Sharks in Sri Lanka. Shark attacks: the most dangerous regions Which coast does not have sharks

Caution: sharks
With the onset of cold weather, more and more Russians and Ukrainians, and last years and Belarusians, begin to dream of sandy beaches warm southern seas. If you have ever been to the coast of Thailand, India, Bali, ocean islands or other exotic countries, you must have been surprised that when the ocean is close, the natives themselves prefer swimming in blue waves splashing in chlorinated pools. One of the main reasons for this is the fear of shark attacks.

But guides are in no hurry to bring tourists up to date - even if one or two accidents happen, they will soon be forgotten, and the tourism business will flourish again. Yes, and tourists themselves sometimes show simply amazing carelessness, considering such an opportunity as a priority of world cinema.

Meanwhile, cases of shark attacks on people are not as rare as it is believed. Available world statistics attacks are not entirely reliable. If we take average values, then it is believed that we can talk about about nine known unprovoked shark attacks per year. But there are other numbers as well. For example, there are statistics that over the past year, underwater predators have attempted on people 58 times. Most of the attacks are on great white sharks. After great whites in terms of the number of attacks on swimmers and divers, there are tiger and bull sharks.

Here is just one of latest news October 19 this year: “Linda Whitehurst, 52, was kayaking off the east coast of Australia when a shark approached her. predatory fish attacked the woman, began to bite the boat in which she was sailing. Whitehurst said she hit the shark with a paddle until the fish swam away. Only then did the frightened woman head to the shore, where she received four stitches on her bitten hand. Half an hour after the incident, the beach where it all happened was closed, but a few hours later it was reopened.”

Sharks have ruled the ocean for over 400 million years. They can swim long distances, preferring the warm water of the southern seas. The speed of movement of some sharks exceeds 40 km / h, so it is almost impossible to swim away from the shark.

To understand why shark attacks happen to people, you need to understand the behavior of these fish. For example, big White shark hunts marine mammals: seals, dolphins, sea lions and sometimes sea ​​turtles. Approaching the prey, the shark, as a rule, swims directly at the surface of the water, showing the notorious menacing fin, familiar to us from many films and cartoons. Attacking, the shark often jumps out of the water. Experts believe that sharks can tell an edible thing from an inedible thing only by tasting it by sinking their teeth into it. That is, the cause of most shark attacks is a mistake in identifying the victim. When a swimmer flutters in the water, his movements are similar to those of a fish, a cat, or a turtle. And the natural reaction of the predator to this is to attack.

The opinion often present in films that sharks are able to return to a successful hunting place or even take revenge on a person is absolutely ridiculous. Sharks are rather primitive creatures and are incapable of such deep reasoning.

What to do if you saw this formidable fin not far away? Return to land or boat immediately if possible. If you can't do this, slowly lean against the reef wall, a rock, or a large rock and remain still. If the shark attacks and you have nothing else to do, the only way salvation - maximum aggressive behavior. Try to hit her in the face with any object you have, camera, diving mask, etc. In extreme cases, by hand, although the skin of many sharks is very rough and can easily bleed you.

But still The best way to prevent a meeting with a shark is to take precautions.

How to avoid the fate of a shark dinner:

1. It is safest to swim in hotel pools, but if you still want to swim in the ocean, try to swim where the water area is fenced with special anti-shark nets.

2. Sharks are attracted to blood even in the smallest concentration. If you have a wound or a fresh scratch on your body, do not go into the water. The sense of smell of sharks is able to feel a single drop of blood dissolved in a million drops of water. They are also attracted to garbage, carrion, and vomit.

3. Avoid swimming in the open sea, deep-water straits, close to places of industrial or household emissions, fishing and in estuaries. Sharks swim into rivers and travel hundreds of kilometers upstream. Even a shallow and narrow river can attract a hungry shark. After all, a shark can attack in a shallow place, even at a depth of less than a meter.

4. Don't swim alone. Sharks are more likely to attack a single swimmer than a group of multiple swimmers.

5. Do not wear shiny jewelry and watches when going for a swim. Sharks often mistake the gleam of jewelry in the water for the gleam of fish scales. It is also considered not necessary to wear swimwear with bright contrasting colors that make you look like bright tropical fish.

6. Do not swim at dusk, at dawn or after dark, and also in muddy water. In short, bathing water should be well lit and crystal clear.

A very sad and shocking incident happened in Sri Lanka the other day.
In Arugam Bay, a crocodile attacked a tourist🐊. Everything happened instantly in front of his friends. The body of a 25-year-old Englishman was fished out of the mud the same day. This is a shock!😱😱😱 This is Sri Lanka, guys. Nowadays! They say that Sri Lanka is a country of absolute exoticism. It seems to me that very suitable description. Sri Lanka is very vibrant and wild country. It is completely different than Russia or any other country. And just because you, as a person who, for the first time in this country, may not see real threats where they exist, or consider the warnings of local people as unnecessary fantasies.
I would advise you to listen very carefully to the locals and, if possible, follow their advice regarding your safety.
It happens that tourists, on the contrary, are afraid of what is safe. Do not be paranoid and afraid to go to Sri Lanka. If you follow my advice, then Sri Lanka will be a safe country for you. Theft or some other trouble can happen in any country (even in Europe). The reason for this is either your carelessness or chance.

So, I repeat my last year's note:

Before the season, I want to warn tourists about the dangers that may lie in wait for them in Sri Lanka. In general, I think that Sri Lanka is quite safe for a tourist. But I think I have to warn you about some things.
"Forewarned is forearmed" right?

❗1⃣1. As an experienced traveler, I can say that everywhere and always the most dangerous thing is people. And Sri is no exception. The second thing I can note from my experience: watch how the locals do it and do the same ...
👉 A) anxious. You need to understand what country you are going to. The locals are quite modest (notorious people). The girls don't go alone here. Bathe in clothes. Most often chaste before marriage. And guys are often sexually unsatisfied. For the sake of your comfort and safety, it is better not to attract even more attention from local men (you are guaranteed attention anyway, since you are white). No, we are not in India. Violence is rare here. But wankers meet...
Here are my recommendations for girls:
— ☝️ do not wear swimsuits and pareos outside the beach;
- ☝️ do not sunbathe topless (even in a super-tourist place);
- ☝️ thongs are undesirable;
- ☝️ if you are relaxing in a non-tourist sparsely populated beach - always take a man with you to the beach (husband, boyfriend, brother, just a tourist and a roommate - it doesn’t matter);
- ☝️ if you live in a village (that is, not a very touristy place) - always go with someone;
— ☝️ do not make friends with the locals. No matter how "friendly" they seem. Don't go to their house for a dinner party alone.
- ☝️ do not hang out at a party where most of the locals;
- ☝️ don't be too friendly with the local beachboys;
— ☝️ do not smoke or drink with locals;
- ☝️ night outings only in the company of their men (or big company);
- ☝️next to the Sri Lankans it is better not to swim. In general, the strategy of behavior is approximately clear?! ... I also warn parents. Do not let a minor child go anywhere alone. He should always be in your sight.
👉B) robberies. The fact that you can be cheated here and not given change is normal and should not be a surprise to you. Open Heists With Assault Here a rare event. Nevertheless, the Sri Lankans are cowardly and only drug addicts go for this. Taking a quiet out of a hotel that is unattended - it can happen. Just like in any other country, be vigilant, do not relax. Do not walk at night waving a loot in a deserted place😀))). Don't tempt fate. Do not leave open doors and windows to your room, neither during the day when you are not in the room, nor at night when you sleep.

❗2⃣2. In second place in terms of danger is the ocean🌊🌊🌊. Look at the locals how they bathe and you will understand how dangerous this element is. Don't mess with the ocean. Don't underestimate him. This is not a sea or a lake. Be careful.
Here are my recommendations:
- ☝️swim under the supervision of someone on the shore;
— ☝️ do not swim far;
— ☝️ google what a “rip current” or “rip current” is and what to do if you find yourself in it; ☝️ if you climbed onto a boulder that waves beat on (we have such on Perot rock), do not come close to the edge, as you can be washed away by a wave;
— ☝️ do not climb on stones protruding from the water;
- Do not walk on rocks in the water. There are many prickly poisonous sea ​​urchins. Walk on the sand;
- ☝️ surfing and jumping on big waves is not the safest activity (just remember this and be careful).

❗3⃣3. Road🚀. The first thing to remember is that Sri Lanka drives on the left side of the road. Therefore, when you go out on the road, first look to the right, then to the left 👀. At first, the head on the machine turns in the other direction. The traffic here is without rules and very active. If you are a pedestrian, cross the road carefully. Zebra does not guarantee you anything. They rarely stop and miss. Beware of the buses! If you are on a moped/car, there are two rules: 1 miss the bus, 2 you overtake - signal📣📣📣. And in general, your presence on the road should be indicated by signals as actively as possible. Be mentally prepared to meet the oncoming bus. Unexpectedly, going around in an oncoming lane anywhere is in the order of things here. Also, if you are on a bike, you must wear a helmet. This is not only about security. Without a helmet, you are guaranteed to be in trouble with the police. In general, it seems to me that it is better to entrust the driving of transport to the locals (to ride a tuk-tak or a taxi).
❗4⃣4. Coconuts. Before you lie down under a palm tree in the shade, look up. It's not worth the risk if there are coconuts on the palm tree.
❗5⃣5. Animals and insects are not dangerous here (except for crocodiles🙈)! Well, if you do not try to catch the monitor lizard by the tail, and squeeze the squirrels in your arms. Only local dogs can bark. In this case, just take a stick or stone in your hand, shoot them, shout "paleyyan!" and they will run away. About monkeys! Better not to feed them. Especially if you rent a house without owners. Monkeys are very arrogant people. If they detect that you have something to eat. And you can’t, like a Sri Lankan, mark your territory with a monkey howl. It is quite possible that monkeys will settle in your house. And they will take out all the products along with the refrigerator. If you do not know how to behave with monkeys, it is better not to feed them.
❗6⃣6. Remembering the story of the crocodile🐊... The conclusion is this: do not get close to fresh water.
❗7⃣7. Elephants🐘. There are many wild elephants in Sri Lanka. You can see them not only in the reserves, but also in the center of the island on the road. This will great luck- meet an elephant. But do not get out of the car and try to feed the elephant. It is not safe. Don't drive close to a wild elephant.
❗8⃣8. In the season there are days when a lot of jellyfish swim up to the shore. Such days are rare. Maybe once a month. You will probably learn from the locals that today is such a day. They always warn tourists. Sri Lankan jellyfish are not like the Black Sea ones. They are much more poisonous. It can be seen from them. The burn from such a jellyfish is not fatal, but it is better not to meet them in the ocean.
❗9⃣9. Be sure to grab hydrogen peroxide and antiseptic creams. Due to the climate here, any combed mosquito bite can quickly become inflamed. So you need to take action quickly.
❗10⃣10. About local food. Contrary to the common belief that you can get food poisoning in Sri Lanka, this is absolutely not the case. In Sri Lanka they cook in front of you, everything is fresh. It is not customary to leave cooked food in the refrigerator. If you are still afraid for your gastrointestinal tract, I advise you to choose a cafe where they cook in front of you behind a glass partition.

I hope this information will save someone in the upcoming season in Sri Lanka.
The last tip is to smile more and enjoy the rest))

October 21, 2015 (1$~140 rupees). All those who come to Sri Lanka, first of all, want to get to the alluring tropical beaches. At the same time, little thought is given to the characteristics indian ocean, about the rules of safe behavior on the water, they are in a hurry and forget the well-known proverb about the unknown ford.

How to overcome the surf

God surrounded Sri Lanka almost always with a rough sea with strong surf. Crashed big waves, like white breakers, constantly roll towards the shore in 3-4 rows. You just need to learn how to safely relax in such wonderful conditions.

It is not easy to get to the depth even by walking along the bottom. You have to strongly rest against the bottom with your feet or jump up. At this moment, the waves are trying to push the person ashore.

To overcome the waves of rushing water rushing towards you, you do not need to stretch your neck up. When the next shaft approaches, it is better to lower your head completely into the water and skip the wave above you. And so on until the exit for the surf line. This is a very good workout for beginners. After it, you will not look for beaches in Sri Lanka without waves.

Having reached the place where it rises, twists and breaks the first wave, to overcome it, it is necessary, if the wave is not very large, to jump up high. But this does not always help. A more universal method is to dive under the wave, let it pass over you and immediately emerge. If you swim a little further beyond the surf line, you can swing in relatively calm water. It is better not to swim near beginner surfers. You can get injured.

Reverse currents in Sri Lanka

Waves rushing to the shore and carrying cubic meters of water must flow back into the ocean somewhere. The reverse flow of water forms invisible zones as it flows away from the shore. The width of the current is small, about 20 meters and can reach up to several hundred meters in length.

A swimmer who has fallen into such a zone, if he does not act correctly, then swims to the shore. Seeing that he is being carried away to the sea, he begins to panic, row more vigorously, loses strength and goes to the bottom.

The feeling of fear helps to survive, while panic, on the contrary, destroys.

To avoid such a finale, one must first swim not to the shore, but parallel to it. Leave the zone reverse flow and then turn towards solid ground.

You can swim only in places specially designed for this - on the beaches, in the season, preferably near the lifeguard tower, or at least where many other vacationers swim, it is better with loved ones, with those who can, in which case, come to the rescue or raise the alarm where good shore, no rocks and reefs and of course no abuse...

If a weather allow swimming, then lifeguards must put up a red - yellow flag, and if swimming is prohibited - then red. To attract the attention of swimmers, lifeguards blow a whistle and wave their hands so that everyone in the water immediately returns to the shore.

Weather conditions change very quickly. Early warning is not always possible. When breathtaking 3-5 meter waves came to Long Beach in Hikkaduwa, the whistle was heard with a clear delay.

We have repeatedly heard the stories of vacationers about tourists who disappeared at sea. They themselves helped two Arabs who began to choke to get out. There are sharks in the sea. Fortunately for us, there were no recorded shark attacks on people. Too much warm water completely kills their appetite. They themselves regularly find themselves in the nets of local fishermen, on the market, and then on the menu of numerous restaurants. Sharks in Sri Lanka are not scary, but delicious. The price of 1 kg of shark meat at the Hikkaduwa fish market is about 600 rupees (~$4).

According to rumors from the Internet, snorkeling on east coast, near the city of Trincomalee, you can even swim with sharks. We visited the beaches of Trincomalee. Didn't encounter sharks. Why? See our trip report. We ourselves became interested in maritime security measures only after an incident that happened to us because of our self-confidence and almost led to sad consequences.

Personal experience: getting to know the surf

Sri Lanka. Hikkaduwa. Sunny morning, beach. Not far from the lifeguard tower. Once I, Dima and Ira decided to swim on a large sandbank, located on the central beach of Hikkaduwa, next to the Dolphin restaurant, 50 meters from the shore, to frolic in big waves.

They are formed there constantly and even in calm weather they are quite large: there you can jump up when a wave approaches, dive under it, run, well, in general, have fun. And waves of this size rarely reach the shore, and the ocean was calm, almost calm, friendly waves, a light breeze - in short, the weather is super, favorable.

No sooner said than done. We pushed off the sandy bottom and headed for the open ocean to the inviting shoal. While sailing to the shallows, we first crossed paths with a pirogue with one side float. Almost made a hole in its fiberglass board. I even had to warn the rower by switching to sign language. He rolled a couple from China, took them from the reef, where tourists admired the corals and watched its colorful inhabitants. A little later, another boat with tourists slipped by, already a motor boat. Her helmsman had a good view of our heads.

We, a friendly backbone, continued our pleasant path. We talked a little, smiled, enjoyed the gentle waves and the sound of the surf.

Dima, then swam forward then returned. Was great.

And now the shallows are within easy reach. We rowed confidently towards the calling, raging waves. They rose up, twisted, sparkled, translucent and broke into white foam, refreshing the three conquerors of the Indian Ocean.

We swam to the shallows, and the waves carried us back from the shallow water and covered us with our heads. We rowed continuously and increasingly measuring the depth, checking the long-awaited sand with our feet. The sandbar was nearby, around here somewhere. She couldn't have failed in the end. The waves came one after another, periodically covering us headlong. The movements became sharper, and the future moved into the zone of uncertainty. I moved in the wrong direction, then returned to the right course.

Dima is ahead, then Ira, then me. It became noticeable that Ira began to breathe more often and turn her head in search of shallows. Dima has already sunk to the bottom and has become a reliable guide for us. Ira and I buried together in his direction. We swam, swam, swam, swam, we no longer wanted to dive under the waves covering our heads. I wanted to stop quickly, right now, and catch my breath. Our landmark was covered by another, especially cool wave and thrown off the shallows. “Well, where is the bank?” Irina exhaled, turning her head excitedly. Somewhere here, confused, Dima gurgled.

The blue sky, the azure ocean, the distant emerald shore: everything imperceptibly became black and white. We did not give up and continued to fight against the elements. We were not laughing.

A few endless seconds and we, on slightly trembling legs, got out onto the shallows and clung to it with all ten toes. The waves continued their merry run, calling to play and have fun, but it seemed to us that they were trying to push us into the water. We wanted to stand and catch our breath, hold on to the edge of this little shoal and catch our breath. Which we did with difficulty, taking the position of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, sometimes holding hands for insurance. Our guide, who is also a big dolphin, looked at us with bewilderment. He did not notice the whole avalanche of our experiences with Ira.

Having had enough rest and plucking up determination, we decided not to call the rescuers, we exhaled and went to Return trip. Road to big land was surprisingly short. On our side were the wind, and the waves, and our knowledge that the salvation of the drowning was only in our hands.

Quickly getting ashore away from the waves, we sat down on friendly and most importantly - reliable sand. We recovered our breath properly, calmed down, and saw our "miracle island" again in colors and colors. And we promised ourselves: we will never swim beyond the buoys again!

Later, having trained, we repeatedly swam on this shallow, swam up to it a little from the side from the side of the "turtles".

In conclusion, I will once again repeat the words of the well-known son of a Turkish citizen: the salvation of drowning people is the work of the drowning people themselves. Observe water safety measures. The ocean will become your reliable friend, a source of health and joy.

There are more than 470 species of sharks on Earth that have been living on our planet for 420 million years. The smallest shark - the pygmy black luminous - reaches only 17 centimeters in length, while whale shark is the largest in the world, with a length of approximately 12 meters.

Sharks inhabit all oceans and live at depths up to 2000 meters. They usually do not live in fresh water, with the exception of the bull shark and river shark.

The teeth and jaws of sharks are deadly, but only the great white, long-winged grey, Tiger shark and the bull shark have been responsible for fatal attacks on humans. International Information on shark attacks show that from 1580 to 2012, 2569 attacks were recorded, as a result of which 484 people lost their lives.

USA and Australia are the most dangerous countries in the world, the most frequent attacks of predators are registered there. A total of 144 people have died in Australia since 1580, resulting in 510 attacks. In the United States, 1022 shark attacks caused 36 deaths.

Florida and California are suffering more than any other US state. In total, 772 attacks were recorded there, 21 people died in these states. Maui, Oahu and Kauai account for all 8 deaths in the Hawaiian Islands.

On the African continent, 326 attacks caused 89 deaths, of which 234 attacks and 52 deaths were recorded in the Republic of South Africa. The Mascarene Islands have sad statistics, where attacks by predators caused death in half of the cases: only 30 attacks and 15 deaths.

AT South America Brazil is at the top of the list when it comes to shark attacks (97) since 1931 and human losses (23). Pernambuco is the deadliest area.

Warm-water Europe is more or less protected from sharks and their ruthless jaws. Italy, with the most warm sea, has 10 attacks, two of which were fatal. In neighboring Greece - the most big number dead - 8. The Old Continent has lost a total of 17 people since 1847 after shark attacks.

And of course, the most dangerous of all shark-infested countries are the waters of Australia. There are three zones with different levels of attacks - weak (Northern Territory, Tasmania and Cocos Islands), moderate (Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria) and strong (Queensland and New South Wales).

With the most horrific statistics - 510 shark attacks and 144 deaths since 1700 - the Australian continent is always on alert. Therefore, if you decide to go somewhere to go surfing or other types of water activities, start planning your trip by studying the map of shark attacks and the rules of conduct when meeting this predatory fish.

So, the regions most often affected by shark attacks (data for 2012):

When my friend and I thought about vacation, the first thing that came to mind was Egypt. But then a friend suggested to see exotic countries. The travel agency recommended India. But it turned out that a visa is needed there, and it takes a month to process it. And we were offered for the same money (about $700) to fly to Sri Lanka, where a visa is issued upon arrival and costs about $40.

Departure - from Kyiv, transfer - in Qatar. When boarding the plane in Kyiv, we met the flight attendant Yulia - the girl turned out to be from Bobruisk. Upon arrival in Qatar, she offered to show us local sights, we had a whole day before the flight to Sri Lanka. Julia took us to the local market, the old part cities. It is very beautiful there - you feel like you are in some kind of movie. In addition, Qatar was struck by a huge airport. I haven't seen these yet. To get from one part of the airport to another, you had to take an electric train.

In the city of Negombo, which is 30 km from Colombo (the capital of Sri Lanka), they arrived late at night. As a result, the road took 2.5 days, we got back in 1.5 days.

We stayed in a hotel where only breakfast was included. We dined and dined in cafes ($7-10), sometimes in canteens where local dishes are prepared - such a meal cost half as much. Dishes are prepared mostly spicy, but it's not scary. More frightened shark meat and octopus tentacles, which we somehow decided to order. It didn't look good, but it was delicious!

Attractions are scattered throughout the island - you need to travel to see. Guide services are expensive, so locals were asked about what to see. On the Internet, we met a Belarusian woman who has her own travel agency in Sri Lanka. Thanks to her, we saw the island.

Impressed by the port in the city of Hambantota - amazing architecture. We went to tea plantations and climbed mountains. But the most unforgettable is elephant riding. They are so huge. We stroked them, rubbed them with a piece of coconut. This is something incredible!

I did not regret that I agreed to the exotic, although the trip cost about $1600. If I were to fly to Sri Lanka now, I would not become attached to one place - I would live in one, then in another. And in general, advice to those who are going to Sri Lanka: take a moped and explore the island, then you will see a lot of interesting things. Learn at least a couple of words and phrases in English, it is very difficult to explain on the fingers. And be careful with the drivers of tuk-tuks (covered three-wheeled motorcycles) - they like to breed visitors for money.

Julia Ustinovich, spent 12 days in Bali:

My friend and I trip was spontaneous: the decision was made in just a couple of days. I wanted warmth and beauty. We went through the options on the Internet and chose Bali: we were impressed by the beautiful landscapes and the ocean. Bought a tour worth €1400 for one. The flight was from Riga with transfers in Istanbul and Singapore. On the way - 1.5 days.

In Istanbul, we had to worry about our luggage. For three hours we were looking for our suitcases (for some reason they could not be immediately sent from Riga to their final destination) and were even ready to say goodbye to them. But a miracle happened.

Have you ever been the last one on the plane when the doors are immediately closed behind you and the plane immediately takes off? We are yes. The passengers even applauded us.

As soon as we checked into the hotel, we went to the exchange office. 1 dollar is about 14 thousand rupees, and a good fresh costs 20 thousand. Breakfast was included, and we had lunch and dinner at local cafes and restaurants. Always tried to go to different places to try as many different dishes as possible. We had a goal: to try all the fruits. The most beautiful, but strange in taste and smell, was durian. We were warned that it smelled very bad, like rotten onions, and tasted even worse. We tried it and that's enough. About $300 was spent on food and Kopi Luwak coffee (one of the most expensive coffees in the world).

Even before the trip, we ourselves found a guide in Bali, who during our vacation took us to those places where only locals are allowed or accompanied by them. We saw Gunung Kawi - the oldest cave city XI century, where it is quiet and calm, there are no crowds of tourists, everything is green and there is a lot of water. We visited Pura Lempuyang - a temple on top of a mountain, which resembles a stairway to heaven.

Rice fields are love at first sight. It’s so beautiful there, it feels like the picture has come to life. We walked along the paths, touched the rice sprouts, sat between the rows and even swung on a swing above them.

The big disadvantage of Bali is the dirt. Tourist places are more or less cleaned up, but not where we were with a local guide. Cows on the arable land eat grass along with bags of chips, a lot of garbage is thrown onto public beaches by water.

But the atmosphere and nature on the island cover all the bad things. We did not regret that we chose Bali. Would like to go back there again.
For those who are going to Bali, I advise you to take clothes made from natural fabrics with you. Learn English. Do not take package tours. A local guide will tell and show you more for less money.

Christina Vodchits, 11 days rested in the Maldives:

My husband and I did not even consider Egypt and Turkey, we wanted to see something exotic. At first they thought about Thailand, but the travel agency said that a visa was needed there, and its processing would take about three weeks. Of the visa-free countries were the Maldives. There, only upon arrival you had to pay a fee of $10. We were satisfied with this option. We paid $4,100 for a tour for two.

We flew from Minsk, which is both more convenient and cheaper than from Moscow. The whole journey took about a day: we flew to Abu Dhabi, from Abu Dhabi to Male. The Maldives is more than a thousand coral islands.

We got to our island first by “corn”, and then by boat.

The first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the ocean. The water is clear, blue, fish, stingrays and sharks swim right by the shore. White sand and palm trees everywhere.

The island on which we rested is very small: on its territory there is only one hotel, consisting of several buildings. For an additional fee of $150, they offer to rent a house right on the water. True, it must be borne in mind that such housing is "sickness" and is not suitable for everyone.

Our tour was all inclusive, so there were no questions about where to have lunch or dinner. The menu includes meat, fish, salads, sweets. There is little seafood: fishing in local waters is prohibited, everything is brought from other countries and is expensive. In the Maldives, there is something like a “dry law”: you can’t bring alcohol with you, but at customs, if they find it, they take it away. At the same time, alcohol can be bought on the island, but it costs exorbitant prices.

The temperature both at night and during the day is +35 degrees and above. The water in the ocean is very warm, but people swam mostly in pools. They were afraid of sharks, of which there are a lot.

Nature in the Maldives is, of course, mesmerizing. But entertainment is bad. There are no architectural monuments on the island. Of the nightlife - one bar. The hotel has a tennis court, you can play checkers and chess, beach volleyball and basketball. But most vacationers lie on the beach, sunbathe, read books.

To add at least some variety to our vacation, we rented bicycles and traveled around the island. For two bikes for three days, we paid $25. My husband also went on a sea fishing trip that cost $150.

In general, we liked the rest, but it was a bit boring. The Maldives is a great option for those who want to go to quiet place, retire and relax. Young people who want entertainment, the Maldives will not work.