The Maldives are only a 4 hour flight from Abu Dhabi. Low coral atolls with many luxury resorts for those wanting relaxing holidays with tropical sun, white coral sand and beach-side bars.

Until now we have ignored this place as a holiday destination not really wanting to spend time lying in a deck chair. Sue’s recent surgery has changed our holiday goals somewhat! Our walking boots have remained in the cupboard to be replaced with togs, sunblock and reading material and we have booked four nights of 5* R&R at the Sun Siyam Iru Fushi.

Well almost. We have brought our masks and snorkels, to take a peek at the Indian Ocean coral, together with our diving certification just in case we are tempted to go diving.

A 9.20 am departure from Abu Dhabi, a 90 minute wait in a departure lounge at  Trans Maldivian Airways, then finally a 45 minute sea-plane flight got us to Iru Fushi in time to watch the sun go down.

This was the view from our room the next morning. We think we could get used to it.

The Maldives are one hour ahead of Abu Dhabi but Iru Fushi had thoughtfully put themselves another hour ahead of this. The result was 7.30 am sunrises for which even lazy photographers could be out of bed.

Lazy, sun drenched days..

Sunset champagne and moonlight dining..

But eventually we just couldn’t sit around any longer.

Once Sue discovered that finning was good exercise for her injured knee it really was inevitable that we should end up diving.

It turned out be the most spectacular coral diving that we have done. We just wish that we had an underwater camera. Sue summed up our thoughts on her Facebook posting..

Really have got to get an underwater/waterproof camera. Just had the most beautiful dive EVER on the aptly named “Christmas Tree Reef” here in the Maldives. It rises from about 30m in crystal clear water. The corals were stunning, the sheer variety of reef fish, just breathtakingly colourful, and the schooling reef and pelagic fish (tuna etc) amazingly unperturbed by our presence. Even the white tipped reef sharks didn’t seem troubled enough to move along much, and an eagle ray was determined to show us how much fun he could be!

I just want to have some pictures…