Flying into the Maldives, the landscape spells out diving wonders. The azure water that spreads into deep turquoise and then shades lighter is a definition of spectacular diving. The Maldives are the picture of paradise. In fact, it was Marco Polo who referred to the Maldives as the ‘flower of the Indies’. Plan your dive trip to paradise with our scuba diving vacations packages Maldives.
Imagine a luxury diving holiday in the Maldives on one of more than a thousand palm fringed islands. Sparkling deserted white beaches, turquoise lagoons, clear warm waters and coral reefs teeming with abundant varieties of marine flora and fauna welcome you to the most impressive diving imaginable. The Maldives continue to be the ultimate diver’s wonderland, offering a visual candy shop of marine life.
If you are looking for a diving holiday that inspires you fully, look no further. Scuba Dive Asia is connected with the best that the Maldives has to offer.
The Maldives is special in that the area is swept by ocean currents that wash between the islands and encourage various species to infiltrate water. Explore the local aquatic life famous for manta rays, whale sharks, barracudas, spotted eagle rays and other larger pelagic fish. All are found in large numbers here in the Maldivian atolls. Scuba diving vacations in the Maldives take you to the Atoll Lagoons where you often find large pinnacles of rock vaulting up almost to the surface. Locally known as ‘Thilas’, these structures are often adorned with sessile life forms.
The Maldives enjoy two amazing diving seasons:
December to April:
During the North East monsoon from December to April a current flows from the North East through the atolls, exiting out to the South West. Visibility on the eastern sides of the atolls is excellent during the Maldivian Summer. The current is typically faster at the start of the monsoon and decreases in power as the season progresses. Although the visibility drops on the western sides of the Atolls during the North East season, this is where you have a better chance to encounter manta rays and whale sharks.
May to December:
During the South West Monsoon from May to December the current flows from the South West through the Atolls exiting out to the North East. Manta rays and whale sharks will typically only be found off the Eastern edge of the atolls as water temperatures drop slightly and sharks appear closer to the surface and visibility is just great. Sea conditions can be rougher and there is a slight increase in rainfall over the South West season, still the diving remains superb.
Equinox Months – May and November:
The two equinox months of May and November mark the transition of the Monsoon. Currents can be changeable and there is a higher chance of less predictable surface and in water conditions, with confused currents and changing visibility. In recent years the timing of the change of seasons has been less predictable. Traveling off season for Maldives scuba holidays is worth your while as there are better offers and fewer divers.
The one thousand-plus islands that make up the Maldives have a very special aspect to them that makes viewing the underwater world like no other: it creates an environment rich in ocean currents. These ever-changing waters create a diverse and plentiful feeding ground for thousands of fish, manta rays, barracudas, sharks, spotted eagle rays, dolphins, butterflyfish, angelfish, triggerfish and the fascinating Moorish Idols.
An alluring aspect to the Maldives is Manta Madness that occurs from August to October. This amazing time of year allows you to dive with thousands of mantas that are doing the run from Male to the northern atolls of Baa, or the Hanivaru Lagoon, and then coming back, again. Experiencing this spectacular showing of mantas also brings in close encounters with reef sharks, hammerheads, and whale sharks. An incredible marine show indeed!
Scuba diving in the Maldives consists of mostly drift dives; the currents sweep and play throughout the island chain making the nutrients always on the move. This accounts for the vast numbers of fish enjoying the passing feast. Cruising on Maldives liveaboards through the Atolls is the best way to cover the prime dive sites on North Male Atoll, South Male Atoll and Ari Atoll. The leeward side of the pinnacles, walls and channels shelter large schools of fish in water with visibility that sometimes exceeds 200 feet.
The channels are host to caves, caverns and overhangs where soft corals proliferate. There is a riot of colorful sponges, crustaceans and gorgonian fans all profiting from the nutrient-rich water. A Maldives scuba dive vacation offers the greatest variety and Maldives liveaboards are among the most luxurious in the world. Why not combine a stay on a Maldives liveaboard with a visit to, for example, the Bandos Island Resort Maldives or any of the other fantastic Maldives dive resorts, either to continue diving, or simply relax, or both?
Talk to us about the possibilities with our scuba diving vacations packages Maldives. Don’t wait…there has never been a better time to scuba dive the Maldives! We are here to make sure every aspect of your travel goes smoothly and easily.
