Scuba diving the Maldives' Baa Atoll is to scuba dive in one of the greatest biospheres on Earth. The region harbors significant biodiversity of reef animals, hard and soft corals, reef fish species, turtles, manta rays and any number of shark species. Baa Atoll scuba diving is also famous for offering one of the largest gathering of manta rays worldwide.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Diving in North Ari Atoll is not famous for corals, and in fact, many dive spots may seem a little dull in terms of the coral splendor. However, the main attraction of this part of the atoll is the regular encounters with big marine life including reef and hammerhead sharks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Explore the captivating underwater world of North Male Atoll with its renowned dive sites like Lankan Manta Point and Fish Factory. Encounter vibrant coral reefs, diverse marine life including mantas, sharks, and colorful reef fish, making it a diver's paradise.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The South Malé Atoll offers thrilling dives characterized by strong currents, making it ideal for more experienced divers. This atoll features deep channels, known as kandus, which funnel nutrient-rich water from the open ocean into the inner lagoon, attracting large schools of fish, sharks, and other pelagic species. Coral life flourishes along the outer reef walls and on thilas—underwater pinnacles—while overhangs and caves within the channels provide shelter for a variety of macro life.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The famous Hanifaru Bay, which is known locally as Vandhumaafaru Adi, is thought to be one the few places in the world where whale sharks congregate in to mate, although recent research suggests otherwise with the vast majority of the whale sharks seen there being young males. The bay also regularly sees some of the largest gatherings of Manta rays worldwide with up to one hundred individuals in the small inlet when the tide pushes plankton into the bay.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Thaa Atoll (also known as Kolhumadulu) is among the least visited dive destinations in the Maldives. This round atoll has a combined landmass close to nine kilometres, with no single island larger than a square kilometre. The mesmerizingly beautiful series of 66 tiny islands that make up the atoll are surrounded by spectacularly clear water with underwater wonders and beauty yet to be discovered. Some dives have strong currents but this brings in the pelagic such as Hammerheads, Whale Sharks and dolphins especially at night. Expect large reefs, coral gardens, steep walls and overhangs plus action packed channels.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Laamu Atoll (also known as Haddhunmathi Atoll) is an oval shaped southern atoll. It measures 48 km in length and 35 km in width, and has some of the top dive sites in the world such as Guraidhoo and Gan; this Maldives Atoll is situated 32 southeast of Kolhumandulu Atoll and 95 km north of Huvadhoo Atoll. Laamu Atoll boasts numerous pristine dive sites with many different features like caves, steep drop offs, swim-throughs, not to mention the abundance of marine life and beautiful topography. Expect beautiful fish-filled channels with great shark encounters.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

While crossing this dive site from one corner to the other, look in the sandy areas for stingrays and check above you for eagle rays flying in formation. The occasional white-tip and grey reef shark can be spotted swimming along the channel edge. As you approach the corners of the channel you have the chance to see schools of snappers and brightly coloured triggerfish.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Fuvahmulah (also known as Fua Mulaku and Poue Molluque) is the second-largest one-island atoll in the southern part of the Maldives. Visitors can get to the island by air or by sea, using the local liveaboard’s itinerary. Pristine diverse nature is represented here by tropical woodlands and wetlands, with rare birds and dense vegetation, freshwater lakes, marshland areas with thick vegetation, white-sand and pebble beaches, the biggest on the Maldives fertile lands of humus, mango, pineapple and orange trees. There are also several shrines, such as the Muslim mosque Gemmiskiy and the Buddhism stupa ruin called the Havitta. The place is also famous for a natural phenomenon known as Bissaaveli, where part of the beach sand moves away from the shore towards the edge of the reef, creating a lagoon, enclosed by sand and the shore of the island. Fuvahmulah became open to foreigners not long ago. That means it offers opportunities to dive at the barely touched reefs and stay in quite new hotels (developed starting in 2013). The most popular dive sites include Raazwa Faru (Fuvahmulah South), Thoondu (Fuvahmulah North), Rasgefannu, and the best spot for both diving and snorkeling, Neregando Fannu.

Divers can dive at Fuvahmulah throughout the year, with an average water temperature of about 26-29C/79-84F. During the hot and dry period from December to May, the water temperature falls to 24C/75F in some places. Short, heavy rains may occur from June to July.

Thresher sharks, tiger sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, turtles, dolphins, and many other smaller fish can be seen here.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40m

The Huvadhoo Atoll is located in the far south of the Maldives just above the equator. It’s the region’s second largest atoll and is divided into two separate administrative regions – the northern Gaafu Alifu and the southern Gaafu Dhaalu.

Huvadhoo provides an escape from the developed north, and its diving is less chartered. You’ll need to use local knowledge to explore the atoll’s 1,864 square miles (3000 km²) of ocean. Due to its distance from the country’s capital, the locals speak a different form of the Dhivehi language called Huvadu Bas. After a day spent diving, you can admire the red-hued sunset from the beach.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

South Ari Atoll, Maldives is separated from North Ari Atoll for administrative purposes, and features shallower and relatively easier dive sites compared to the sites in North Ari Atoll, where the conditions are a bit harder. Some of the great dive spots in South Ari Atoll include Broken Rock (an interesting rock formation with a canyon, covered in delicate soft corals, sponges, and big gorgonian fans), Kudarah Thila (a small underwater pinnacle with large numbers of snapper, sweetlips, batfish, and grouper in the surrounding waters, which are actually a marine protected area), Panettone (a gently sloping reef, which is a great place to see magnificent manta rays), and Thundufushi Thila (a large pinnacle around 1km/0.6mi in diameter with a steep wall and some small caves in its shallower parts, where it is possible to spot reef sharks, eagle rays, tuna, and manta rays).

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m