Dive Review of rasdhoo divers/kuramathi resort in
Maldives/rasdhoo atoll

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rasdhoo divers/kuramathi resort, May, 2012, by Tom Kelly, SC, US ( Reviewer 6 reports). Report 6570.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food	N/A
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Kuramathi, on rasdhoo atoll- is a fifteen minute seaplane ride from MALE but some still insist on taking the two hour boat ride (a distance of 45 miles). Kuramatti is to the west of MALE. The best beach is near the main reception, Eco Center, and the Main dive shop. This is also the best place to snorkel and the best (beach) house reef. And the best place for kids to swim. If you can find a map of the island it is the fat end, not the skinny or pointed end of the island. The island is 1.8 kilometers long. So, be careful where you stay, you might have a long walk to a dive shop or the reception. There are three receptions on this island and luggage transfer was great and a little transfer bus runs the loop/trip, around the island every fifteen minutes. It’s just annoying to wait fifteen minutes because you have to run back to the room for sunscreen. That’s why I prefer rooms #131-146, in superior beach villas with Jacuzzi category. The beach stops on this side at room 131. Beach villas #13 to #83 are on the windy side; yes, one side has a breeze and the other or over water villas side has none. Think about it, you don’t want an over water villa to get blown or washed away. So, that’s why they’re on that side of the island. While on this topic OWV (over water villas) have great sunsets, no beach, but when tide is in you can snorkel out 2X daily early morning and late afternoon. There are steps down from OWV to the water. OWV are beautiful and you are assigned a high value restaurant because of the money (extra) you pay. There are three basic restaurants they really are in three different categories based on what you payed for your accommodations the fat end of the island eats at “Haruge”, the middle eat at the slightly upscale “Maleafaiy” restaurant, the pointed end of the island eats at “Farivalhu”. On top of this there are five specialty restaurants; The Reef, Island Barbeque, Siam Gardens, The Palm, Tandor Mahal. All are fantastic!! But I like the Reef the best. There are three meal plans; full board (lowest), Basic All-inclusive or select All-inclusive.. The select-All-inclusive is the best. Water (bottle) and wine (bottle) no charge. For a drink like “long island Tea” they charge $8-9 USD for each shot of liquor so a long island ice tea could cost $36-40 dollars, but there is no charge on select all-inclusive plan. So, select-all inclusive is the only way to go… ALSO the bars don’t let you take away drinks in a “glass cup”. So bring lots of plastic cups with you if you want to enjoy a drink in your room or on the beach. We ate at the "Haruge "restaurant. Because our room was in superior beach villas with Jacuzzi category. We ate at the "Haruge" one to three meals daily, it was great food, service excellent, no need to upscale. You will be assigned a table and you’ll use that same table for the whole trip. Everyone from room #131 for the last 10 years used the same table. Other table may be better but your stuck there and it's ok..... Scuba Diving with RASDHOO DIVERS : Its great, dive sites are very close most 10-15 minutes. Couple days a week do a three tank dive over to Ari Atoll. Leaves 5:45AM comes back 5:00PM (All day) a "cold" lunch is served. There is a toilet on the boat, no camera buckets, large boat, lots of shade and a shower (outside). Once a week they do a two tank dive to the opposite of side Rasdhoo Reef (Kuramathi’s reef) leaves at 5:45AM and gets back by 12:45PM or op out for 8:45AM or 1:45PM one tank dive. Need a minimum of two divers for one tank dives, six divers for ½ or all day dives each dive will cost $90 USD (boat, equipment, computers, tip, dive fee) per person but its worth it. The water is crystal clear can see forever! Try to get a room near the dive shop, just great! Last thoughts: need bug spray 100% Deet, AC is excellent in villas even though the toilet and shower are outside. Plastic cups (take away bar),at night need flash lights, swimmers ear drops, take 200$ in 1$ dollar bills for tipping and tip bartenders, even though it’s inclusive you’ll get more, scuba facilities are located in two areas of the island. Frequently one boat was used to pick divers in both location- there is no dive facility on the “pointed end” of the island. We stayed at Conrad Hilton in 2009 on Rangali Island. I’d go back to Kuramathi and save about $4000-$5000 USD for the same amount of time. Remember Breakfast 7:30-10AM, lunch 12-2PM, and Dinner 7-9:30PM in your assigned restaurant and your assigned seating (table).Matt (owner of dive shop & instructor) from Jamaica by way of Australia and Ahem (DM) both excellent service providers.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	everywhere
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-78°F / 27-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	100-125 Ft/ 30-38 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments

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Dive Review of rasdhoo divers/kuramathi resort in Maldives/rasdhoo atoll

rasdhoo divers/kuramathi resort, May, 2012,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of rasdhoo divers/kuramathi resort in
Maldives/rasdhoo atoll