfully warm and sparkling blue yonder and swiftly got picket up by a gentle current that took us along the side of the reef. One of the instructors was close by and suddenly raised his head to shout ‘shark’… So everyone flippered by, to gather and see him. Indeed there was a sizeable young man of a shark swimming along the reef, together with a multitude of colourful sealife. Afterwards I was told that sharky swam right next too me at some point, but I missed that… maybe a good thing…

I thought I could hear a familiar squeaking while I was under water and as it turns out there were some Dolphins nearby. We took the oppotunity to follow them along  their way for a little while. Such graceful yet playful creatures, jumping loops for the sheer fun of it. This was definitely one of the Highlights if this trip.

For Lunch we stopped at the Island where they manufacture tinned Tuna and filet the finest Yellowfin, to be exported to Japan. They are some of the best and most expensive Tuna in the world, we are told.
The fish bones are thrown back into the water just outside, where we were moored up. Which meant that there was also a huge array of fish coming to feast on the tuna leftovers.

I didn’t go snorkelling here, in the Tuna graveyard… it was just a bit to spooky for me. But the Boat people used the time to catch some fish, I guess that will be their dinner. Jealous I am.

Our lovely boat ride continued on to the best Reef of the North Male Atoll, the Banana Reef.
Once again there would be a current picking us up and drift us along, while the Boat will drive on and pick us up at the other end.
It’s quite an awesome feeling to gently float along while watching this incredible scenery underneath.

This little gem of underwater Paradise was for me, the most amazing I  have seen so far. Gazillions of beautiful fish are swimming here along  this amazing coral garden. Absolutely breathtakingly stunning.  My little pictures shows nothing of the beauty that is to be seen here. If you can dive, you can get  up close and personal with them all, but with the sun lighting up the top of the corals, it is glistening, bright and colourful right at the surface.

To see these incredible marine ecosystems before they get spoilt by  global warming or rise in population and tourism, book your snorkelling or diving trip with Dive Club Maldives.
Contact your Hotel Concierge or the Club directly.
Dive Club Maldives PVT LTD
10087 Dhiggaa Magu
Hulhumale’
Rep.of Maldives
Tel. +960 768 2970
Email: info@diveclubmaldives.com
http://www.diveclubmaldives.com

The Hulhule Airport Hotel

I do enjoy going out by myself. A warm fuzzy feeling of freedom to do as I please, when and where I want to do it. Today I decided that it would be on of those evenings. I catch the boat from Male to the Airport Island Hotel Hulhule, just 10 minutes across the gorgeous turquoise Indian ocean, on this charming little ferry, carrying passengers free of charge to and fro. There is a charming young Maldivian boatsman, seemingly working every single day of his life on this boat. On some occasions when I had a few beers and a couple more, I got him to pose with me in pictures. He always smiles when I get on or off the boat and I grin back, slightly embarrassed.  I must ask him his name some day.
So little ferry aside, what’s the lowdown on the hotel? To be honest I cannot tell you anything about the state of the rooms or service within, as I have never stayed here, but what I can tell you is, that the Tandoori Night themed evening by the pool and Bar makes for a nice and unexpected surprise .

Normally a visit to Hulhule is solely for the purpose of getting a beer or such like, as Male itself is a ‘dry’ Island and doesn’t of course serve these little indulgences. For local workers and us tourists, who stay in Male, this is the preferred meeting place for a sundowner.
So when they start setting up their Tandoori cart and oven right next to the pool, the taste buds light up on a foodies mind like mine. Fresh reef fish marinated in the chefs own mixture of exotic spice and traditional Indian favourites are freshly prepared as you watch (if you’re not to busy chatting).
I’ve not frequented India very much in my travels (yet), so for me having tasted a freshly prepared Nan Bread from this very side of the pool oven was an amazing revelation. A bit like a real Neapolitan pizza, it’s all about the dough. So fresh and chewy, soft with edges of subtle crunch, simply Nan perfection. Talking of which, they also do an awesome Maldivian Tuna Pizza here. Super tasty and spicy, with little Maldivian Bullet Chillies!
Tonight I treated myself to a whole Reef Fish Barbecued in the Tandoor Oven. Apart from the slight lack of condiments (after one mouthful they were  gone) I was very pleased indeed.  The chef’s marinade has given the Fish a lovely kick, just enough to tease, but not burn. This little beauty has cost me $25 which is way more expensive then you’d expect to pay on Male Island, but the novelty of watching it cook right next to me made it well worth it.

Ok I guess I better get some facts up here for you also. If you consider staying at this hotel, say you have an early flight to catch and need to leave your resort island, then do. Even if Hulhule Airport Hotel has a spa and a pool, this ain’t no place for a holiday in the Maldives. It’s pure convenience, but a nice one at that.

Here is the Hotel Website:
http://www.hih.com.mv/

Lemongrass Fifth Restaurant Male

Finally! My favourite Restaurant in Male is Lemongrass Fifth.

Fareedhee Magu, Male 300-9000 

 

I‘ve eaten there so many times, they’ve given me a discount card.
The Restaurant has an airconditioned Downstairs, but we always favour the Semi Open Air area Upstairs or even right outside on the Balcony,  where the Fruit Bats do their evening rounds.

When I first discovered Lemongrass Fifth, I was looking for something to eat for lunch on a Friday afternoon. In the Maldives Friday is like a Sunday, most Shops and Restaurants are closed.
If you ever find yourself facing the same dilemma, Lemongrass Fifth to the rescue! So it’s open on Friday but surely that’s not why it’s my favourite. You’re right. The real reason is the menu. It’s like an encyclopaedia of Thai food. I could study it for hours before I decide what I’m going to have.

Tonight we shared a Tom Yum Steamboat, then I had one of the fried whole fish dishes. The waiter looked at me a bit funny , hesitated, then said with a side to side head shake ‘ok’. It is an indulgence even for me, and really it is for sharing  (comes with 3 portions of rice) but you know me, I am having what’s left as my crew meal!

The side dishes are Garlic Water Spinach and Green Papaya Salad. Two of my ‘Must Haves’ in any Thai Restaurant.
Once again everything was lovely. The only one small thing I missed here, was my beloved Chilli Fish Sauce, but then hey will bring some, if asked.

Do: Have a Cola Float! It’s old fashioned and very nice.
Don’t: Think that a green Curry is mild. 
Is is unusual that I am already contemplating what I’m going to have next time,  and why do I always seem to be envious of the person who has the Green Curry?

Kurumba Island Resort Maldives

Kurumba means Coconut and doesn’t it roll of the tongue nicely? It is the first private resort that opened to tourists in the Maldives in the 1970’s. The Design of the resort makes me think ‘Zen’ and ‘Peaceful’ and it may have been here for 40 years already, but there is nothing old about it. Kurumba has 180 rooms with 8 different styles to choose from.
At beach walking speed the island can be circumnavigated in 30 minutes. It is indeed surrounded by soft white sand and turquoise child friendly shallow water.

In amongst the plentiful flowers, shrubs and coconut palms the beautiful beach bungalows are hiding. My favourites are the Deluxe Bungalows right by the sea. You can open your glass double door out to your little terrace and hop right onto the beach. All it needs is a hamock, but maybe it’s just me, I like hamocks.

To protect the island Kurumba has wave breakers around the lagoon. All along these you’ll find marvellous snorkelling scenery. Just outside of the them, by the reef shelf, are thousands of tropical fish of all colours and sizes. Talking of size there are also a few baby reef sharks swimming along the shore, and today when I was calmly bobbing along, thinking I was in a live aquarium, duh duh duuuhhmm…I met their Daddy!

Not to worry though, he looked big and scary but is harmless really.
Apart from snorkelling you can indulge in plenty of other activities. From watersports to yoga, table tennis to finding your dancing feet and sea legs.
Your holiday will be tranquil but never boring.

Being conveniently close to the airport this resort would seem favoured for families or shorter holidays, but I think a romantic getaway would be equally wonderful here.

There are several restaurants and Bars dotted around, offering a great variety of delicious dishes including Seafood, Barbecues, Arabic, Chinese, Italian and Japanese cuisine as well as the usual Buffet Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Do: Book a trip to see the amazing Manta Rays, if they are offering it, (depends on whether they are currently around.)
Do: Visit Male Island and go to one of it’s great Restaurants or walk around the Fish Market. There is a choice of my favourite restaurants in Male on this blog.
Don’t: Swim over the corals at low tide, they can be razor sharp.

This is their Website:  http://www.kurumba.com/

Kuda Bandos, Maldives

If you’re looking for a ‘marooned on an island’ excursion on your Maldivian holiday, Kuda Bandos will be worth a visit.
No matter how many times I’ve been here it always has the wow effect, every time. The water couldn’t get any bluer, the sand couldn’t be any softer and the sound of the waves gently lapping against the beach couldn’t be any more relaxing.
Top Tip: (from a german) As soon as you get there grab yourself a sunlounger,

It is the easiest place for snorkelling I have encountered so far. Just step into the water and you’re there, surrounded by a multitude of tropical reef fish. The best place to snorkel is to the right of the little channel they use for jet ski’s and small boats next to the pier. Be careful though at low tide. The coral is closer to the surface and can be razor sharp.

To get to Kuda Bandos arrange a picnic trip from your resort or hire a private transfer. It currently costs $11 entree fee to be payed on arrival at the island.
If you are not part of a picnic excursion, there is a small bar that serves cold drinks, beer and some snacks. Otherwise a Top Tip is to loiter around other peoples BBQ and take a look after the tour groups have finished eating. Many times I have been offered to help myself to anything that is left. Sometimes they even put a few fresh bits on the barbie just for us.

Must do:
Keep some bread for the fish at the pier.
You will get a huge array of colourful fish coming for a feeding frenzy. It’s a small effort but such fun!

Aïoli Restaurant, Male, Maldives

Whenever I come to Male as Crew we like to visit Aioli Restaurant, near our Hotel.
I have been there many many times and cannot fault their food.
The menu has a mixture of delicacies from all the various Asian and European cuisines, competing for your attention.
What do you like? What do you fancy today?
There is definitely something for everybody.
Creative Salads, comforting Pastas, exciting Curries, Vegetarian Food, fresh Seafood, juicey Steaks and local Fayre.

The outside or airconditioned (sometimes too chilly) inside sitting areas are friendly and reflect the style of the varied cuisines that are served here. Downstairs by the courtyard is a vitrine with tempting cakes and sweets on display,  which I can imagine will make coming here for afternoon tea a nice idea. Still it is never very busy in Alioli and I cannot quite understand why.

Butter Chicken with Rice and Garlic Nan is the favourite dish amongst the Crew, but I personally went for the Hot and Sour Soup with Prawns. I love it, but if you are not used to the chillies it will give you hickups!
One great thing that I like alot about Aioli, is that they will accommodate your taste for degrees of spicyness. Just tell them how hot or mild you like it and they’ll do it.Which makes me think, why don’t restaurants have a scoville chart type rating for dishes. … Make mine an 8 out of 10 please 🙂

Here  is a link to their website: http://www.aioli.com.mv/index.htm

Traders Hotel Male, Maldives

Male, the capital of the Maldives, with over 103.000 people sharing just 2.2 square miles of space, is pretty crowded, in fact it is the most densly populated island in the world. What you’ll notice straight away is the never ending stream of motorbikes going round and round and round. My brother has this theory that they have nowhere to go, but they drive because they like the cool breeze.
If you have to stay here for business or to catch your early flight home after coming from a resort island the Traders Hotel Male by Shangri-La is a smart choice.

Their rooms are comfortable and modern with big showers in a bathroom that is made of glass walls!
There are wooden blinds you could shut, but really it’s much more fun if you don’t.

Random Fact: When this hotel was first built they made sure it’s foundation reaches deep down, so in an event of freak tidal waves or suchlike Traders will probably be the last building standing.

On the roof you’ll find a popular evening hang out for locals and tourists alike. Smoking shishas, drinking tea and mocktails under the stars while listening to chill out tunes. In the daytime the rooftop converts to a swimming pool with double-bed sized sun loungers and a trendy sushi restaurant. They will bring your food on a cute little tray that sits over your lap, so you needn’t move an inch from your sunny or shady spot.

I treated myself to Sashimi this afternoon. The Maldives being a world renowned Line and Pole Sustainable Fishing Community, what better to have then the freshest fish possible.
In fact the Azur Roof Top Restaurant staff will not serve it unless it is super fresh from that days catch.

Typically in the Maldives the variety of food include their own (spicy fish or meat curries, rice and roti breads), Indian, Thai and other Asian cuisines.

So when you come down to the breakfast buffet, you will find anything from Dim Sum to Nasi Goreng. Which of course makes my day!
What I find most intruiguing are the fruit steeped in spices. Every morning the chef comes up with new whacky combinations. Today we had Grapefruit with Cardamon and Pineapple with Cinnamon.
There is of course the usual continental and traditional cooked breakfast, too. Being a muslim county you won’t find anything containing pork though, instead there will be chewy beef bacon and squidgey chicken sausages.

Whenever I come here I feel warmly welcomed, comfortable and relaxed. I don’t know if it is the beautiful turquoise colour of the water but staying here in the Maldives always make me feel happy.

Click here for a link to their website: http://www.shangri-la.com/en/property/male/traders

Banana Flower Boat Salad

Sometimes I like to buy things that I have never cooked with and may not even know what they are. This was one of those occasions. After I bought this flower bud in the Fruit and Veg Market in Male, (Maldives), I put a picture of it on a cooking related facebook group What Sha Cooking? and ask for help.
Once I learned what this flower is, it was easy to create a recipe for it, and I am pretty happy with the Result, as well as the fact that another cooking mystery has been solved.

Ingredients:
1 Banana Flower
1 small red Onion, sliced thinly
1 handful Basil Leaves
1 handful Mint Leaves

Dressing:
3 Birds Eye Chillies
1 tbs Rice Vinegar
1 tbs Fish Sauce
1 tsp Palm Sugar

Marinate:
1 Sirloin Steak into cubes 
2 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Fish Sauce
1 tsp Honey
1 tsp Ground Pepper
1 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
1 tsp Umami Paste (found in the speciality food aisle)
1 Garlic Clove, minced

Prepare the Banana Flower by pulling off the outer leafes and reserving them to use as ‘Boats’.
Into a large bowl add the juice of 1 Lemon and 1 tsp Sea Salt. This will help prevent the Banana Flower from oxydising (going black)
Peel back layer by layer and discard the stamens (the baby bananas) under each leaf.

Shred the Banana Flower Petals finely and drop them into the Lemon Water. Leave to steep for 10 minutes.
Then drain and combine with the Onions and the dressing. Just before serving mix in the Basil and Mint leaves.

Drain the marinade off the Beef and reserve. Stir fry the Beef in a searingly hot Wok for a couple of minutes to leave them medium rare in the middle.
Add the reserved marinade and toss it together with the Beef.
Rest them in a bowl for a few minutes.

Place the Salad into the ‘Boats’ and nestle a couple of pieces of Beef on top of each one.
This will make a fabulous Appetiser for a dinner Party, but I’m enjoying them just as much right here right now and I am very pleased with my new discovery .