Diving Points
Diving and swimming among hundreds of fish and corals in the beautiful crystalline waters of the Maldives is a must for all passionate divers; doing it onboard of a comfortable cruising yacht is by far the best way to enjoy this underwater paradise getting the best out of it with the least effort. Thanks to a long cruising experience, Luxury Yacht Maldives fleet is studied to fulfil all guests expectations; the yachts will take you through the best itineraries to reveal the best places at the right time of the year.
In Maldives you will be amazed by schools of grey reef sharks, undisturbed manta rays dancing around among divers, underwater caves covered by colored soft corals and gorgonians, or giant Napoleon fish, as big as a human being.
All this is in the most world famous underwater paradise.
As far as the dives are concerned, the choice is immense, but it is important to know the currents and the tides very well in order to choose the best side of the atoll and the right dive site according to time of the year; all factors that influence the quality of the dive itself.
Our professional Diving Team has a long experience and the necessary instruments to take you to the best spots of these enchanted places. Dive Masters, Ali and Rasheed, have been working with us for more than 20 years.
In the Maldives the various dive sites can be classified into 4 major types:
- Diving along the external reef of the atoll (ocean reef)
- Diving on the ‘thilas’ inside the atoll or in the channel
- Diving in ‘passes’ (kandu)
- Diving wrecks ‘around the Giri’
Along the coral reef, on the external side of the atoll, you will be surrounded by a multitude of coral fish, Napoleons, turtles, sharks and lots of other big pelagic fish, like tunas, jacks and barracudas. These dives are usually ‘drift diving’.
Inside the lagoon on ‘Thilas’ (underwater coral pinnacles) the water is generally shallower, and the top of the "Thilas" starts between 5 to 15 metres below the surface.
Thilas are madreporic formations emerging from the sandy bottom of the sea, with a rich variety of marine life hiding in small caves and clefts.
Dives on Thilas are generally suitable for beginners too, depend on the current. Thilas are very often ideal spots for night dives as well (except for those located in passes or subject to strong currents). Thilas provide day organisms with a place to hide during the night.
It is very common to spot trigger fish hidden in the reef cavities with only their tails out, or big green turtles sleeping on massive madreporas, coloured parrot fish wrapped around in their gooey cocoons. Their mucus creates this thick shield enveloping the parrotfish as it settles down to rest at night. It takes about an hour for the parrotfish to complete this process. Such protection deceives predatory species hunting by smell. All this amazing marine life is surrounded by bioluminescent phytoplankton creating a surreal experience.
Some of the Maldivian Thilas are considered to be among the 10 best dives sites in the world; Maalhoss Thila is a good example.
Dives in oceanic ‘passes’ (kandu or channel) are mostly appreciated by expert divers looking for strong emotions; these spots offer amazing encounters with pelagic fish of massive dimensions. ‘Passes’ are channels connecting the smooth and quite waters of the lagoons with the open ocean, the ‘doorway’ to the atoll; here the currents can be strong and bring lots of food to all kind of pelagic which aggregate in the area.
Be prepared to experience a lot of action with the savvy guides of Luxury Yacht Maldives diving Team!
Last but not least are dives on shipwrecks, which cannot be missed in the Maldives and amaze most of the divers.
Dives on wrecks offer a chance to discover how the marine life adapts itself to the sunken ships creating a small ecosystem for larvae to grow into invertebrates, but also as perfect hiding place for a variety of fish. In the Maldivian archipelago there are mainly two major seasons, the dry one (monsoon from North-East) and the wet one (monsoon from South-West). During the dry season, from December to May, the sea is generally calm and the sky is crystal blue, while during the wet season, from June to November, there might be some rain along with strong wind and rough sea. As far as the dives are concerned it is very important to take into consideration the currents direction. The North-East monsoon pushes the plankton West, while the South-West monsoon towards East.
Therefore on one side of the atolls the water is full of plankton and opaque, but with the chance to meet manta rays, whale sharks and lots more; while the other side of the atoll is the perfect place to take amazing pictures of the placid and turquoise blue waters typical of the Maldives. For all these reasons, in order to have the chance to watch manta rays during the North-East monsoon, the best place is the West side of the atolls, while during the South-West monsoon the best is the East side.
In the Maldives the interrelations among currents, tides and monsoon winds are quite tangled; therefore a thorough knowledge of the natural environment is a must to enjoy in safety the dives in this wonderful paradise. Our Diving Team will help you discover all of the underwater mysteries.
The boat-leader will explain to you all the varieties and choices offered on the liveaboard cruise; you will be free to choose the right one for you. The itineraries will be custom made (weather allowing) according to guests expectations.
Those who choose to spend a relaxing holiday on a resort island will have the opportunity to enjoy all day dive sites around the area from the island, while those who choose for a liveaboard cruise will be in different dive sites hopping from one atoll to the other being directly on the chosen dive site. Once you have your dive gear ready you just need to jump into the crystal clear waters in order to make your dreams come true.
