Dive Review of Explorer Ventures/Bandos in
Maldives/S Male Atoll

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Explorer Ventures/Bandos: "Return trip", Oct, 2023, by Frances Lewis, MI, US ( Sr. Reviewer 10 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 12728 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	My 4th time in Maldives. I did 2 nights in Bandos Resort to get over travel exhaustion. I'm 76 and recovering from a serious medical issue, but I'd been before and knew what to expect of the diving. Yes, there can be a lot of current, but the trip leaders and the dive guide knew my concerns. I only did about half of the possible 20 dives, but did see mantas, a whale shark, numerous reef sharks and more nurse sharks on one dive than you could believe possible. It was rainy or overcast most of the week so visibility wasn't the best, but it was a bit more comfortable than the hot sun for me. The boat had some of the biggest cabins I had ever seen on a live aboard and the crew was marvelous. The only complaint was that the buffet food was never hot. The boat was the Emperor Explorer and easily handled our group of 24. We were split into 4 dive groups with our own dive guide. The boat was very safety conscious and the service was very good. Did see a pod of dolphins in the distance one day.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Great Lakes, FL, CA, Hawaii, Mexico, Britain, Australia, S. Pacific, Maldives, Caribbean, Indonesia, Philippines
Closest Airport	Male	Getting There	Qatar Airlines from JFK
Dive Conditions
Weather	rainy, cloudy	Seas	choppy, currents
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	2
Water Visibility	30-80 Ft/ 9-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Depth/time
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	1 or 2
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Dedicated charging stations in lounge area. No charging in cabins allowed. Separate camera rinse tank.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Explorer Ventures/Bandos in Maldives/S Male Atoll

Explorer Ventures/Bandos: "Return trip", Oct, 2023,

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 Explorer Ventures/Bandos in
Maldives/S Male Atoll