How to Practice Responsible Snorkeling in the Maldives

The Maldives is renowned for its marine adventures with unparalleled Diving spots and Snorkeling sites that will leave you with lasting memories when you see the breathtaking coral reefs and diverse marine life.

Where you can go snorkeling in the Maldives

In the Maldives, you can go snorkeling pretty much anywhere. Resorts such as OBLU XPErience Ailafushi have snorkeling gear that can be rented out on a daily basis so that you can enjoy snorkeling and viewing their house reefs. In the Maldives, water sports activities such as diving and snorkeling are very popular as the visibility, water and marine life are some of the best you will find in the world. With year-round water temperatures of about 20 to 30 Degrees Celsius, the water is perfect for snorkeling and at most resorts, it can be experienced by taking just a few steps out of your villa or by just walking in the lagoon.

How to Prepare for your Snorkeling Excursion

Most people will just take a dip into the sea from the shores of the beach and with their mask on swim about for a while and look at the marine life underwater. If you are looking to make the most out of your snorkeling experiences, it is best to visit the resort Dive Center and ask for the best parts of the island to go snorkeling. Some resorts have resident marine biologists that you can accompany for guided snorkeling tours of the house reefs and be taught about the conservation programmes and approaches being taken by the resort. Before snorkeling, it is important to choose a good mask that has a good fit for you. The elastic seal should create a snug fit against your face and have a good wide view. Choosing an ideal snorkeling tube is just as important as a tube that is too long will make your breathing difficult and a snorkel tube that is too short will make it difficult for you to move around and look around. There are some snorkel tubes that have special purge valves that will push out water that gets into the tube. Fins are not a necessity but especially for open water snorkeling excursions are helpful as they will help with your manoeuvrability in the water. 

What You Will See Underwater

The Maldives has a beautiful underwater ecosystem of coral reefs, fish, and marine life that make for exciting places to see and visit. There are over 200 species of coral reefs that can be found in the Maldives and are filled with wonderful colour and life. The coral is a habitat and food source for many different marine species such as crabs, clams, sea stars, and fish. The coral itself is made of tiny polyps which are tiny animals that attach to rocks and feed off plankton floating past them. There are over 2000 different marine and fish species, including schools of fish, sea turtles, and different species of sharks. When snorkeling in the Maldives you will encounter many of these marine animals up close which is a truly amazing experience.

Preservation of Marine Life and Responsible Underwater Wildlife Interactions

With the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the Maldives has provided safe havens for marine life, which has allowed the marine life to thrive. At these sanctuaries, fishing as well as other harmful practices are prohibited for the protection of the local marine life. Maldives is host to large coral reefs and diverse marine life. By practicing responsible diving and snorkeling the impact on the ecosystem can be minimized. Marine life should only be seen and not touched so as to avoid disturbing them and ensure that any underwater adventures are eco-friendly.