The Indian Ocean is one of the most incredible places in the world to visit, having been to many places within it, I feel very privileged and can’t wait to explore them further. Here are my five experiences not to miss within the Indian Ocean, they are once in a lifetime opportunities.

5.8 Undersea restaurant:

On the Island of Hurawahli, within the Lhaviyani Atoll is the world’s largest underwater restaurant, 5.8. It is situated on this enchanting island, 5.8 metres underwater and set deep in the Indian Ocean. You have the chance to see stingrays, lots of wonderful fish, sharks, eels and turtles. The food is excellent and they offer a delectable tasting menu. This is one of three underwater restaurants in the Maldives that is certainly growing in popularity.

Swimming with manta rays and whale sharks :

The Maldives is famous for its marine life, one ray which is famously desirable is the manta ray.
Whilst you can at the right time of year see manta rays throughout the different Atolls in the Maldives, in the South Male Atoll you can swim with them or scuba dive with them. The best time to see manta rays is between November to April as there are a larger number of manta rays due to the plankton in the water. Whale sharks are a harder find, you have to be very lucky to spot them, the gentle giants are generally around the South Ari Atoll found at any time of year but their peak viewing time is from August to November.

Underwater waterfall fly-over in Mauritius:

One of the most stunning sights in the world is the illusion of the underwater waterfall just off the southwest coast of Mauritius. Seen if you take a helicopter tour around the island, it is a truly spectacular sight. Due to the geological landscape this waterfall sits 150 metres below the sea level, it is a shelf that is one of a kind, the way the silt sits and falls with the colours in the ocean creates a waterfall effect.

Stay in luxury on Fregate island:

Fregate Island is a private island in the Seychelles that has 16 private villas. It is a conservation sanctuary with rainforest and lots of foliage surrounded by long white beaches and turquoise waters. There is a private harbour and yacht club with an excellent dive school. It a sanctuary for tortoises. There are a number of giant Aldabran tortoises that live and roam freely around the island, the oldest and heaviest is called Esmeralda.

Combine safari with a beach paradise:

A twin holiday is one of the best experiences, combining luxury safari, beautiful landscapes, game drives and excitement. With early mornings, and incredible sundowner drives to see the Big Five is an active holiday, you can move camps, visit different camps, go horseback riding there are endless options. Following this with a relaxing beach holiday to the Indian Ocean can be just what the doctor ordered. My recommendations for this would be South Africa followed by Mauritius or the Seychelles or Tanzania followed by Zanzibar. For any help or to build your own twin holiday speak to one of our African or Oceans and Islands specialists and we can tailor a trip to you.