Maldives, Gan

Maldives, Gan (Addoo Atoll)
June 1998

On the most southern atoll of the Republic of the Maldives, the Addoo Atoll, there’s the isle of Gan. The only way to get there is on a domestic flight with Air Maldives, which will take you there (some 700 kilometers) in about 75 minutes. You really have to be sure you want to go there, because after flying from Europe (in most cases some 14-15 hours) you’ll be flying some more. That’s why, in comparison, there are less tourists on Gan than on islands nearer to the international airport Hulhule. While we were there (first two weeks of June) there were only 8 (!) European tourists the first week and during the second week we were just 4, of which the two of us were the only divers. Partly this is due to the travelling distance and the time involved, partly it was because of the season (it was low season, monsoon time) and the World Championship Football.

Up to 1976 Gan was a British naval base. Therefore it has a reasonably good airstrip and therefore the roads on Gan (not the adjoining islands) are paved. The former officers housing and mess are rebuilt and restyled into a hotel with swimmingpool called Ocean Reef Club. The bungalow rooms are spacious and comfortable, there’s a bar, a restaurant and a coffeeshop. You can play tennis (but with temperatures of 30-35 degrees Celcius there are few tennis players), you can surf and sail on a catamaran. Ocean Reef Club on Gan is the only hotel on the entire atoll, which consists of a couple more islands. Three of those are connected through bridges. From the easternmost part of Gan to the most remote point on Kottey (the last inhabited island in the row) it’s about 22 kilometers, which you can cross by bike (yes, you can really rent a bike there). Gan doesn’t offer the white sandy beaches you’ll find on most other Maldivian islands. But Gan does offer the unique possibility (and it’s the only island with this possibility) to mingle with the local population and to see something of everyday life on the Maldives. But beware: YOU will be the attraction. Bare in mind local customs and respect them. This means, for the ladies, that you’ll have to cover up your shoulders and legs (at least until below your knees). Shorts, short skirts and shoulderless t-shirts are off limits! Although the locals are friendly and will return your smile and sometimes even wave at you, you’re not really welcome. They prefer to be with eachother instead of with tourists.

There’s only one divebase on the entire atoll and that’s from Eurodivers, run by a Dutchman called Karel Ververgaart (who was on a holiday when we visited Gan in June). Diving in Gan is relaxed and comfortable: your crate with your diving gear will be taken aboard the dhoni by the crew (and taken off again after diving). All you have to carry is your towel. The base offers plenty of room to rinse and store (locked!) you gear so that you won’t have to drag it with you after every dive.

Because there’s only one divebase, there are relatively few divers on the island and that’s good for the reefs: they’re pristine and gorgeous. Unfortunately there has been a rise in water temperature earlier this year, causing some coral bleaching (but fortunately the effect is decreasing already). And although, being divers, we would prefer to see the corals undamaged, it is a beautiful sight: as if there is some icing on the cake/coral.

If you visit Gan for diving purposes, don’t miss the wreck of the "British Loyalty", an oil tanker sunk some fifty years ago and nowadays a wonderful new home to underwater life like corals, anemones and fish. The wreck is sideways, it’s deepest point at some thirty meters (100 feet). If you love corals, you shouldn't miss Umahrah Magu Kona: an absolutely gorgeous spot with an abundance of corals and fish (eagle rays, giant morays and the ever impressive Napoleon fish). Night diving at Gan Ethere is exquisite: green turtles, caret turtles (and not the smallest ones), various lobsters, an occasional white tip reef shark, coral crabs, batfish, lionfish, groupers, sleeping parrotfish and so on and so on. In a cave at Kuda Ho-Hola, at some 23 meters (75 feet), you’ll probably find a sleeping nurse shark of some 2½ meters (8 feet). Although not overcome with joy, he or she won’t bother divers (unless provoked) so it won’t be too difficult to make some awesome pictures.

The current can be very strong at times, sometimes it’s more speed diving than diving. And the closer you get to the outer reefs, the stronger the surge. You’ll be like a toy of the sea and there’s nothing you can do about it. The only thing you’ll have to consider is your buoyancy, for because of the strong current and/or surge, it is possible that you have some close encounters with the reef, without you actually wanting it.

Although June is not the best of times to go to the Maldives, we have been very lucky. We didn’t suffer from the monsoon with its heavy rains, the sun was there in abundance, if it does rain, it really rains cats and dogs (the best time to visit the Maldives is from November until March). In the month of June there’s not yet enough plankton in the waters to attract large amounts of mantas or whale sharks. We didn’t see a whale shark, but we did see a couple of mantas. And they were beautiful and they came close!!!

So, if you love to dive relaxed and in unspoilt waters, and if you want to have the option of actually leaving your hotel to discover the island(s), Gan is an excellent choice.

All pictures on this page are made by Ruud Koster with a Nikonos V camera, 35 mm standardobjective, Sunpak 3200 flash, Ikelite 5002 vieuwfinder and Fuji 200 ASA film.

1998 Egypt, El Gouna

Back to the homepage

Questions, tips, reactions, e-mail, etc.