Best 10 Dive Sites In Maldives For Best Experience Of Scuba Diving and Snorkeling

Want to know about the best dive sites in the Maldives? If you are so much into exploring the underwater wonders, it is recommended that you do a bit of research on best resorts in the Maldives that benefit from the presence of ideal diving locations. Maldives is one among the places around the globe that can offer you best diving experience.

Maldives vacations are all about its marine activities and entertainment. The shallow turquoise lagoons that stretch far out to the ocean in circles have always been part of definition we give to Maldives. Apart from its mesmerizing lagoon water, the marine environment of Maldives are full of vibrant bio-diversity. The undisturbed ecosystems here with its natural habitat feature stunning coral gardens that are home to a wide variety of aquatic species; from sharks and manta rays to tiny colorful fishes. Getting an opportunity to dive around them shall be a dream-like experience.

There are a plethora of diving location in the Maldives. But as a matter of fact, those which situate near to any island resorts matter to you. Each diving locations shall have something special about them. Some shall be home to sharks, some to manta rays, some to giant turtles, some to dolphins.

If you are a diver or would love to a bit of diving in the Maldives, you need to choose your resort based on the availability of any of below-given diving locations. So let us introduce you the best diving locations in the Maldives.

#1 Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll (Snorkeling Mode)

One of the most popular diving locations in the Maldives! Designated as UNESCO biosphere in the Maldives Baa Atoll is a gifted place that treasures an abundance of marine biodiversity. Hanifaru Bay comprises of a small bay on Hanifaru Island's reef. The presence of plankton that flourish through the second half of the year makes Hanifaru Bay all the more worthwhile to take a plunge here because of giant rays and whale sharks coming to eat plankton. Here the underwater is of utmost beauty to go snorkeling.

What you can spot at Hanifaru Bay: Manta rays, whale sharks.

Island resorts near to Hanifaru Bay: Anantara Kihavah, Kihaa Maldives.

Perfect for beginners to advanced divers!

#2 Maamigili Beru Reef, South Ari Atoll (Shallow Reef)

Typical of being in magnificent South Ari Atoll, Maamigili Beru Reef is an ideal spot for diving with whale sharks! Maamigili Beru makes up the outer reef on the southern tip of the Ari Atoll. The top reef full of hard corals starts at 7 meters down the ocean surface; here is where whale sharks do the rounds all year. The sandy bed is 30 meters down. With good visiblity the diving here is okay against all current conditions.

What you can spot at Maamigili Beru Reef: Whale sharks, moray eels, lion fish and nudibranches, eagle rays, and mobula mantas.

Island resorts near to Hanifaru Bay: Sun Island Resort, LUX* South Ari Atoll, Maamigili, Dhigurah, Amaya Resorts & Spa Kuda Rah, Vakarufalhi Resort,   Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maafushivaru Maldives, and Conrad Maldives Rangali Island.

Perfect for beginners to advanced divers!

#3 Maaya Thila, North Ari Atoll (Night Dive)

One of the popular dive sites in the North Ari Atoll, Maaya Thila is a protected marine area being home to wonderful ocean diversity. With corals, caves, overhangs and cliffs, Maaya Thila is considered to be ideal for both daytime and night diving. Guests have commented the nocturnal diving and sunset-time hovering over the mountain are never to missed out on.

What you can spot at Maaya Thila: various pelagics fishes, white-tip and grey reef sharks, giant trevally, barracudas, snappers, eagle rays, giant moray eels, sting rays fusiliers and Hawksbill Turtles.

Island resorts near to Maaya Thila: Constance Halaveli, W Maldives, Kandolhu Maldives, Constance Halaveli, Kuramathi Maldives, and Nika Island Resort.

Perfect for medium to advanced divers!

#4 Kandooma Thila, South Malé Atoll (Drift Diving)

Kandoom Thila is one of the deep-stationed diving sites in South Male Atoll. The pinnacle starts with coral-stuffed reef top at 13 meters from the water surface and goes down along the clusters of variously-colored soft corals and touches the sandy bed at 40 meters down.

What you can spot at Kandooma Thila: Grey reef sharks, eagle rays, fusiliers, reef fishes, sweetlips, snappers and groupers, large tuna, trevally, and eagle rays.

Island resorts near to Kandooma Thila: COMO Cocoa Island, Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort, Biyadhoo Island Resort, Guraidhoo Island, OZEN by Atmosphere.

Perfect for medium to advanced divers!

#5 Miyaru Kandu, Vaavu atoll (Drift Diving)

For those who reserved their accommodation in Vaavu Atoll, there is Miyaru Kandu equally blessed with biodiversity and underwater beauty like any other dive sites in the Maldives. Here the diving commence with a jump into the ocean and drifting closer to the reef. You can hook yourself in to move down the steep. Since the advanced level requires during strong currents, this approach shall give you more protection. Hammerhead sharks are one of the main attractions at Miyaru Kandu for the same reason the place is otherwise called Shark Channel.

What you can spot at Miyaru Kandu: hammerheads, mackerel, trevally, triggerfish, fusiliers, whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, parrotfish, sweetlips, Moorish idols, gropers, Maori wrasse, eagle rays and dog tooth tuna.

Island resorts near to Miyaru Kandu: Cinnamon Velifushi Maldives and Keyodhoo, Thinadhoo.

Ideal for intermediate and advanced divers!

#6 Chaaya Reef Ellaidhoo, North Ari Atoll (housereef diving)

If you would like to take in the stupendous beauty of Maldivian underwater, Chaya Reef Ellaidhoo should be your dive destination. Boasting of the presence of admirable marine life and lively corals, this dive location spreads across 1600 meters. The wreck just 15 meters down is another attraction to the house-reef exploring here. This dive location is ideal for snorkeling too where first-timers as well are most welcome.

What you can spot at Chaya Reef Ellaidhoo: Pelagics, sharks, fish, coral, and macro.

Island resorts near to Chaya Reef Ellaidhoo: Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon.

Perfect for beginners to advanced divers!

#7 Nassimo Thila, North Malé Atoll (Drift Diving)

Popular dive site in North Male Atoll, Nassimo Thila is otherwise known as Paradise Rock or Virgin Reef. With an ovel-shaped upper portion stretching over nearly 15 meters, it has has a main reef full of quality corals, stunning rock foundations, long over-hangs, random-aligned pinnacles, and caves. Normally advanced divers visit here.

What you can spot at Nassimo Thila: Midnight Snappers, Dog-toothed Tunas, Barracudas, White-tip Reef Sharks, Oriental Sweetlips, and Eagle Rays.

Island resorts near to Nassimo Thila: Gili Lankanfushi, Kurumba, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon, and Bandos Maldives.

Perfect for medium to advanced divers!

#8 HP Reef aka Rainbow Reef, North Malé Atoll (Drift Dave)

Also known as Girifushi Thila or Rainbow Reef, it is one of the beautiful dive destinations in the Maldives itself. Located in the channel, Himmafushi Kandu, Rainbow Reef is a protected marine region with worth-seeing aquatic treasure. The reef formation down here is quite spectacular that southwest portion is full of caves, clefts and outcrops while the northwest has in its sandy channel a massive rock outcrop that starts to descend at 15 meters into a cave at 24 meters. The cave itself is a treat to divers. The top of the cave has blue corals and fissures that lead back up to the top of the rock.

What you can spot at Rainbow Reef: big-eye trevally, blue-fin jack, rainbow runner, barracuda, dog-toothed tuna, Grey reef sharks, eagle rays, yellow-back fusilier, angelfish varieties such as the three-spot, emperor and regal angelfish, masked bannerfish

Island resorts near to Rainbow Reef: Himmafushi, Cinnamon Dhonveli,   Gili Lankanfushi,   Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa,   Adaaran Prestige Ocean Villas.

Ideal for intermediate and advanced divers.

#9 Embudhoo Express, South Malé Atoll (Channel Drift Dive)

Embudhoo Express is a protected marine area in the south Male' atoll with a special shark watching location, overhangs and caves. Here divers normally start outside the channel, follow the reef around 15 meters to get to the channel. In the middle of the channel, there is small “Thila” with vibrant coral display. The diving depth is 30 meters at maximum. The strong incoming current of up to 5 knots brings large pelagic making a feast for the divers. It would be more a fast-paced drift requiring good skills.

What you can spot at Embudhoo Express: grey reef, reef sharks, eagle rays, pelagics, corals, eagle rays, sting rays, dog-tooth tuna, trevallys and barracudas, napoleans, and turtles.

Island resorts near to Embudhoo Express: Tax Exotica and Embudu Village.

Ideal for intermediate and advanced divers!

#10 Fuvahmulah, Gnaviyani Atoll (Reef Dive)

The south of the Maldives is the least disturbed region of the Indian Ocean where you find less number of resorts; no wonder the south feature the best of marine life in the forms of biodiversity, eco-system, corals and fishes. Here we have Fuvamulah, which is a giant rock of volcanic origin, stretching in the magnitudes of 4.5 Kilometres length and 1.2 km width. The submerged reef further stretches down the water to southeast.

With lush tropical greenery, landscapes quite unbelievable of a Maldives island, Fuwamulah also boasts of freshwater lakes. Think of going underwater in such a place! The presence of Tiger Sharks is one of the attractions here for which reason the Fuvahmulah marine location remains cleansed. It is also the marine place for various pelagic fishes.

What you can spot at Fuvamullah: Tiger Sharks, Thresher Sharks, Hammerheads, Silver tip, Whale shark, Grey reef, White tip, Barracudas, Yellow-Fin Tuna, Bonitos, Sailfishes, Marlins and reef fishes.

Island resorts near to Fuvamulah: Since lying far south of the island, no private island resorts are here. But you can get accommodation at local hotels here; Veyli Residence, Marina Boutique Island, Calyx Grand, Vieni Qua Grand, Fuvamullah Inn.

Perfect for medium to advanced divers!