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Dear Friend, welcome to Maldives!
Maldives is one of the last paradises on
earth – please help us to ensure it remains so. You will have a wonderful
time here. With your cooperation, future generations will also have the
opportunity to enjoy this paradise. As Jacques Cousteau said about Maldives: “The human being is a guest
in this paradise and should behave accordingly”. Our request to you is, please follow the guidelines given below during your stay and,
if necessary, request others to do so too.
Maldives is uniquely situated. You are
presently staying on an island formed by coral. If it wasn’t for the a coral, there wouldn’t be any islands. That is why we
have to protect the coral. You think you see a stone in the water? No you do
not! It is a living coral. What you see is a limestone product, which has
been built over thousands of years by millions of polyps. These polyps are too
small to be seen. When you touch a coral, you destroy these polyps.
The
coral reef is, after the rainforest, the most complex ecological system on
earth. More than 100000 species live here. Coral is the centre of this
ecosystem.
Therefore do not touch the coral
Every
island has especially created, marked entrances to
enable easy access to the reef for diving and snorkelling.
Please use these entrances, do not trample on the coral and bear the change
of the tide in mind on your snorkelling trips. Seek
information at the dive base. If you swim over the reef at high tide, your
way could be barred at low tide.
Never walk on the top of the reef
The
coral gardens of Maldives are considered to be some of the
most beautiful in the world. The complexity of this ecosystem can hardly be
imagined. Every living creature has its place, except for the human being.
Therefore, please behave like a guest in this fascinating underwater world.
Do not touch anything! Respect the living space of the animals and enjoy as a
guest the astonishing variety of species.
Respect the living space of the animals and do not touch any of them
Please
bear in mind that you are on a small island in the middle of the Indian ocean. Rubbish disposal is a difficult
issue in Maldives and one of the biggest
challenges for the future. Every piece of rubbish that is produced must be
burnt. Please help to avoid rubbish. We would appreciate it if you take your rubbish back home with you.
In your home country modern recycling facilities exist – in Maldives they don’t. If you brought a
full tube of sun-cream with you, take the empty one bag with you and dispose
of it back home in the correct way.
Do your bit to keep this paradise clean
Smoke
is not good for your health. Avoid smoking… In case you can’t, please do not
throw cigarette stubs around. It takes more than 200 years for a cigarette
filter to be decomposed by nature. By then turtles and other nosy animals
will have eaten them and suffered a horrendous death because of it. Set an
example, whether you are on the beach or a dive boat.
Do not throw cigarette stubs around
Every
little bit of electricity in your bungalow or hotel room will have been
generated by a diesel engine on the island. Do your bit to save energy and
reduce the strain on the environment. Use the air-conditioning only if you
really need it. Turn the light of on the terrace at night and reduce the
activity of your fridge. If you brought any equipment such as battery
chargers with you, then use them sparingly.
Please save energy
Every
drop of fresh water has to be produced by a freshwater plant, which is
situated on your island. Fresh water is one of the most valued commodities in
Maldives. It takes a great deal of energy
to turn salt water into fresh water. Do your bit to save water. For example,
do not let the water run during shaving and do not shower any longer than
necessary. Each towel that is being washed uses valuable fresh water too. In
addition, each wash uses a large amount of washing powder which afterwards is
flushed into the sea. Use towels more than once. The burden of waste water
poses one of the biggest threats to coral reefs.
Please save water
Divers
and snorkellers should always set an example as
they have the greatest interest in the protection of the underwater world. If
you dive or snorkel, behave accordingly: only touch with your eyes. Even when
taking videos or photographs, do not touch anything, nor bother any living
creature. Always behave as a guest under water. Your equipment should always be
tidy so that small parts cannot cause unintentional damage. Your code teaches
you to protect this paradise and to inform others of the rules of conduct.
As a diver or snorkeller be a model
The
government of Maldives has recognized that the
protection of this unique natural wonder must have first priority. Help them to
retain the natural wonder of Maldives. You, as a visitor/tourist, have
the opportunity to actively participate in the preservation of Maldives. Every visitor/tourist, every
native Maldivian, every animal and, most of all, future generations will
thank you for it.
Be a
leader in the embodiment of these thoughts. Only if we all work together can
we reach our goal: the preservation of the natural wonder of the Maldives.
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