If you're dreaming of a picture-perfect destination to relax among scenic nature, both land and water, then look no further than Maldives.

It might be the smallest country in Asia, but Maldives is one of the most sought--after tourist destination in the world. Located towards the southwest side of Sri Lanka and India and surrounded by the Indian Ocean, Maldives is every globetrotter's paradise! It is made up of more than 1000 islands, many uninhabited, bordered by white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, perfect year-round climate and plenty of activities!

Of the many activities that you can try, scuba diving in Maldives is number one. You get to explore the brilliant ocean life below the islands, which is bound to change you.

In this article, we will list some of the best scuba diving sites in Maldives, along with the cost and some unique marine life you can encounter on your trip.

The picturesque archipelago offers more than 40 dive sites - around 30 reef dives, 20+ ocean dives and more than 15 drift dives. All equally thrilling! Let's look at some of the popular scuba diving sites in Maldives for you to get the best experience.

1. North Ari Atoll

The first thing you'll notice when you go scuba diving in Maldives is that the area has many protected marine sites. This conserves the quality of marine life, making it a spectacular diving destination.

North Ari Atoll is in the central atolls of Maldives. Because of the presence of strong currents, it is mostly recommended for advanced divers. The North Ari Atoll in Maldives is famous for its many reef, drift and wall dives. You can swim past pinnacles, above sandy bottoms and among some incredible wildlife.

• Popular Diving Spots: Fish Head, Maaya Thila, Bathala Thila, Madigaa, Veligandu East, Rasdhoo Channel, Fesdu Lagoon (Manta Night Dive).
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Manta rays, whale sharks, hammerheads, coral reefs, pinnacles, eagle rays, guitar shark, caves, overhangs, grey reef sharks, blueline snappers, stonefish, turtles, dolphins, tunas, nudibranchs.
  
• Depth: 5m - 40m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 1,000 - MVR 2,000 & Courses - MVR 1,800 - MVR 10,000 

2. Raa Atoll

Within the lagoons of Raa Atoll, you can find many submerged islands (thilas) that have diverse caves, overhangs and drop-offs. The marine life on these thilas is rich and blossoming - making for perfect underwater photography. For an even exciting dive, you should visit sites that are on the outer reef.

Raa Atoll is a beautiful dive for beginners and has channels that advanced divers would thoroughly enjoy. If you are interested in reef, drift or channel dives, then be sure to visit Raa Atoll. At Vaadhoo Island, you can also see bioluminescence at night between June to October.

• Popular Diving Spots: Solha Corner, Reethi Thila, Fenfushi Giri, Vaadhoo Island, Kottafaru, Labyrinth, Ghost Island and Beriyan Kuda Thila.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Caves, overhangs, drop-offs, coral reefs, sharks, napoleon wrasses, manta rays, turtles, nudibranchs, colourful sponges, elaborate sea fans, crustaceans, octopus, dolphins.
  
• Depth: 5m - 40m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 650 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 3,800 - MVR 10,000

3. Laamu and Thaa Atoll

The central group of atolls in the Maldives is home to Laamu and Thaa atoll, which lies far to the south. Lagoons of vivid blue surround low-lying coral islands and sandbanks atop barrier reefs.

There is nothing like the tranquil beautiful atolls of Thaa and Laamu in the Maldives. What draws tourists in is the intriguing blend of native islands, culture, and history. You must go scuba diving here to see large marine life, healthy reefs, and historic Buddhist ruins of Isdhoo and Gan.

• Popular Diving Spots: Fushi Kandu, Maamendhoo Giri, Manta Point, Olhugiri Kandu, 7-Up, Gorgonian Garden.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Historical ruins, manta rays, coral reefs, whale sharks, turtles, eagle rays, macro critters, barracuda, jacks, tuna, napoleon wrasse, parrotfish, sea fans, batfish, fusiliers.
  
• Depth: 5m - 30m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 650 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 3,800 - MVR 10,000

4. Maradhoo/Addu Atoll

Addu (or Marradhoo) is the most southern atoll and is a truly unforgettable experience. This heart-shaped atoll has four inhabited islands and around 20 deserted islands and sandbars. Addu is an excellent dive destination thanks to an extensive barrier reef that shields the islands from storms and waves. Dive sites around here have steep drops, strong currents and sandy bottoms. 

It's a diverse location to go scuba diving. It has healthy reefs, energetic channels, pinnacles and drifts. If you’re looking for palm-fringed beaches and azure lagoons, Addu has them both! 

• Popular Diving Spots: Kottey Corner, British Loyalty Wreck, Bodu Hohola, Muli Kolhu Faru, Villingili Coral Garden, Maa Kandu and Maa Kandu Beyru.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Sting rays, manta rays, white-tip reef sharks, hammerheads, whale sharks, tiger sharks, shipwrecks, reef fish, gorgonians, caves, shrimp, eels, turtles.
  
• Depth: 8m - 50m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 650 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 3,800 - MVR 10,000

5. North Male Atoll

North Malé Atoll lies right at the heart of the Maldives and is the main point of entry for international flights. Despite its size, the atoll is home to plenty of well-explored dive sites - vibrant coral reef systems, iconic manta ray cleaning stations, idyllic sandbanks, underwater caves and drop-offs.

North Malé Atoll’s diving is the best known and most explored within the Maldives, making it a great destination for those seeking reliable world-class experiences. It is, however, the busiest atoll in the country owing to its diverse marine life and different dive sites, providing spectacular diving experiences for divers of all levels. 

• Popular Diving Spots: Beyru Faru, Faru Corner, Banana Reef, Maldives Victory, HP Reef and Nassimo Thila.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Manta rays, eagle rays, stingrays, reef sharks, corals, bannerfish, snappers, napoleon wrasse, overhangs, caverns, pinnacles, batfish, groupers, fusiliers, turtles, anthias, whale sharks, sweetlips, tunas, barracudas, blue-lined snappers.
  
• Depth: 5m - 40m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 500 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 2,500 - MVR 12,000 

6. Lahviyani Atoll

Lhaviyani is a paradise of tiny islands ringed by white sand, scattered in a sea of endless turquoise, with many of the atoll's smaller islands remaining uninhabited. Lhaviyani Atoll's dive sites range from mild to wild, with exciting underwater attractions. Nearly every island in this region is surrounded by a fringing coral reef with easy conditions, but, slightly further afield, you will find fast-moving currents, plummeting channels, and wild marine encounters.

• Popular Diving Spots: One Rock, Maakana Corner, Kuredu Express, Felivaru Kandu, Shipyard.
  
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Manta rays, reef sharks, whale sharks, shipwrecks, eagle rays, turtles, palagis fish, napoleon wrasse, batfish, dog tooth tuna, mobula rays, snappers, corals.
• Depth: 5m - 40m
  
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 500 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 2,500 - MVR 12,000

7. Fuvahmula Atoll

Fuvahmulah Atoll, often known as the Galapagos of the Maldives, is swiftly rising to the top of the travel destination in thhe Maldives, which is already known for its amazing diving opportunities. 

Big-shark diving, expansive pelagic fish, and immaculate reefs are all promised at this remote atoll. Vuvahmulah in the Fuvahmulah Atoll is a must visit! A submerged reef known as Rashikedefaro extends roughly three kilometres southeast on the nearby island. Fuvahmulah is a rock amid the ocean that serves as a massive pelagic cleaning station and a breeding site.

• Popular Diving Spots: Farikede Plateau, Tiger Shark Dive Site.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Manta rays, mola mola, pilot whales, tiger sharks, thresher sharks, hammerheads, silver tips, whale shark, grey reef, white tips, barracudas, yellow-fin tunas, bonitos, sailfishes, marlins, corals.
  
• Depth: 5m - 30m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 700 - MVR 5,000 & Courses - MVR 10,000 - MVR 30,000

8. South Male Atoll

South Malé Atoll offers a tranquil experience with incredible channel dives, world-class surf breaks and gorgeous sand bars - compared to its neighbour. Much of the area's diving is focused on the eastern reef wall’s six channels. The atoll is home to prolific, protected marine life. 

Known for its steep walls, ledges, and small caves, South Malé’s underwater environment is famous for its variety of reef fish, macro life and several manta ray cleaning stations. Out of a total of 22 islands, only three on the eastern edge of the atoll are inhabited. Diving in South Malé Atoll means exploring a different environment with every dive, ranging from gentle drifts to thrilling channels. 

• Popular Diving Spots: Kandooma Thila, Guraidhoo, Embudhoo Express.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: Manta rays, eagle rays, grey reef sharks, frogfish, turtles, corals, caves, ledges, walls, trevallies, sting rays, tunas, barracudas, butterflyfish, angelfish, wrasse, damselfish, surgeonfish, fusiliers, sweetlips, snappers.
  
• Depth: 5m - 30m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 500 - MVR 2,300 & Courses - MVR 2,500 - MVR 12,000 

9. Rasdhoo Atoll

Located 56 kilometres west of Malé, Rasdhoo Atoll is the capital of Ari Atoll. This clam-shaped, three-island atoll may be small, but Rasdhoo has plenty to offer, above and below the waves.

It is famed as one of the Maldives’ top locations for encounters with sharks! Early morning dives offer the best chance of encounters with hammerhead sharks. You can explore deep reef walls and dramatic topography, when scuba diving in Rasdhoo Atoll.

• Popular Diving Spots: Rasdhoo Madivaru, Hammerhead Point.
• Unique Underwater Attractions: hammerheads, corals, rays, grey reef sharks, whitetip sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, turtles, shipwrecks, sea fans, anthias, sweetlips, fusiliers, goatfish, snappers, barracuda, wrasse, ghost pipefish, leaf scorpionfish, frogfish.
  
• Depth: 5m - 30m
• Costs: Individual dives - MVR 700 - MVR 5,000 & Courses - MVR 10,000 - MVR 30,000

December to June is the best time to visit Maldives for scuba diving. Maldives experiences a tropical climate with its wet season starting from August to December.

You can, however, visit specific islands in Maldives year-round. You can visit the Northern Atolls from December to May and July to September. Stay in the Central and Southern Atolls during December to May for the best island experience.

Before you go scuba diving in Maldives, be sure to carry these essential items

• Valid ID proof is a must
• Swimwear, dry bag and towels
• Scuba diving equipment, if you already have
• Hats, sunglasses and sunblock
• First aid kit

Scuba diving operators in Maldives will also provide you with scuba diving equipment. Be sure to check your equipment before you're in the water to avoid malfunctions.

• Dive only in designated areas and always pay attention to the guidelines set by your instructor.
• Be respectful of your environment and don't harm underwater plants or animals when scuba diving.
• Wait for at least 2 hours after eating before you go scuba diving.
• Avoid diving under the influence of substances or if advised against by a medical practitioner.
• There should be a time gap of at least 24 hours between flying and going scuba diving.
• Plan your dives properly. If you are travelling during peak tourist season, some dive sites will be more crowded than others.

If you have a passion for scuba diving or love to explore the water kingdom, then you cannot miss diving in Maldives. Once you hit the ocean, you will be amazed at all its hidden secrets that will leave you wanting more.

As exciting as it is, you should also be prepared for any unforeseen circumstances that might arise when on your trip. That's why it is crucial to get International Travel Insurance to Maldives that also covers adventure sports like scuba diving! Now, you can perfectly enjoy your scuba diving experience without any financial worries!

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