Tale of Two Archipelagos

Debbie and I were fortunate to have been able to visit two island chains in the Indian Ocean during a cruise: the Seychelles and the Maldives. For those who have heard of them but not visited, they may both conjure thoughts of island-paradise. But from our perspective, they were quite different.

Although there are other types of islands, most are volcanic or coral. Volcanic islands are mountainous, while coral ones are flat and often just above sea level. Some island chains, or archipelagos, have both, although many have one type or the other. The Seychelles are volcanic and mountainous, while the Maldives are coral and flat. But the differences don’t end there.

Island of Mahe, Seychelles

The Seychelles (we visited Praslin, Mahe, and Coco Islands), considered by some the original Garden of Eden, are as close to an island paradise as you can get. Other than tea production, the main industry is tourism. The locals understand this well, and they nurture their assets accordingly. More importantly, they consider the environment as critical to their current and future well-being. Literal and figurative signs regarding the importance of the environment, including climate change, were everywhere.

The Maldives feature excellent beaches, snorkeling, and diving. Several of our fellow passengers can attest to that. But it’s only true for the outer islands.

Island of Male, Maldives

Our arrival into the chain was greeted by several small, flat, beachy islands. But when we approached the inhabited ones, we saw piles of trash that formed artificial mountains, burning garbage, trash in the ocean, air pollution, and a plethora of boats and people. The main and central island of Male is something to behold. It is entirely one city. There’s nothing but buildings, jumbled streets, motorbikes, and people, obviously way too many.

After walking just a bit, the rubbish, pollution, and din of the city forced us to turn around and retreat back to the cruise ship.

The obvious problem: too many people. The solution, like it or not, will come soon. Rising sea levels will affect the Maldives in short order.