Maldives – one of those few places where anyone, from beginner to master, will find excellent conditions for diving. The resorts have special courses for those who are preparing for their first dive, and for experienced scuba divers. For beginners, there are special places with soft corals, gentle slopes and lots of tropical fish. Experienced athletes have the opportunity of night swimming and drift in the underwater, as well as their services a lot of steep walls, caves and rocks. You can even go to the wreck of a ship. “A group of scuba divers awaits countless reefs not yet explored.” (“Diving Tours – Elliol Maldives”)
In general, most resorts are surrounded by small reefs. If you want to swim directly from the beach of your resort, make sure that there is an accessible reef there. Those who want to admire not only the coastal waters, by a Dhoni you will be taken on a scuba safari to one of the remote reefs.
If you are a beginner and your health is in order, take a short course at your resort (there are three levels of diving courses: for beginners, special ones, of increased complexity).
Those who have already mastered diving should capture their certificate and diary recording diary. If you have not done scuba diving for a long time, you will be offered to make a test dive so that the instructor can see how you feel in the water. Due to the remoteness of the Maldives and the lack of sophisticated medical equipment, these precautions are worth a little inconvenience to you.
The best time for scuba diving is from January to April, when the sea is quiet, the sun is shining, the weather is gorgeous, visibility in the water is more than 30 m. From late August to October, you can see whales in the strait at the southern tip of the Ari Atoll. But if you want to look at giant stingrays and whale sharks, it is best to come to Male and South Male in August – November, when the ocean is rich in plankton, and on Ari – in February – April.
You can do scuba diving all year long, but rain, wind and rough seas often occur during the season of south-western monsoons (June-August). During this period, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to get to some interesting places for diving. In a bad season, visibility in water sometimes drops to 10 m. It is said that the weather in the Maldives has two-week cycles, but there is no clear pattern for its change. Northeast winds in December and January make it difficult to reach the best places for scuba diving on the outer, eastern, sides of atolls, but they can be practiced in lagoons and channels. Visibility in water often exceeds 30 m, the water temperature is suitable – 27-30С, which allows you to swim in a light, comfortable suit.
Training and courses
For beginners who want to learn to dive, unlimited opportunities are provided in the Maldives. It is estimated that between 25% and 40% of Maldives guests go there either specifically for diving or decide to go through an introductory diving course during a holiday by making a test dive. (“Diving Tours – Elliol Maldives”) A test dive consists of a short briefing and demonstration followed by swimming in a lagoon or on an island reef. The prologue is truly short, it takes about half a day and helps you decide whether to continue this sport.
Always tell the truth about your earlier diving experience (or lack thereof) and be prepared to follow the instructions of your diving instructor. Never dive on your own or under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and in no case, start diving within 24 hours after the flight. Also make sure that diving is included in your travel insurance, as the diving center insurance may not apply to boats, diving equipment and course participants. In a good resort, you are most likely to receive both the best accommodation conditions and the best diving conditions. At each resort, the diving instructor knows well the nearby reefs, suitable for experienced divers and beginners. Male itself also has a diving school. Sea Explorers Associates is the first metropolitan school. It offers PADI courses, test dives, night dives, dives to the wreckage of shipwrecks, underwater photography, diving safaris, equipment rental and maintenance.