5 Must-Try Diving Sites in the Maldives – A few of the best spots you can find in the Islands.

A popular diving site in the Maldives and is consistently being featured in the top ten diving sites lists for many years. This amazing site is teeming with a range of tropical marine life such as turtles, guitar sharks, frogfish, white tip reef sharks, barracudas, to just name a few. The geographical features and coral life are stunning too, with plenty of overhangs and caves to explore. The reef extends 252 ft in diameter and starts at a depth of 20 ft. The site is suitable for both beginners and intermediate diver as well.

Coco Thila is located on the eastern extremity of the South Male Atoll. The pinnacle plummets into a massive depth of 1312 ft and slopes towards a drop off at 98ft. This is a site suited for more advanced divers as the strong currents are predominant here. The features include crevices, overhangs, and ravines. These can provide temporary shelter from the strong water currents. You are bound to encounter schools of trevally and tuna, grey reef sharks, and an occasional turtle. Closer to the reef there will be sweetlips, rock cod, snapper, fusiliers in groups.

This diving spot sits at around 985 ft in length and is a submerged island. The north and west walls are popular here and most drivers focus their attention on those sections. Jack's Corner is a famous cave located at around 78ft and is blanketed with soft corals. Many minuscule life forms can be found living among the coral carpet. From the marine life, you will find green turtles, eagle rays, manta rays, and few sharks are always a possibility.

This site is the first to be internationally recognized in the Maldives. The Banana Reef offers divers, everything they could hope for. Big fish, corals, overhangs, and quite a few caves. It is even ideal for snorkelers as the reef starts at a very shallow depth of just 16 ft and will gradually deepen to a maximum of 114 ft. Among the holes, you may encounter moray eels, groupers, Napoleons, Jacks, wrasse dart and snapper in massive shoals.

This manta hot spot is a favourite among divers who wish to see these gentle manta rays up close. Also known as Emas Thila among the locals, it is about a kilometre in length. The mantas congregate here during the northeast monsoon season towards the northwest edge of the island. The gradually declining reef will drop off to 65 ft in-depth, this is where the diving spot comes to life. There are plenty of crevices, caves and channels filled with a range of marine life such as sweet lips, red bass, emperor fish, and masked bannerfish. Many of the Maldives's resort, usually have house reef and their special diving sites. You can try places like Kurumba Maldives as well.