How to do scuba diving in Maldives

Did you know some of the most stunning attractions in Maldives are in fact, under the waves! The country is blessed with an abundance of coral reefs, diverse fish and other marine species that will leave you in awe when seen up close. While snorkelling lets you witness this underwater beauty, scuba diving is the best way to truly explore and experience the treasures of the deep. Here is a guide to help you plan for just such an adventure.

Decide on When to Visit

The good news is that this destination is great for diving throughout the year. That said, the best weather and visibility can generally be experienced between December and March. Keep in mind that from April to October the monsoons will bring rain with June, July and August experiencing the most downpours. However, diving during the rainy season has plenty to offer too; in May, you can expect to find more plankton in the sea which in turn attracts whale sharks and manta rays.

Choose Suitable Accommodation

Those keen on scuba diving should choose their accommodation carefully as well. Ideally, consider one of the private island resorts in Maldives that not only offer diving excursions but have a dive centre too.

Such centres will offer the needed training and PADI certification for beginners while providing advanced courses for experienced divers. An alternative to this would be a liveaboard; these are boats that come with accommodation as well and will take you to various dive sites.

Consider Which Atolls to Dive At

The country's numerous atolls with their reefs, each offer different adventures for intrepid divers. Depending on the sites and the available accommodation options, you can select which atolls you want to explore. Check out online resources like The Maldives Travel which provide useful information on dive sites and diving in general for those planning a holiday here. Options include the Ari Atoll known for pelagic species, Huvadhoo Atoll with its many sharks, Baa Atoll which draws whale sharks and manta rays and the North and South Male atolls home to many reefs.

Plan Your Diving Itinerary

Consider the diving excursions on offer at your resort and look to plan an itinerary of which sites to dive at. For novice divers, amongst the most fun things to do in Maldives is to explore house reefs; these are reefs near resorts and generally offer easy diving conditions and plenty of marine life to see.

When it comes to particular dive sites there is much to choose from though do remember to check dive depths and conditions too. Popular options include the famed Banana Reef and Okobe Thila (North Male Atoll), Kuredu Express (Lhaviyani Atoll), Fotteyo Kandu (Vaavu Atoll) and Kandooma Thila (South Male Atoll). Apart from reefs, you can head to underwater wrecks when diving as well! The Victory Wreck cargo ship in the North Male Atoll is amongst the most well-known, while the Halaveli Wreck, British Loyalty and Fesdu Wreck are amongst the other vessels you can explore.

Familiarise Yourself with Marine Life

While you are going to encounter diverse marine life, you can appreciate them more if you spend some time learning about them and what they look like too! Some resorts even have resident marine biologists who will help in this process and may even accompany you on your diving excursions.

When it comes to corals, you can expect to find everything from hard and soft corals to brain and mushroom corals. The number of fish species are staggering and include clownfish, butterflyfish, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse, yellowfin tuna, triggerfish, jackfish, batfish, various sharks and not forgetting turtles, rays and eels too!