The Maldives is renowned for its coral gardens and multiple coloured tropical fish that swim lazily in the crystal clear waters. For a visitor, the ideal holiday cannot be fulfilled without a glimpse of these underwater marvels. The turtles, rays, sharks and seaweed growth provides a breathtaking view. It is no wonder, the Maldives is included among the best diving spots of the world. The average visibility is around thirty meters sometimes even extending to sixty meters.
Maldivian waters are a paradise for divers. The 'Cyber Diver' has rated the Maldives as one of the top 10 marine habitats in the world (the only one with in Asia). Under the category "best dive sites" the archipelago is described by Cyber Diver (AsiaWeek August 18 2000, P 93) with the telling phrase, "too many to list".
Diving Schools
Dive schools are found in almost all resorts. Some liveaboards
are also equipped with dive bases. The schools offer internationally recognised certificates and are usaully affiliated with PADI, NAUI or CMAS. The courses are conducted by qualified instructors. Almost all schools offer PADI Open Water Diver certificates while some schools even provide courses up to professional levels.
The equipment
Most diving equipment can be hired from the dive schools.
Safety
It is always rewarding to regard these beautiful waters with some caution. Diving alone is never recommended. It is best to dive in groups and with a good instructor.
It is better if you do not make decompression dives and never go below thirty meters.
The currents and tides can become quite nasty sometimes. It is advisable to take the currents and tides into consideration while diving. It is also good to be not too far away from the boat as this may be useful in case of an emergency.
Popular Maldives Scuba Diving Sites
Listed below are some of the best scuba diving sites in the Maldives
In the early morning hours of 13 February 1981, a Friday, this 35,000-ton freighter ran at full speed onto the southern tip of the island of Hulule - the airport island near the Capital. Panic spread through the island when it became known that the long-awaited foodstuffs and building materials were lying on the bottom of the ocean.
Banana Reef
Shaped like a banana, this reef stretches from North-East to South over a length of some three
hundred meters. Nearby resort islands include Fullmoon Island, Club Med and Kurumba. Ever since scuba divers began to dive in this part of the North-Male' Atoll, twenty years ago, Banana Reef has remained an ideal spot. A favourable feature is that since the fish show absolutely no fear of photographers on this reef, one can take excellent shots. However, together with the strong current and the fragile reef it makes anchoring your boat not always an easy task. You are requested to be careful not to damage the fragile reef when anchoring your boat.
Shark Point
As the name suggests, encountering and observing sharks at
this point is a frequent and regular happening. They swim to and from at the end of the channel where the currents are strongest. Friendly Gray reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks are those most likely to approach the divers.
Barracuda Giri
Barracuda Giri lies in the North Male' Atoll, North - Northeast of Bandos Island Resort and South -Southeast of Thulhagiri Island. Barracuda Giri boasts some truly spectacular dives. Life forms include large schools of black spotted sweetlips, schools of large batfish, black coral, barracuda etc.
Manta Point
Manta Point, which lies in the northern section of the channel leading out of the Ari Atoll, is -
as the name suggests - an ideal place for close encounters with Mantas Rays. From December until the middle of April, the Mantas are regulars at this site, the topography and the location of the site making it an ideal habitat for all species of fish that live on plankton.
Bellow are some more of the very popular dive sites in the Maldives and are ranked among the best in the world.
Rainbow Tila
Location : South off Girifushi Island
Depth : 8m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Kani Corner
Location : Outside corner of Kanifinolhu
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Maldive Victory
Location : In front of Hulule Airport
Depth : 16m - 30m
Type of Dive : Wreck dive, ascent & descent on a rope
Vaadhoo Caves
Location : North end of South Malé Atoll
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Lions Head
Location : Vaadhoo Channel
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Aquarium
Location : outside corner of Lohifushi Island
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Banana Reef
Location : Malé Atoll
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Old Shark Point
Location : Vaadhoo Channel
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Rasfari
Location : Outside of Rasfari Island
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Maldivian waters are a paradise for divers. The 'Cyber Diver' has rated the Maldives as one of the top 10 marine habitats in the world (the only one with in Asia). Under the category "best dive sites" the archipelago is described by Cyber Diver (AsiaWeek August 18 2000, P 93) with the telling phrase, "too many to list".Diving Schools
Dive schools are found in almost all resorts. Some liveaboards
are also equipped with dive bases. The schools offer internationally recognised certificates and are usaully affiliated with PADI, NAUI or CMAS. The courses are conducted by qualified instructors. Almost all schools offer PADI Open Water Diver certificates while some schools even provide courses up to professional levels.The equipment
Most diving equipment can be hired from the dive schools.
SafetyIt is always rewarding to regard these beautiful waters with some caution. Diving alone is never recommended. It is best to dive in groups and with a good instructor.
It is better if you do not make decompression dives and never go below thirty meters.
The currents and tides can become quite nasty sometimes. It is advisable to take the currents and tides into consideration while diving. It is also good to be not too far away from the boat as this may be useful in case of an emergency.
Popular Maldives Scuba Diving Sites
Listed below are some of the best scuba diving sites in the Maldives
In the early morning hours of 13 February 1981, a Friday, this 35,000-ton freighter ran at full speed onto the southern tip of the island of Hulule - the airport island near the Capital. Panic spread through the island when it became known that the long-awaited foodstuffs and building materials were lying on the bottom of the ocean.
Banana Reef
Shaped like a banana, this reef stretches from North-East to South over a length of some three
hundred meters. Nearby resort islands include Fullmoon Island, Club Med and Kurumba. Ever since scuba divers began to dive in this part of the North-Male' Atoll, twenty years ago, Banana Reef has remained an ideal spot. A favourable feature is that since the fish show absolutely no fear of photographers on this reef, one can take excellent shots. However, together with the strong current and the fragile reef it makes anchoring your boat not always an easy task. You are requested to be careful not to damage the fragile reef when anchoring your boat.Shark Point
As the name suggests, encountering and observing sharks at
this point is a frequent and regular happening. They swim to and from at the end of the channel where the currents are strongest. Friendly Gray reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks are those most likely to approach the divers.Barracuda Giri
Barracuda Giri lies in the North Male' Atoll, North - Northeast of Bandos Island Resort and South -Southeast of Thulhagiri Island. Barracuda Giri boasts some truly spectacular dives. Life forms include large schools of black spotted sweetlips, schools of large batfish, black coral, barracuda etc.
Manta Point
Manta Point, which lies in the northern section of the channel leading out of the Ari Atoll, is -
as the name suggests - an ideal place for close encounters with Mantas Rays. From December until the middle of April, the Mantas are regulars at this site, the topography and the location of the site making it an ideal habitat for all species of fish that live on plankton.Bellow are some more of the very popular dive sites in the Maldives and are ranked among the best in the world.
Rainbow Tila
Location : South off Girifushi Island
Depth : 8m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Kani Corner
Location : Outside corner of Kanifinolhu
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Maldive Victory
Location : In front of Hulule Airport
Depth : 16m - 30m
Type of Dive : Wreck dive, ascent & descent on a rope
Vaadhoo Caves
Location : North end of South Malé Atoll
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Lions Head
Location : Vaadhoo Channel
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Aquarium
Location : outside corner of Lohifushi Island
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Banana Reef
Location : Malé Atoll
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Old Shark Point
Location : Vaadhoo Channel
Depth : 3m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
Rasfari
Location : Outside of Rasfari Island
Depth : 10m - 30m
Type of Dive : Driftdive
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