The Maldives abound with a variety of diving sites suitable for any level of experience, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced diver. Considering that the Maldives is a region of about 1200 islands, imagine how many places for diving you can choose from. So what is the way to find out the best site where you can meet all the sea creatures inhabiting these islands? Here is a list of TOP dive sites around the Maldives that you should visit.

Fotteyo

Location: Vaavu Atoll
Current: might be strong
Marine life: great variety

First that you should know is the size of Fotteyo. To explore it properly you need to have at least 3 dives! It is on my list of the top three best sites in the Maldives. The site is located in the eastern part of the atoll and mostly you can reach it only from a liveaboard boat because it’s rather remote. The great variety of the marine means you can see here shoals of various fish, Sharks, corals, turtles, and even hammerhead sharks. In the morning or the evening, you can also see a flock of dolphins crossing the canal. Diving is recommended in the morning. This site is only good for experienced divers.

Kuda Rah Thila

Location: South Ari Atoll
Current: Can be strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

It’s a marine protected reef since 1995 and is one of the most famous reefs in the Maldives. Only 10 mins from Dhigurah and a very exciting dive with thousands of blue stripe snappers often being hunted by sharks, tunas, giant trevallies, and jacks. Some very beautiful soft corals with a large swim thru at one end. Kudarah Thila is made of the main reef that has shallower tops on each side, and a tunnel crossing the deeper coral ridge on its western side. As the site is very famous, there might already be divers here when you arrive.

Rasdhoo Channel

Location: North Ari Atoll
Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

Another great dive site for the experienced divers with Deep Dive Training or Advanced level because of the negative entry and the depth! All thilas are already well-colonized on the atoll drop-off edge at a depth between 20 to 25 meters between Kuramathi and Rasdhoo island. On the sandy bottom between the thilas, look for stingrays or white-tip reef sharks. While crossing the channel, almost anything is possible like grey reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleon, dog-tooth tunas, and many more. On some very lucky days, you may see silver-tip reef sharks! However, this dive can be done only when the current runs into the Atoll!

Alimatha Pier

Location: Vaavu Atoll
Current: Might be strong
Marine life: Nurse sharks

It is a truly unforgettable night diving with a great number of nurse sharks near Alimatha resort. There’re actually plenty of good sites near this island. Sometimes you can meet up to 50-60 sharks here! But where do they come from? It is not a big deal but they are being fed here. That’s why stingrays, blacktip sharks, and jacks come to the site. As a result, this site is very popular with divers. But for the strong current, you should be very careful on the bottom.

Madivaru Corner

Location: North Ari Atoll
Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

A highlight in the Rasdhoo for many reasons. This reef is located just in front of the island Madivaru and has some superb overhangs between 26 to 30 meters before a breathtaking drop-off. The real beauty of the dive will be when the current runs along the reef on the right shoulder and into the Atoll. Because with this current you don’t have to swim much because most of the time on your dive you just hold onto some dead coral on the drop-off around 18 meters where the breathtaking show begins. Everybody can find here almost anything they are looking for, from macro to big pelagic species like grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleon wrasse, shoals of barracuda, jackfish and even giant travelers and dog-tooth tunas chasing baitfish etc. Always worth a dive. Anything is possible, however, the current can be medium to very strong.

Hammerhead Shark Point

Location: North Ari Atoll
Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong
Marine life: Hammerhead sharks

Another highlight, an early morning diving to meet the famous Scalloped Hammerhead shark which can only be seen in a few places in the Maldives. A blue-water dive with no reference. In other words, no reef or bottom where the blue plankton let you think you are flying among the stars. Even without sharks an unforgettable experience. Only for experienced divers with Deep Dive Training or Advanced level, of course, good buoyancy control required! NITROX highly recommended.

Kuredhdhoo Kandu

Location: Lhaviany Atoll
Current: Might be strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

Kuredhdhoo Kandu or Kuredu Express is one of the most popular places to dive in this atoll. It is located to the east of Kuredu Resort. You can see a great variety of sharks at a depth of 30 meters. It is also recommended to use a hook to enjoy marine life near you.

Banana reef

Location: North Male Atoll
Current: Not very strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

This one is probably the most popular site in the Maldives. It is located between Hulhumale and Sheraton Full moon resort. It is characterized by a great number of caves, big shoals of fish, soft and hard corals. The shoals of bannerfish which can include up to 1000 fish are really impressive! Apart from this, you can meet groupers, snappers, barracuda sharks, gigantic squirrelfish, oriental sweetlips, soldierfish, and grubfish. The site is available anytime and is best for beginners.

Tiger Shark Point

Location: Fuvahmulah Atoll
Current: Can be very strong
Marine life: Tiger sharks

One one the main feature which makes Fuvahmulah incredibly attractive for the world diving community are Tiger Sharks. Tiger Sharks have surrounded the island cleaning the waste daily produced by the fish market. Sharks are not aggressive, no case of a shark attack was registered. Diving with the tiger sharks is available every day and doesn’t depend on the current, seasons, time, and weather conditions. Experienced dive guides lead this dive following all necessary safety rules requirements. One of the best destinations for Tiger Sharks. 100% guarantee every day.

Kandooma Thila

Location: South Male Atoll
Current: Can be strong
Marine life: Rich diversity

This thila is located to the north of Holiday Inn Kandooma resort. It’s at the depth of 12 m on the bottom of the canal. The eastern and northern parts are the most interesting for divers. You can meet schools of fish, mantas, and sharks. The latter are mostly seen during the incoming current in the north part. At this time is it recommended to stay with a hook near the Corner watching grey sharks. This site is available anytime but is only recommended to experienced divers.

Read also:

Diving in the Maldives 2022

Top 16 things to do in Maldives 2022

Scuba diving in Rasdhoo 2022

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