Joanna James
The Maldives consists of 26 coral atolls that harbour over 1,000 islands amongst them; spread across the Indian Ocean, this archipelago is rich with amazing sites for scuba diving. Here are the best.
This site stands out as one of the best spots for both day and night diving. The pinnacles start at a depths of around 20 feet and heads down to 100 feet; the thila is home to an abundance of white tipped reef sharks, as well as, other fascinating marine life, like the huge stingrays, nurse sharks, barracudas and enormous GT's or Giant Trevally. Although the pinnacle is quite rewarding during the day, it is the night dives that stand out; jumping into the waters after sunset will reward you with sights of feeding frenzies amongst the many inhabitants around the reef. Quite the sight to enjoy, this spot is recommended for the advanced and intermediate diver.
The elusive whale sharks are popular sightings in the Maldives and there is no better place to view these gentle fish than Sun Island. The south end of the island opens out to the Indian Ocean where one will find a plateau of 5 to 10 metres; this makes catching sight of the whale sharks easy. Your best bet is to travel to the island a week before a full moon; a time when chances of swimming with the whale sharks are high. Diving and exploring the Maldives is quite a treat and one should not limit their time to merely one destination; for resort hopping and discovering varied locations, the likes of Maldives Resorts Club is simply one, amongst many, that act as 'one-stop' destinations that promise convenience and the best accommodation options.
Fish Head is an off-shore point that is one of the most popular dive spots on the archipelago. Also called Shark Point and Mushimasmingili Thila, the site is recommended for the best experience of shark diving in the Maldives. Fish Head is a small pinnacle that goes down to a depth of 120 feet; it is home to a number of over-hangs and underwater caves. The place in the past was quite famous as a feeding point for sharks; a practice that is no longer followed – the sharks though have chosen to remain. Hence, if you were to dive there, get ready to spot at least 16 grey reef sharks, on a single dive, that swim at rather unnerving speeds. Fish Head is for the intermediate and advanced diver.
Miyaru in the local dialect translates to 'shark', and indeed the place is very popular for spotting hammerhead sharks. The best time to visit this area is during the northeast monsoon when the currents bring in a large number of deep sea species; hence, keeping the reef to your right explore the deep blue and you will be rewarded with sights of dogtooth tuna, eagle rays and sharks. This is a point for the advanced diver.
Banana Reef was the first dive spot to throw the Maldives into the limelight of scuba diving; the place still is a number one spot amongst the serious diver. The reef is popular for its variety of attractions from gorgeous corals to overhangs and underwater caves. The marine life too is quite stunning and you can look forward to spotting Napoleon wrasse, jackfish, sharks and much more. Banana Reef is open to all levels of divers and snorkelers.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
