The Maldives is dotted with some of the worlds best dive locations. Lush with soft and hard coral life and abundant in fish life; the Maldivian coral gardens go unmatched. If it is to be in the presence of magnificent beasts of a Whale Shark or to watch the gliding flybys of Manta Rays, or the feeding frenzy of Black tip Sharks or the gentle, floating aged turtles that you wish to see; it can be seen in the Maldives.

Though you are on a drift or a cave dive you will never be disappointed. Reef life is prolific with the species of marine life estimated to be in their tens of thousands. Frogfish, leaf fish, ghost pipefish and a multitude of nudibranchs abundantly found in our waters. From gentle giants to the tiny flatworms, Maldives has it all. More than a hundred dive sites and a lot more to be discovered, Maldives boasts the uniqueness of balanced temperate climate and clear waters almost all throughout the year.

The marine life of the Maldives is among the richest in the world and it is a privilege to dip into the ocean to observe the wonderful creatures that live there. Here you can learn the niche of the creatures living underwater, from microscopic planktons to whalesharks

Different dive sites show you different and beautiful sceneries. Most dive sites in the Maldives can be grouped according to the geological formation of the reef and are either Channels, Farus, Thilas or Giris.

Kandu

The Channel or "Kandu" as it is called in Dhivehi, is the deep cut in the atoll rim that connects waters of the atoll with the open ocean. The channel is home to the larger species such as grey shark, schooling eagle rays, tuna and giant trevallies that feed on the smaller reef life which, in turn, feeds on the plankton being carried into the atoll by the ocean currents.

Faru

A Faru is a circular reef rising up from the ocean floor usually lying in the ocean channels. Here you can find different species of colourful corals and the fishes living there.

Giri

A Giri is a small area of coral, smaller than a thila that is found inside the atoll. A Dhoni cannot enter a Giri as it measures up to 2-3m maximum. The fishes that live here are the bright coloured reef fishes, tunas, sharks and schools of small fishes.

Thila

A Thila is an underwater reef that has formed inside the atoll. Thilas are oblong or circular in shape with the reef top at 6-10m. Sometimes you can swim around the whole area in one dive but, as with all diving in the Maldives, the most action will be taking place on the point of the current where you can observe spectacular view of the tuna, reef fishes, sting rays and sharks.

Behavior and sightings of marine life can differ by seasons. In the wet season, also known as the Southwest season or Hulhangu monsoon in Dhivehi, is slightly cooler than the dry season, also known as the Northeast season or Iruvai monsoon in Dhivehi.

Southwest Season

The diving on the west side of the atoll in the southwest season is spectacular. You will regularly encounter large schools of pelagic fish like sharks, eagle rays and tuna.

Another noticeable feature of the southwest season is that the water temperature is usually one or two degrees lower that the usual 28º C (82ºF). The grey reef sharks and hammerheads seem to congregate in larger numbers and in shallower water at this time of year.

On the eastern side of the atolls, the southwest season is the best time to see manta rays and whale sharks. Here your visibility is not so good, but this is compensated for by the wonderful experience of diving with these huge plankton feeders.

Northeast Season

This is the Maldivian summer. The effect of the season change on diving is dramatic. From November onwards the currents begin to flow from the northeast, visibility is superb and there is lots of action in the channels and thilas on the eastern side of the atolls from the sharks and other pelagic species.

Currents tend to be stronger in January and then ease as we move into February. From February the waters calm down and the surface of the sea is undisturbed by any major wind or wave action. The doldrums continue through March and April with easy diving and slack currents. The end of May generally sees the change of monsoon season back to the southwest.

Throughout the northeast season, pelagic species such as shark and jacks are to be found on the current points on the eastern side of the atoll. In addition, there is usually a cornucopia of reef life. Manta rays and whale sharks, however, will only really be found on the west side during the northeast season.

Resorts and liveaboards in the Maldives provide high quality and often the latest in diving equipment and technology. All dive schools in resorts and liveaboard diving Dhonis (boats) are equipped with compressors, tanks, regulators with octopus, BCDs, masks, fins, and snorkels and other equipment such as dive computers, wetsuits, weights and weight belts. The equipment is well maintained and stringent safety checks are regularly carried out. You may bring  your own mask, fins and snorkel if it suits your comfort. If you wish to bring your own wetsuit, a 3mm full-length wetsuit or lycra suit is perfect for anytime of the year. However some prefer a 5mm wetsuit when doing more than one dive a day. Ocean temperatures rarely vary beyond 27 degree Celsius and 30 Degree Celsius. During hot periods water temperatures inside the lagoon increases measurably, and most divers are comfortable without a wetsuit during this period.

Note that under Maldivian diving laws, all divers must have octopus regulators. Carry some spares just in case of a breakdown or shortage.

The best diving attractions in the Maldives are the colourful schools of fish. The sheer number and range of fish here is astounding and the divers will never experience a boring dive, nor will they ever see the same dive twice!