Recently a non-Indian person said to me that surely the most important thing about sunscreen was that it was reef-safe or not.
The other fourteen Indian women present could not see what the fuss was about and in fact, one mustered up the courage and said to me, “what is a reef?” “is that something you smoke in college?”
This woman is not being ignorant, but being Indian.
Indians going to the Maldives are all doing one of the following:
- Wearing full-length burkinis so that no extra flesh is being exposed to the sun
- Are not entering the ocean.
Honestly, ask yourself what Indian friend do you know that actually went snorkelling or engaged in any activity in the Maldives involving the ocean?
How many photos of said person in the ocean (AND not a pool) have you seen on Instagram??
Most of my readership is Indian and if people want me to cover this topic in future issues, then for sure, I will.
In the meantime this is my position on sunscreen and coral-reefs
Don’t wear sunscreen whey you go diving. I can’t definitively tell you that your sunscreen is 100% going to be coral reef safe. No one can because we simply do not have the data.
You can wear UV protective clothing, a hat and sunglasses to protect your skin.
If you are super-concerned about coral reefs but also about getting skin cancer, then here is a suggestion: don’t go diving.
I can make this blog/my position more complicated but the fact of the matter is choose the coral or another holiday.
If you can afford to go to the Maldives, you can afford another destination.