Many thanks for the great compliment, rdrnnr:). I am often busy/obsessed with planning my next trip, but it is good to look back sometimes and reflect on where I have been, what I have seen and what interesting experiences I have enjoyed. Much you realise how much beauty there is in this world, and so much more left to see!

any ideas on the best places for snorkelling ?

Are there any places where you can walk just off the beach . go snorkelling and see some colorful fish etc ?

And how bad did you get sunburned :)

This is DanielW's genius. He consistently demonstrates how he obtains great enjoyment and experiences without substantial expense, and thereby challenges the notion that "luxury" is preferable.

There were some people snorkelling at Bikini beach on Maafushi. A few companies do half-day trips to go snorkelling at the local reefs too.

Many thanks, blueline7:). Yes, not always necessary to 'break the bank' to have a good time on vacation. Some of the best experiences can also be some of the cheapest:).

Can you tell me about KSA trasit visa?
 

Dear. Daniel.

Hello.

My name is Sang Woo Park.

I am a Korean worker at nuclear power plant in UAE.

You had seen here, when you go to KSA.

I saw your thread on flyertalk.com.

I want to visit Doha for meeting my friend with my car.

How can I get a KSA transit visa?

And can you tell me a procedure about passing borders and car insurance?

I hope your reply soon.

Looks like the Maldives you visited were all above water. This "sea-level rise" talk is poppycock!

Hi Sangwoo, I have just sent you a PM for further info on this.

Yes, I didn't see any direct evidence of increasing water levels. They had some problems with beach erosion though, and were actively trying to mitigate it with concrete blocks etc.

Great pics of Maldives. Yes there is a lot of Maldives outside the luxury resorts. I would guess that Maafushi is popular because it is reasonable distance by speed boat and do not have to cross a major channel. Difushi is another island that has guts houses. Most of the other islands are in different atolls and though they have speed boat transfers they would have to cross major channels and could get rough sometimes.
I always think the resorts in Maldives are ridiculously priced but I guess if most people pay then it is the right price. But the way there is no alcohol at these local islands. But the beaches are as good as if not better than some luxury resorts.