Top five diving destinations in the Maldives

The Maldives has a reputation for its beautiful beaches and gorgeous, translucent waters. Visitors to the islands are often dazzled by the wealth of life that can be found under those blue waves as well.

Stunning coral reefs and a mind-blowing variety of fish have made holidays to the Maldives a particular favorite for divers, snorkelers and water babies in general. Here are five of the top sites that should be on your list.

Ari Atoll

Those with an interest in seeing not only big schools of fish, but fish that are themselves larger than life can start with Ari Atoll. Here, the diver is most likely to run into passing big fish like whale sharks, manats, hammerheads and eagle rays. The Napoleon wrasse, grey reef and white tip shark have also been known to visit here. Divers are also likely to see large schools of fish like blacktail barracuda and batfish.

Gaathugiri

Another popular diving site is Gaathugiri, also known as Banana Reef – so-named for its shape when viewed from above. This is one of the first discovered diving sites in the Maldives. Schools of bannerfish numbering up to 1,000 have been seen here. Divers can also visit numerous caves at the site, where many species of exotic fish can be seen. At the western end of the site divers can visit a large cave containing squirrelfish, soldieries and Maldivian grubfish.

Dhigali Haa

Of course no Maldivian diving holiday would be complete without seeing the kaleidoscopic coral reef for which the region is famous. To do this, it’s a good idea to visit Dhigali Haa. This is a relatively small site that can be explored fully within one day. It is also a popular viewing site for sharks and other Maldivian marine life.

Embudhoo

For the slightly more ambitious diver, Embudhoo is packed with things to see and explore such as underwater caves teeming with fish and the Embudhoo Thila or Coral Garden. This is a spectacular reef at the north corner of the Embudhoo Kandu. The wide variety and great numbers of reef fish complete the experience.

Fesdhoo Wreck

The Maldives also caters for those interested in including shipwrecks in their diving experience. The Fesdhoo Wreck dive site is famous for just this reason. It includes a 30-metre long fishing boat under 29 metres of water. Excellent visibility makes the dive well worth the effort at any time of day.

Diving enthusiasts of varying levels of experience will find something they want to see in the Maldives. From caves to corals to shipwrecks, you will be wowed by the colourful and unique world that lives just beneath the waves in this part of the world. So find some cheap flights to Maldives, pack your suitcase and go on the adventure of a lifetime!

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