Our trip to the Maldives with Anantara Kihavah Villas was absolutely magical! On our bucket list since the times when email forwards were still chic, we were attracted to the Maldives for the pristine white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters that leave you guessing if they’re Photoshopped (we assure you they are not!). But even more so, we wanted to visit the Maldives to see the colorful coral reefs and reef fish.
Anantara Kihavah Villas is located on the Baa Atoll, 125 kilometers from Malé, the capital of the Maldives. The Baa Atoll covers nearly 1200 square kilometers and is made up of 75 islands, only 13 of which are inhabited. The Baa Atoll contains some of the richest coral reef systems in the world, including rare pink hydrozoans corals. This is just part of the reason that the Maldives’ Baa Atoll was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2011. To become a member of an illustrious list of World Biosphere Reserves, the place must combine core protected areas with zones where sustainable development – and innovative approaches to it – are fostered, tested, and developed by locals and enterprises alike. Anantara Kihavah is definitely doing that with their Coral Adoption Program and sustainable development.
But enough of a lesson on the Maldives for today. Instead, take a “dive” with us and have a look at just some of the incredible corals and colorful reef fish in the underwater world of the Maldives.
Clown Triggerfish
Powderblue Surgeonfish
Peacock Damsels swim around huge coral fans
Spotted Butterfly Fish
School of Powderblue Surgeonfish
Oriental Sweetlips hide amongst the coral
Clown Triggerfish (these were one of my favorites!)
Titan Triggerfish
Parrotfish
Yellow Trumpetfish
Black Spotted Puffer Fish
Stingray
Three Striped Damsels
Unicornfish
Picasso Triggerfish
Stareyed Stonefish, the most venomous fish in the world
We went on a snorkel excursion with Anantara Kihavah Villa’s resident marine biologist, Jenny, who was more than happy to name many of the fish we saw for us and we immediately made notes once back aboard our boat. It was really fantastic to have Jenny on the excursion to tell us a bit about the various fish.
Which of these Maldivian reef fish would you most like to see?
Thank you to Anantara Kihavah Villas for hosting us during our stay in the Maldives. As always, all opinions are entirely our own.
*See more of our photos of Maldivian reef fish on our Facebook page.
Jennifer Dombrowski
Jennifer Dombrowski is a location independent globe trotter and bases herself in Prata di Pordenone, Italy. She works as a social media and innovation strategist in higher education and is a regular contributor on johnnyjet.com. Her website, jdombstravels.com, is the 2012 Destinology Travel Bloggy Best Newcomer award winner. Google+
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We’re Jennifer and Tim and we love traveling! We are just one ordinary couple who have found that travel brought us closer together, taught us patience, the art of compromise, and how to truly appreciate the diversity of this extraordinary world. So far, we've visited 37 countries, lived in the United States and Italy, and Tim has lived in Korea. And we do it all while both holding down full time jobs. 
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Andi of My Beautiful Adventures
February 3, 2013 at 4:45 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Wow these fish are GORGEOUS!
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 3rd, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Aren’t they, Andi? The Maldives was definitely one of my favorite places to snorkel ever. It’s such a spectacularly colorful underwater world.
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Steph
February 3, 2013 at 6:31 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
I’m terrified of scuba diving but I just might learn if I ever visited the Maldives! So pretty.
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 3rd, 2013 at 7:42 pm
Steph, these were all taken while snorkeling! Scuba freaks me out a bit too, but after seeing all this just snorkeling, I want to learn to dive more than ever!
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Sofie Couwenbergh
February 3, 2013 at 6:32 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Amazing pictures. I'd love to go snorkeling there! Boyfriend and I always try to go snorkeling when we're on vacation, but we haven't yet made it to destinations where there's such a wide range of sea life on display.
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Jdomb's Travels Reply:
February 3rd, 2013 at 8:35 pm
It's tough living in Europe because we really don't have coral reefs. The Adriatic and Mediterranean are rocky. So we love when we can get our fix of coral reefs and colorful reef fish.
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Liz
February 3, 2013 at 9:09 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
This makes me want to go to the Maldives right now! I’ve never dived before but it’s on my list
Liz recently posted..The Sunset Project: A Month of Finding Happiness in the Ordinary
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 4th, 2013 at 2:13 am
We actually took all of these photos snorkeling. But I feel more inspired than ever to make this the year that we get scuba certified. And our next trip back to the Maldives, we’re going diving! Can you imagine what it must look like to dive there if all of this can be seen from the surface?
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Alainsojourner
February 4, 2013 at 3:09 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
I cant wait to go scuba diving in two weeks!
Your photos are awesome!
Alainsojourner recently posted..The Grand Palace in Bangkok
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Petite Adventures
February 4, 2013 at 3:33 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Absolutely stunning photos – the colours of the fish are so vivid!
Kate xo petite-adventures.blogspot.ca
Petite Adventures recently posted..Liebster Award
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 4th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Thanks, Kate! It’s easy to take great photos in such an incredible underwater world.
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Self Catered Ski Chalets
February 4, 2013 at 8:45 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Gorgeous photos here. The Maldives is always somewhere I have dreamed to visit.
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 4th, 2013 at 2:12 pm
Maldives were definitely one of the most incredible places we’ve visited. Definitely go if you have the chance!
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Ali
February 4, 2013 at 1:00 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Gorgeous! I love snorkeling, this looks like it was lots of fun!
Ali recently posted..Is “What If” Stopping You From Traveling?
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 4th, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Definitely one of the best places we’ve ever snorkeled. We were in the water every chance we got and many of these fish we even saw just snorkeling right from our villa.
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Cole @ FourJandals.com
February 4, 2013 at 8:02 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Gorgeous photos! Would love to stay there and go diving. It has been my dream to go sometime in the Maldives, just not sure when it will happen
Cole @ FourJandals.com recently posted..Favourite Photos on Instagram (Edition i)
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 4th, 2013 at 11:23 pm
I want to go back when the whale sharks and manta rays are migrating through. Would be so incredible!
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Andrew
February 4, 2013 at 8:58 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Mmm pretty fishies.
Yeah, not much more to say. Surprised to see the really poisonous one and veryhappy to not see any pictures of eels. They freak me out. I am a happy boater, but not much of a swimmer. I know Ali likes snorkeling, so I am sure I will try it at somepoint, but no diving for me.
Andrew recently posted..Mundane but beautiful
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 5th, 2013 at 1:59 am
We didn’t see any eels that I recall. Reading up on some of the fish we did encounter, I was surprised that several are quite dangerous. And seeing the stonefish really freaked Tim out. I was just glad not to see any jellyfish. Now, those scare me!
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Gina
February 5, 2013 at 8:47 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
First off, so jealous you went to the Maldives! That’s one of my dream trips. Secondly, great pictures of all the colorful fish! I really want to go scuba diving there someday.
Gina recently posted..Monkey Wizard Brewery in Riwaka, New Zealand
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 5th, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Thanks, Gina! We dreamed, we went, we’re dreaming of going again.
But if we ever make it back, we’re going to be sure to get scuba certified first.
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Leigh
February 7, 2013 at 12:09 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
What fun to be able to capture such great shots. I’ve never shot underwater and the only place I’ve been that’s been super interesting is the Galapagos. You’ve had some amazing experiences this year.
Leigh recently posted..Dazzled by the Lake Louise Ice Sculptures
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Memographer.com
February 7, 2013 at 1:47 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Unreal colors! I wish I was there
Were you diving or snorkeling? In the beginning og this post you say "take a dive with us" and in the end "we went on a snorkel excursion". I am just thinking of going there… but I am not a diver
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 2:54 pm
We were snorkeling. We aren’t certified to dive either…yet. But seeing this amazing underwater world from the surface has inspired us to get dive certified.
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Laurel
February 7, 2013 at 9:55 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
So pretty! Would love to dive or snorkel in the Maldives.
Laurel recently posted..The World’s 10 Most Romantic Hotels
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 7th, 2013 at 2:56 pm
I want to get dive certified more than ever now! I can only imagine what awaits had we gone diving if all of this can be seen from the surface!
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Phil
February 12, 2013 at 2:40 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
These are great pictures. For sure you should learn how to dive, the deeper you go the more interesting life becomes! Though the irony is taking pictures becomes much, much harder so your photographic history will make it look less interesting as you lose all the color and light. But when you are actually there, it’s amazing. Have dived a couple of times in the Maldives and it is truly spectacular. Nice web site by the way.
Phil recently posted..Miles to the Maldives: Etihad Airways Business Class, Male – Abu Dhabi
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 13th, 2013 at 9:31 am
Thanks, Phil! That is ironic, but sometimes you just have to put the camera down and just enjoy. I suspect that will be the case when we do start diving.
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jill
February 15, 2013 at 9:57 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
Eeeeek!! So pretty! Jack and I just got scuba certified so we’ve been talking about the next place we should go diving. Maldives looks gorgeous!! *taking notes*
jill recently posted..Fishy Scenes in Sokcho
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 16th, 2013 at 8:14 am
We want to get scuba certified but the taking the mask off and putting it back on under water part terrifies me for some reason!
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Alainsojourner
February 16, 2013 at 3:08 am (UTC 2) Link to this comment
wow! that’s awesome!
Alainsojourner recently posted..Dance The Winter Away at IglooFest in Montreal
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
February 16th, 2013 at 8:16 am
Thanks! The sea life is so amazing in the Maldives!
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Freya
March 31, 2013 at 1:27 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
WoW fabulous pictures, looks totally amazing.
Haven’t been there (yet) but definitely on the list.
Freya recently posted..Climbing Mount Jbel Toubkal in Morocco
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Jennifer Dombrowski Reply:
April 1st, 2013 at 2:59 pm
Thanks, Freya! The Maldives is incredibly beautiful above and below the water.
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Paradise Found at Anantara Kihavah Villas Maldives - Jdomb's Travels
February 11, 2013 at 1:33 pm (UTC 2) Link to this comment
[...] Kihavah Villas is located on the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, 125 kilometers from the Madlives’ captial Malé. Guests of the island resort arrive via a [...]