Snorkelling/Diving on Kurumba

Hi there people!

My fiance and I have just booked our honeymoon to Dubai %26amp; Maldives in July/Aug. We%26#39;ll be staying in Kurumba in a beach bungalow. I really want to go snorkelling and/or diving because the pictures of marine life look amazing and I want to experience it first hand. However, I%26#39;ve never been snorkelling or diving before and am a little nervous about it. My fiance doesn%26#39;t know how to swim so I don%26#39;t think he%26#39;ll be allowed to snorkel or dive will he?

Do Kurumba have any facilities for complete beginners?

Snorkelling/Diving on Kurumba

first off .. i have not been to kurumba, due to its location but experienced divers who have stayed there praise the dive center quite highly .

the need to be able to swim for snorkeling is pretty self evident .

the dive center will be happy to take a beginner into the open water class but i would not expect that to extend to someone that can%26#39;t swim . swimming is a requirement for diving.

i suggest that you start the dive course at home as a referral program , so you can get the classroom time and theory out of the way before you go . no need to spend your honeymoon studying .

you should also buy your snorkel gear at home from a good dive store (not a general sports store) . knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you select gear that fits and works for beginners , as well as giving you helpful tips. - probably whatever padi center startsd you out on the referral course will have a dive store attached.

even if you don%26#39;t do any pool dives but wait for the honeymoon to complete your scuba course, you should be testing your new snorkel gear at a pool at home to make sure you are completely comfortable with it before trying it in an ocean with waves , etc.

Snorkelling/Diving on Kurumba

Hi

I agree with everything spammie has said, your fiance could learn to swim before he goes and wear a life vest for snorkelling, you can either take your own again a good dive shop will advise you or hire one when on the island,it%26#39;s a shame for him to miss out as the underwater world is an amazing place

regards susie

thanks, Bernese - i totally forgot about the option of wearing a vest for snorkeling .. slapping my forehead here .. lol .

however , i would think the fiance should at least be comfortable in the water , even if he is still a swimming newbie at the time of the honeymoon .. or else even a slight current or some waves can really ruin his experience .

Hi Choolio, i%26#39;ve been to Kurumba and the beach is absolutely perfect for learning to snorkel. We introduced a nervous indian couple to snorkelling on Kurumba (the male couldn%26#39;t swim) by letting them borrow our snorkel and masks and they practiced in the shallow soft sand round Kurumba which was perfect. Yes, the dive centre will give lessons which I can recommend. Even though your fiance doesn%26#39;t swim he can still put his face in the shallows and soon he will be swimming, you just watch! Just hire a snorkel and mask for a day initially with a lesson and then you can practice on your own in your own time. Go for it, definately worth it and a great way to learn.....

as the previous poster ... including Spammie with the slapped forehead (!) .... says you can borrow a life vest to ease the nervousness....

.......... AG

Hiya,

Thanks for your replies. I was told he can snorkel with a life vest on even though he can%26#39;t swim which is good. He%26#39;s not frightened of the water at all and has been swimming with friends in a local pool. He stayed in the middle of the pool where the water was up to his chin. He can swim about 10m in that depth of water but won%26#39;t go into the deep end!

It will be a shame if he can%26#39;t experience the marine life in the Maldives so I%26#39;m hoping he%26#39;ll learn to swim better in the next few months.

AG- that was really nice of you to let someone borrow your snorkel and show them the ropes! I feel a lot more confident now that he%26#39;ll be able to snorkel with me even if it is only in 6ft deep water!

Did any of you do the sunset cruise on Kurumba?