Destination Fact File
If you are looking for outstanding diving, then Male Atoll is undoubtedly the place to go.
Just like Ari Atoll, Male is split into North and South, both of which offer fantastic scenery both above and below the water. Unlike Ari Atoll where both areas offer very similar diving and sights, North and South Male are quite different. North Male is where the best reefs are and where you are more likely to see the big pelagic fish, but there are strong currents on many of the dive sites, whereas South Male doesn’t have quite the same amount of spectacular scenery in comparison and although you can still see large pelagic fish, they are not quite as common. But it is a great location for novice or complete beginners as there are a number of dive sites which are sheltered from the currents.
North Male has been voted on numerous occasions by divers and magazines from all over the world, as the best place to go in the country for diving. With fabulous coral reefs and an abundance of fish and pelagic life, including manta rays, reef and hammerhead sharks you will come away from every dive with a smile from ear to ear. You can visit these amazing dive sites from Eriyadu Island Resort, Kurumba Maldives and Bandos Island Resort which are all fantastic places to stay.
South Male’s major features are the 6 Kandus (deep channels) which bring nutrient rich waters in attracting large pelagic fish as well as feeding the coral reefs. Whereas North Male is rich in hard corals, the South atoll has some fabulous soft corals, large schooling reef fish as well as fascinating caves and drop offs. You can see all of these amazing dive sites from resorts such as Fihalhohi Island Resort and Rihiveli Beach Resort .
There are so many dive sites with so many amazing things to see around Male Atoll, that you will be hard pushed to whittle it down to just a few favorites. Some of the top dive sites that divers from all over the world rate are Banana Reef, which is one of the oldest and best dive sites in the whole of the Maldives. This dive site is suitable for both beginner and advanced divers. The Maagiri Caves dive site features an enormous Rock in front of an amazing wall reef creating a remarkable canyon which makes this an extraordinary dive. The Coliseum dive site is home to a wide range of pelagic fish including reef sharks, rays and an abundance of reef fish and vibrant corals.
Whether you’re sipping on a nice cocktail or a cold beer you can spend your evening watching the sunset before dinner, following this you can enjoy live music at many of the resorts or you could explore the reefs in a completely new way, at night. Be it a reef you have dived already or a new one, doing a night dive will bring so much more to your diving experience.