Diving in Maldives

Maldives is home to some of the most diverse marine fauna and flora in the world. Tens of thousands of reefs, a thousand recorded species of fish, over two hundred species of coral and hundreds more species of other marine life; no wonder many see this as one of the greatest dive destinations on earth.

Dive Sites

There are thousands of dive sites; so numerous that you can literally swim over from one to the other. Only a small percentage of the Maldives reefs have ever been dived. Each dive site has its unique characteristics in form, fauna and flora, the currents and other elements that shape and mould them.

Resorts concentrate on dive sites within a one or two-hour radius, while cruise boats cover more ocean and therefore a greater variety of sites.

Dive Facilities

The dive centre is one of the most important facilities in any resort. Each resort has a dive centre and are staffed by qualified dive instructors. Divers may, if they wish, bring along their own dive gear, however the centre carry a wide range of rental equipment. At resorts diving is conducted daily all year round. Even in Malé there are some dive centres, mainly serving the residents of Malé. There are two decompression chambers in the Maldives located in Kaafu Atoll and Ari Atoll.

Scuba Diving in Maldives

Water temperature:

24 °C (75 °F) in February and July to 27 °C (81 °F) in April, May and September

Suit:

5 mm. shortie

Visibility:

15 - 40 metres (50 - 130 feet)

Type of diving:

Reef and drift diving, very few wrecks

Marine life:

Hammerheads, grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, turtles, frogfish, triggerfish, surgeonfish, jacks, trevallies, snappers, napoleon wrasse, barracudas... the list is almost endless!

When to go:

June to October and December to March

How to get there:

The airport on the Maldives is located on Malé, transfers from here are usually by Seaplane