The Maldives is a bucket list destination for many, both divers and non-divers alike. With its numerous atolls in the Indian Ocean, it makes a great place for an island escape or a live-aboard dive destination.
As an island escape, the Maldives is paradise with its 5-star resorts and impeccable service. Overwater bungalows are the dominant accommodations with access to swimming and snorkeling right from the private patio.
Maldives Resort Diving
There are lots of these fabulous resorts to choose from, some which are boat rides away, some accessible via seaplanes. We stayed at Baros Maldives Resort, and to date, it is one of the most luxurious places we’ve vacationed.
Many of these resorts will have a dive center that offers daily diving. While this is a great way to get in some underwater time in a magnificent place, it is not the best way to see the expansive underwater world of the Maldives.
Maldives on Liveaboard
The only way to truly dive the Maldives is by liveaboard. However, the area is so vast that a weeklong trip will only scratch the surface. In the Maldives, dhonis, a boat that follows the liveaboard, are used for diving. This is great because that means the compressor and all the dive gear are not on the boat where you are sleeping. We stayed in the Executive Suite on the MV Emperor Orion, and I will say that I have been spoiled for life as far as liveaboards go.
With 115 square miles of mostly ocean, there are a lot of underwater areas to uncover, and a lot of reef and pelagic fish, critters, and sealife to find.
Diving in Current
The diving in the Maldives is primarily in the open ocean, which results in a lot of current diving. And these currents are sometimes quite strong. This diving in these conditions is not for the inexperienced, and knowing how to use both reef hooks and safety markers are both critical skills.
The most extreme current I have ever experienced diving was in a channel in the Maldives. The currents were so strong that the sharks, which are finely tuned for ocean currents, were having a hard time swimming. At this point, I wasn’t sure if I should be in the water.
There was an option to dive a similar dive site the following day, and most of the divers opted for an alternative. The dive operator happily adjusted the dive sites for both the skill and comfort level of the group.
The Best Night Dives
Two of my favorite night dives are in the Maldives, and they were drastically different. One was equivalent to being in an endless aquarium and the other’s topography is how I imagine the surface of the moon.
Maaya Thila is a marine protected area, and everywhere you look, there is something magnificent to see. Sharks, rays, eels on the hunt with the help of our dive lights, sleeping turtles, and all the reef fish you can dream up. This is a top dive site in the Maldives, day or night.
Beneath the jetty of a resort that basically chums the water with the fish cleaning, Alimathaa is the spot for giant stingrays, nurse sharks, and hunting trevally. This is not the place for the faint of heart as these animals will swim into you and on top of you to get to food. The reef itself is boulders and giant rocks. At one point, we all turned off our dive lights to get the full night diving experience and while a bit terrifying, it was incredible.
Maldives Sponge Snail
Coriocella hibyae is its scientific name, but it’s commonly known as the Maldives Sponge Snail. It’s dark bluish-purple in color with dark spots. I love little underwater critters, and these are one of my favorites. I could not have a post on the Maldives without mentioning them.
