EMPEROR LiveaboardEmperor Divers Maldives: Mantas, Drifts and Whale Sharks
The Maldives saves its best for divers who get away from the day boats. Emperor runs liveaboards across the Central, Southern, and Deep South atolls, chasing manta cleaning stations, fast channel drifts, and the seasonal whale sharks that make a week unforgettable. Seasoned crews, easy diving, world-class sites.
The Maldives is undoubtedly a world-class dive destination. Renowned for its rich waters and home to an array of colorful marine life and vibrant coral reefs, the Maldives comprises 26 atolls, over 1,000 coral islands, and hundreds of dive sites to choose from.
What makes scuba diving in the Maldives so good?
In a word—abundance. The sheer variety of dive sites and the life they contain are enough to keep any diver returning to the Maldives time after time. Much of the scuba diving in the Maldives is along walls, so you can choose your own depth.
Mild to strong currents are pretty much a given so you’ll need experience with drift diving and good buoyancy. But it’s precisely because of the strong currents and mid-oceanic position that so many pelagics flock to the Maldives.
On any given dive site you will most likely see reef sharks, enormous moray eels, schools of jacks, colorful crustaceans, and turtles. As a general rule of thumb, the stronger the currents, the bigger the fish, such as hammerheads, manta rays, thresher sharks, tiger sharks, and even sailfish. There are plenty of cleaning stations and particular seasons where you’re more likely to see mantas feeding in calmer conditions, such as lagoons.
The Maldives’ remote location does make getting there and around a bit challenging—but doesn’t that make the diving even sweeter? Liveaboards are a popular way to travel around this island nation.
Depending on your budget, this is often a better deal than organizing your own island-hopping itinerary. No matter how you experience the Maldives, it is definitely worth the trip. Read on for our picks of the best diving in the Maldives.
Northern Atolls
Kuredu Island, Lhaviyani Atoll
Around Kuredu Island there are two sites, Kuredu Express—an intense drift dive, and Shipyard— home to two wrecks.
At Kuredu Express there’s a sandy channel that starts at 15 feet (5 m) and slopes down to 115 feet (35 m). The strong current here attracts a variety of sharks and rays, including gray reef sharks and eagle rays. Hanging out under the overhangs there are schools of larger jacks and smaller reef fish.
At Shipyard, there are two shipwrecks, one uniquely breaking the surface. Whether you snorkel or dive, the wrecks have diverse corals and sponges with a large variety of life. Anthias, gobies, angelfish, stingrays, and Napoleon wrasse are all resident on or near the wrecks.
Type: Drift, wreck, rays
Skill level: Beginner to intermediate
Access: Boat
Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll
The Maldives is known for its manta ray population, and seeing them is pretty common on a dive. However, at Hanifaru Bay, mantas come for a feeding frenzy and it’s one of the few places in the world to see so many so close.
Hanifaru Bay has so much worldwide importance for the mantas that it’s recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The best time to visit is from June to November, when the plankton blooms that draw in the mantas are at their highest. To protect the mantas, only five boats are permitted in the bay at a time, and visitors can only snorkel.
Type: Rays, shallow
Skill level: Beginner
Access: Boat
Central Western Atolls
Maaya Thila, North Ari Atoll
Maaya Thila in North Ari Atoll is one of the most famous dive sites of Maldives—and for good reason. The top of the pinnacle is at approximately 25 feet (8 m) and generally, the currents and conditions are calm.
Living on this underwater tower are all kinds of residents, from macro crustaceans and nudibranchs to larger moray eels and turtles. Gray reef sharks patrol the base of the pinnacle, or thila as it’s called here, which ranges from 80 to 115 feet (25 to 35 m). Due to the easier conditions and variable depths, Maaya Thila is often offered as a night dive, when there is the opportunity to see the sharks hunting.
Type: Reef, pinnacles, sharks, night
Skill level: Beginner
Access: Boat
Central Eastern and Malé Atolls
Rainbow Reef, Malé Atoll
Almost like a scene out of “Finding Nemo,” there is a constant hustle and bustle of fish life in a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors at Rainbow Reef. Located between a few islands, Rainbow Reef features strong and consistent currents, which feed the bushes of soft coral dotting the site.
This rich coral kingdom supports a diverse variety of fish life, including gigantic moray eels, schools of elegant eagle rays, and reef fish of all shapes and sizes. An underwater photographer’s paradise, you won’t know where to look.
Type: Reef, macro, current
Skill level: Intermediate
Access: Boat
Hammerhead Point, Rasdhoo Atoll
Hammerheads near Rasdhoo Atoll
For a more challenging dive, Hammerhead Point is just off Madivaru. This is a bluewater dive so you’ll need good buoyancy. Typically the dive is done early in the morning, with a quick boat ride just off from the reef.
Hammerheads have a reputation for being shy, so try to remain still for closer and more comfortable encounters. Depending on the day’s current, you might drift back to the reef, where predators like reef sharks and rays are hanging out, finishing breakfast before the day begins.
Type: Bluewater, deep, current, sharks
Skill level: Advanced
Access: Boat
Lankan Manta Point, Malé Atoll
Located around 9 miles (15 km) as the crow flies from the capital Malé, Lankan Manta Point is a popular stopover for many divers. Lankan is a collection of cleaning stations located around pinnacles just off from a shallow plateau.
A current is to be expected, but nothing a simple reef hook can’t help you with. During the summer monsoon season (May to November), divers are pretty much guaranteed to witness rare cyclone-feeding behavior.
Type: Reef, rays, pinnacles, current
Skill level: Intermediate
Access: Boat
Embudu Express, South Malé Atoll
There are several dive sites dotted around Embudu Island, including calmer and shallower sites inside the lagoon and the more advanced drift dives to the east.
The most exciting dive is perhaps the Embudu Express, where divers drop to 80–100 feet (25–30 m) outside of the reef. With the incoming tide, you’ll have a high-energy drift dive through the channel and into the lagoon.
As you pass through you can see schools of eagle rays, tuna, gray reef and nurse sharks all enjoying the ride. Lucky divers may also spot elusive hammerheads and the bizarre guitarfish.
About halfway through the passage, there is a small pinnacle with an impressive display of soft corals and colorful reef fish. The dive ends as you pop out the other end of the channel, with a calm safety stop hovering over the serene reef of the inner lagoon.
Type: Reef, wall, current, sharks
Skill level: Advanced
Access: Boat
Cocoa Corner, South Malé Atoll
Cocoa Corner is at the edge of a reef connected to Cocoa Island. This dive site’s topography is a multi-leveled plateau, so beginners can hang out at the shallower levels and the more advanced can descend to the sandy bottom at 100 feet (30 m).
Within the channel itself, there are numerous rocky outcrops, several overhangs, and swim-throughs along the wall. There is only a slight current, so it’s a good place to get acquainted with drift diving.
Throughout the site, schools of jacks and seabreams are hanging around the wall. Enjoying the reef and its corals are turtles, moray eels, emperor angelfish, and other vibrant reef fish. Sharks and even the stealthy sailfish have been known to pass through, so always be on the lookout.
Type: Reef, wall, macro, current
Skill level: Beginner
Access: Boat
Kandooma Thila, South Malé Atoll
Further out into the passage from Cocoa Corner is a large teardrop-shaped pinnacle called Kandooma Thila. Although the top of the pinnacle is only 30 feet (10 m), it does descend to over 100 feet (30 m). Its mid-channel position creates strong currents that are harder to hide from, so divers should be intermediate to advanced and have some experience in these conditions.
There are also a few boulders scattered around the dive site, hiding little banded boxer shrimps and larger lobsters. The constant current invites all kinds of marine life, including turtles, eagle rays, nurse sharks, tuna, trevally, and even tiger sharks—all of them seemingly mocking you as they make light work of these wild waters.
Type: Reef, pinnacle, current, sharks
Skill level: Intermediate
Access: Boat
Alimatha Jetty, Vaavu Atoll
Due to its shoreline position, Alimatha Jetty is a great spot for a night dive, but the animals aren’t here by coincidence. The Alimatha Resort kitchen cleans fish on the jetty, leading to a lot of underwater action.
Because the offcuts fall between the planks on the boardwalk, the underwater scene is a bit of a feeding frenzy and waters can get murky. Loyal patrons of this jetty eatery include nurse sharks, marble rays, and giant trevally. This is a shallow dive, with a max depth of 50 feet (15 m), so it’s a suitable site for beginners. Be wary, though, of oblivious sea creatures bumping into you as they chase the night’s meal.
Type: Macro, night, rays, shallow
Skill level: Beginner
Access: Shore
Fotteyo Kandu, Vaavu Atoll
On the eastern side of Vaavu Atoll, Fotteyo Kandu is a favorite among dive guides and instructors working in the Maldives, a good indicator that it’s probably one of the best dives in the Maldives. This narrow but deep channel (100 feet/30 m) has dramatic caverns, overhangs, and swim-throughs, all decorated with flamboyant sponges and fans.
The current can be strong, but as long as you’re comfortable with that, you’ll be capable of making this dive. These currents attract large pelagic species and make the dive site dynamic and exciting. The biodiversity here is astonishing and includes coral groupers, barracudas, nudibranchs, and leaf scorpionfish. Even pelagic visitors like dolphins and hammerheads occasionally cruise by.
Type: Reef, macro, current, pelagics
Skill level: Intermediate
Access: Boat
Southern Atolls
Fuvahmulah, Fuvahmulah Atoll
This final dive site is an entire island that has numerous dive sites, all centered around shark diving. Fuvahmulah is one of the most southerly islands of the Maldives, and it’s this proximity to the equator that results in more stable water temperatures, which can support a diverse shark population.
Probably the best dive site here is Tiger Zoo, which is one of the few places in Asia where tiger sharks are guaranteed. Similar to Tiger Beach in the Bahamas, the sharks are drawn here by feeding with fish offcuts. Tiger Zoo is located southeast of Fuvahmulah island. Depending on your level or your operator, you may stay at 15 feet (5 m) or perhaps venture to the dropoff to see who else is passing through.
All the waters around Fuvahmulah, but especially on this plateau, are famed for their sharks and rays. Sightings of hammerheads, oceanic mantas, billfish, and even thresher sharks are pretty common. If you have a long list of pelagics to tick off, Fuvahmulah is the place to go.
Type: Sandy bottom, sharks, rays, pelagics
Skill level: Beginner
Access: Shore and boat
Maldivian Dive Names Explained
As you research more and more about the best scuba diving in the Maldives, you’ll most likely see the same words, like kandu or fushi, popping up again and again. Most of the dive locations use Dhivehi, the Maldivian language, to describe the sites. Thus, we’ve put together a short glossary for you:
Faru
A faru is a reef system that is on the outer edges of an atoll. Inside the lagoons, they are a popular spot for snorkelers.
Fushi
Although not used to describe the topography of a dive site, fushi is the Dhivehi word for island, so you’ll encounter this one a lot.
Thila
Thilas are submerged pinnacles that typically start at around 15 feet (5m), deep enough that they do not protrude during low tide or pose any threat to passing boats. Depending on their geographical location, the currents tend to be calmer at thilas. If they are big enough you can just hide out on the opposite side, out of the current.
Giri
Giris are similar to thilas since they are also pinnacles. The key difference here is that giris tend to be exposed above the surface, or at least reach up to it. This means that snorkelers can enjoy them as well, and they’re a popular hangout for surface-bound creatures such as turtles and sea snakes.
Kandu
Kandus are channels that cut through the atoll’s outer walls, created by strong currents. As the tide flushes plankton-rich waters in and out of lagoons, kandus are hotspots for pelagics and big fish—mantas, reef sharks, and schools of tuna to name a few.
About the Maldives
Beyond the dramatic diving, the Maldives also features exquisite topside scenery that will leave you speechless. With its deserted white-sand beaches, swaying palm trees, and overwater bungalows, the Maldives offers an idyllic holiday for both divers and non-divers alike. It’s for this reason that the Maldives is so popular with couples, especially honeymooners.
For the most part, the Maldives is renowned for its luxury retreats, where you can indulge in world-class amenities, spa treatments, and gourmet dining. Before you decide where to stay, consider that traveling between atolls and islands can be challenging. Sometimes a costly seaplane is the only form of transportation.
However, like any place in the world, there are always budget-friendly options. In the Maldives, you can find guesthouses or dive-centric resorts that don’t include the premium extras. There are also plenty of liveaboards in a range of budgets to choose from if you want an exclusive dive holiday.
When to go
As with any tropical destination, the best time to visit is outside of the monsoon months, which for the Maldives is November to April. This, of course, coincides with peak season and higher prices.
If you want to be a bit savvier with your spending, consider visiting in April/May or October, the transitional monsoon months. Most of the underwater wildlife is present year-round, with one notable exception. The feeding aggregations of manta rays in Hanifaru Bay take place from May to December, with the best time to visit falling from late July to early October, particularly around the full or new moon.
Maldivian culture
The main religion in the Maldives is Islam and many of the locals come from a conservative culture. If you are not in a private resort and are in a more public setting, it is normal to dress more conservatively. It’s also worth keeping a sarong handy, should you want to enter any mosques or cultural sites. This conservatism continues with drinking, and alcohol is only available in private resorts. Bringing your own is strictly prohibited.
The main currency of the Maldives is Maldivian Rufiyaa, MVR, and it’s a good idea to always have some cash handy for tips. Bring some cash with you or obtain it in Malé before leaving for a remote atoll or island, where you’ll not find many—if any—ATMs.
The bigger resorts will accept credit cards and USD, but if you want to explore small islands or local markets then local currency is a must. Although tipping is not mandatory, it’s common to give something extra to your dive guide or boat crew to show appreciation for good service and an enjoyable stay.
Take a moment to look at this.
A friend & I are planning to visit Maldives late March 2024 and will only have 4-5 days of diving before heading to Sri Lanka for safari & (hopefully) swimming with Blue Whales. Where is a good place to stay with good diving for such a short visit? We don’t want to travel far from Male’ International Airport, as we’d rather spend our time in the water!
Hi Steve,
Fortunately, yes there are still corals in the Maldives (or they were there last I was there). How long will you be there, can you do more days of diving or just one?
Did coral reefs survive anywhere in Maldives? Where is best in the Northern Atolls for whale shark and turtles around the full moon? Thank You!
It really depends on the resort, but most will try to go to the best spots. But, the liveaboards have the advantage of reaching spots further away and can therefore give a more unique dive experience.
Hi. Do the dive resorts take you to the same spots a live board goes to. I would like to do a dive resort. I want to know if they go to other spots or hit some of the best sites in Maldives.
Thank you