Best Diving Sites in Maldives – A Divers Playground

The best channels around Maldives for diving with sharks are Lahviyani, South Male Atoll, North Male Atoll, Vaavu Meemu, Gaafu and Laamu. The Gaafu Atoll, Ari Atoll and Thaa Atoll are tipped to be the best sites for spotting the elusive whale sharks: a treat to be enjoyed when diving in the Maldives.

If you relish the thought of being in the water with the giant manta rays, plan a scuba diving excursion to North Male, Ari, Addu, Haa Daalu, Baa Atoll and Haa Alifu. There the clear waters will yield the giant fish as they converge to snack on plankton.

The hammerhead sharks are known to frequent the Rasdhoo Atoll, the North Ari Atoll, Veevu Atoll and Fotteyo Kandu. You can also spot tiger sharks and thresher sharks by heading over to Foamulah Island where the marine life thrives in abundance all year round.

Ari Atoll is lauded for it reliability in spotting huge schools of fish and organisms gracing open waters. A dive around this atoll will reward you with sights of bigger fish such as mantas, sharks, eagle rays and hammerheads. Ari Atoll is also thriving with grey reef sharks, white tip sharks, Napolean Wrasse together with schools of batfish and blacktail barracuda.

This atoll part of the southern edge is quite a treat with deep channels and fast flowing currents that carry rich nutrients. This in turn rewards the place with reef sharks and many other species including the hammerhead. It is also home to the best dive site in the Maldives, Fotteyo Kandu. There you have overhangs, caves and swim throughs to explore. The marine life is quite a treat offering one sights of triggerfish, snapper, unicorn fish, groupers, eagle rays, manta rays and trevallies.

One of the first sites to be discovered for scuba diving the North Male Atoll is home to the oldest known dive sites. One such example is Gaathugiri better known as Banana Reef. The place is a treat with stunning scenery, caves, rockfaces, topography and sheer drop off points. The marine life is out of this world and quite a treat; expect sights of sharks, rays, black snappers, grouper, bannerfish, large moray eels, squirrel fish and many more.

The beautiful island of Huduranfushi is a treat; the name which translates to 'island of white gold' is a home to many dive points that can be easily explored via dive tours provided by _Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi _based there. Look out for colourful coral fish, sleek manta rays and sharks scrounging around on the ocean floor. The surrounding area is home to some of the best hotels Maldives provides for easy access to top dive sites.