Scuba Diver Sites Maldives - Maldivian Atolls
Scuba Diver Sites of the Maldives are truly not to be missed located in the pristine Indian Ocean, there are plenty of Maldivian Atolls to choose from! There are numerous dive sites in the many atolls of the Maldives.
Scuba Diver Sites of the Maldives Include:
Ari Atoll
Kudarah Thila
Hukrueli Faru
Maaya Thila
Baa Atoll
Felidhoo Atoll
Lhviyani Atoll
North & South Male Atoll
Lion's Head
Wattaru Kandu
Lankanfinolhu Faru
Cocoa Thila
Guraidhoo Kandu South
Meemu Atoll
North & South Nilandoo
Location: Indian Ocean to the west
of India and Sri Lanka on the equator.
Number of Islands: Consists of about 1200 islands,
both tiny and the largest 1- 2 miles long.
Diving Depth: 0 - 50m (0-169ft)
Advantages of diving in the Maldives: Rarely over crowded great for sharks,
mantas, and stingrays.
Season for diving in the Maldives: You can dive in the Maldives all year round.
Visibility: Variable to Excellent
Water Temperature: 28-30°C
Diver Level: Beginner to Advanced
The majority of the dive sites located in the Maldives can be grouped together according to the physical structure of the reef and are either Channels, Farus, Thilas or Giris.
The Channel or “Kandu” as it is called in Dhivehi (Maldivian), is the deep cut in the atoll rim that connects the waters of the atoll with the open ocean. The channels are usually the deep and are normally home to the pelagics such as grey reef sharks.
A Faru is a circular reef rising up from the ocean floor usually lying in the ocean channels.
A Giri is a small area of coral, smaller than a thila that is found inside the atoll.
A Thila is an underwater reef that has formed inside the atoll.
Maldive Southwest Season (Hulhangu)
The diving on the west side of the atolls in the southwest season is remarkable. Here you will have the chance to come across large schools of pelagic fish like sharks, rays and barracuda.
Another characteristic of the southwest season is that the water temperature varies usually by one or two degrees lower that the usual 28º C (82ºF). This does make a difference on both the activities and sightings of the marine life. Expect to see reef sharks and hammerheads, which seem to gather together in larger numbers at this time of year.
During this time on the eastern side of the atolls it is the best time to see manta rays and whale sharks. However the visibility is not so good due to the plankton but is well worth a visit to see these remarkable plankton feeders in action.
Maldive Northeast Season (Iruvai)
This season is typically the Maldivian summer. The effect of the season change on diving is dramatic. From November onwards the currents flow from the northeast, visibility has greatly improved and lots of action can be seen in the thilas and channels.
The current tend to get stronger in January and then ease off in February. From February to April the waters are calm and provide easy diving with slack currents. At the end of May the season begins to change back to the southwest.
During the northeast season, pelagic species such as sharks can be found on the current points on the eastern side of the atoll. Manta rays and whale sharks can be found on the west side during this period.
Why not visit these amazing destinations today?
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