World Cruise 2024 Leg 7: Maldives, Seychelles & Zanzibar

Located southwest of Sri Lanka, near the equator in the Indian Ocean, we find The Maldives, consisting of 1,192 low-lying coral islands grouped in a double chain of 26 atolls.  It spans a territory of roughly 35,000 square miles, but a land area of only 115 square miles.  Malé, is the Maldives largest island and its capitol, where we will anchor for two days.

Tourism is the largest industry here, but tuna fishing also contributes, with 100,000 tons caught annually. Hence the tuna canning facility in port…which you can smell before you see it. Beyond that, the sprawling city takes over.

When you think of idyllic island chains, population usually doesn’t come to mind.  So, it was a big surprise to learn that the density in Malé is greater than 60,000 people per square mile! 

Vertical construction of apartments continues to keep up with demand. The highest natural point in the Maldives is only 7’10” above sea level.  But based on studies, it is feared that 80% of the present land mass may not be inhabitable in future due to climate change and rising sea levels.  With that in mind, there have been plans and completion of some artificial islands and land reclamation.

Most visitors fly into Malé airport, but rarely stay on the main island.  Rather, they seek the solitude of its neighboring island resorts rimmed with white powdery sand and warm turquoise waters.  And, as we are visiting during Ramadan on this Islamic nation where no other religion is legally practiced, few places are open.  Therefore, a group of us from the ship obtained a day pass at the Club Med Kani for the first of our two-day port call here.

A 40-minute water taxi ride brings us alongside their long dock, and their beautifully manicured and lush grounds. 

The shallow crystal-clear lagoon beckoned us to escape the heat and humidity.   We anticipated refreshingly cool water but found the top six inches to be the warmest open water we’ve ever encountered.  It was gorgeous at any temperature!  

After a spectacular buffet lunch on the beach, four of our group opted for the Club Med 2pm daily snorkel tour. But first, each of the 36 participants had to swim a 50-yard distance to a buoy and back to demonstrate our capabilities in the water. Having passed the test, we were loaded into two boats and headed north towards what we hoped would be a good reef. But once everyone was in the water, we merely swam hard against current, some chop, no coral and few fish in poor visibility. Then reboarded and returned.  It was an odd 1.5-hour exercise of futility.  Perhaps not the best snorkel, but hey, we’re in the beautiful waters of paradise…no worries!

Back ashore, we rejoined our group in the pool, which was almost as warm as a hot tub.  We held court for another hour before taking the Club Med water taxi back to the main harbor, and then tendered back to Zuiderdam for the night.

For our second day, our aim was to vindicate yesterday’s snorkel.  A few of us set out again, this time aboard a dedicated snorkel boat to renowned locations, including a spectacular sand bar.  The sight was as surreal as a screen-saver image.

The crew launched a small plastic boat with would float those who didn’t want to wade or swim, as well as our umbrellas or any other gear out to the sand bar.  In any direction, white sand and aquamarine water mingled in depths 2 feet or less.  What a sight!

Reboarding the boat, we head for the first of two snorkel sites.  The first was against a quay wall, shouldering an unremarkable narrow rock shelf, but home to a large eel.  

But the real show were the schools of fish and 7 large sting rays that swam with us the entire time.  It was incredible! 

Our next snorkel stop was equally good, but an entirely different profile.  The shallow water of the atoll’s rim sheltered colorful, tropical fish.  

Beyond the rim, the wall fell sharply and plummeted down into deep blue depths.  Sharks came and went, giving a thrill to those who had never had the experience of swimming with them. 

Leaving the Maldives, we will cruise 1,264 nautical miles over 3 days to arrive in the Seychelles for another overnight stay. 

The Republic of the Seychelles consist of 115 islands; some granite and some are atolls.  Zuiderdam pulls into the Port of Victoria, the capital and largest city on the island of Mahé .

Victoria’s population is about 27,000.  Tourism is an important factor in their economy, and the principal exports of Victoria are vanilla, coconuts, coconut oil, fish and guano (used for fertilizers).    

City highlights include Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Roman Catholic), “Little Ben” clocktower and the Botanical Gardens where you’ll find the rare male and female palm trees of the endemic Coco de Mer, the largest seed in the plant kingdom.  This suggestively shaped coconut can weigh up to 65 pounds! To learn more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legends_of_the_coco_de_mer

Ten of us met with Derek, a well-spoken local who introduced us to his 15 x 3.5-mile island that abounds with forests, beaches, turquoise water, and golden sands.

Gorgeous vistas met us at every turn.  The elevation of the Morne Seychelles National Park, the Mission Lodge and the Tea Factory, all offered breathtaking views of the western coast of Mahé.  Lush mountainsides sloped into the deep blue ocean. 

Eventually, the distant rain caught up with us while we were having lunch at the beachside, Del Place Restaurant, in Beau Vallon Bay.  Perfectly timed, the rain poured while we enjoyed fresh red snapper and tuna on their open-air veranda.    

Once the rain had passed, we made our way to Takamaka on the southwest coast, finding a secluded little beach bar within the tangle of mangroves.  We also came across a few of the 6,000 giant tortoises that roam freely on the island.  Thanks to Derek, we got to know this lovely island above sea level.

Exploring below sea level came with the help of Atoll Divers on Day 2.   Eight of us took a taxi to the east side of the island to meet Sebastian, Shrimp and Sam for a morning above and beneath the water.  Four of us went scuba diving, and four snorkeled. 

The highlight of the dive was an entire herd of bump-head parrot fish that grazed past us like buffalo! 

Despite being herbivores, these fish are enormous, growing to lengths of almost 5 feet and weighing up to 165 pounds. They’re known to hang out in small groups (we saw 7) with personalities that can be quite curious and gregarious.

The Seychelles were absolutely spectacular and has been placed on our short list of places to revisit! From here, long swells push Zuiderdam westward over a two-day trek of 1,125 nautical miles to Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Zanzibar deserves all the exotic images that your mind might conjure up when thinking of this Spice Island located off the east coast of Tanzania, Africa. 

It’s a gray and rainy morning as Zuiderdam sets her anchor for the next 2 days.  We tendered to the ferry dock already buzzing and crowded with people, luggage, chickens, and cargo.  

It feels like we’ve stepped back in time, especially in the historic Stone Town district with its narrow passageways, aromatic markets, and traditionally dressed locals; women wearing khanga dresses and men in their kofia hats.

Centuries of being on the dhow trading routes have evolved into a rich, blended culture.  A long and complicated history, as well as occupations by Portuguese, Swahili, Indian and Arab can be seen in the ancient and ornately carved doorways, each bearing its influence.

Once the center of slave trading, Zanzibar’s dark past is memorialized by a somber sculpture and heritage museum on the grounds of the Angelican Cathedral, built in 1879 to commemorate the abolition of the slave market that once occupied the site.

The Old Dispensary completed in 1894 used as a dispensary in the early 20^th century.  Restored in 1990, it now serves as a symbol of the diverse architecture.

As a side note of more modern history, Zanzibar was the birthplace of rock band Queen’s Freddie Mercury who, at the age of 17, fled with his family to the United Kingdom during the Zanzibar Revolution in 1964.  His childhood home serves as the Freddie Mercury Museum.

We followed labyrinths of passageways leading to the Darajani Bazaar and markets:  vegetables, spices, fish, meat and live poultry.  All colorful, even on this rainy day. 

Open-aired and aromatic, all the meat butchering and fish fileting happens on site in the markets.

Throughout the Bazaar, you can find everything from textiles to household goods. 

Taking a break and getting out of the drizzle, we sought refuge in the covered rooftop café of the Swahili House.  The 125-year-old, 5-story hotel was originally used as an Indian merchant house, as well as home to a Sultan family.  Restored to its original state, it provides a 360-degree view of Stone Town and the Indian Ocean in the distance. 

The light rain finally stopped while we strolled along the waterfront, back towards the ferry dock and our return to the ship for the night.

Another soggy day was in the forecast, so we thought we might as well fully immerse, and arranged for an impromptu scuba with One Ocean Dive Center.  We boarded their heavy, wooden planked dhow and headed out to the reef in the rain.

While ideal visibility came and went, it was a fascinating dive with mounded reef structures, bubble coral, and lots of clown fish scuttling within anemones.  So many different varieties of anemones, including neon pink, which we’ve never seen before. There was also an abundance of brightly colored nudibranchs. 

But the best surprise our first mantis shrimp!  These aggressive, carnivorous crustaceans really pack a punch…the same velocity as a gunshot, which stuns their prey. It was about 8” long, strolling along the front of some coral and was certainly not intimidated by our presence.  In fact, I’m pretty sure he was taunting us to challenge him in a fist fight, LOL!

Even with two days in Zanzibar, we only scratched the surface of this vibrant island!  Had we more time, we would have explored the spice farms, Persian Baths, the Jozani Forest and its monkeys, as well as the many beaches and neighboring islands.  There’s plenty more to see if we ever return!

Leaving Zanzibar, we will drift down the east coast of Africa for 1,400 nautical miles to Maputo, Mozambique.   More to come!