The coconut palm and the yellow-fin tuna, symbols of the Maldives, say a great deal about this nation of more than a thousand islands. Grouped into 26 low atolls in the Indian Ocean, less than 300 of the islands are inhabited. The Maldives is flat with white sandy beaches and excellent reefs with an abundance of marine life. Scuba diving is done at a leisurely drift pace as the Indian Monsoon Current sweeps along the island chains, moving nutrients and divers along. This nutrient-rich water flows up along the walls, feeding the sponges and soft corals clinging to the rock sides. Inside the atoll lagoons, rock pinnacles – thila – vault up from the bottom to scratch the water’s surface. In the channels, there are swim-throughs, caverns and overhangs festooned with colorful sponges, invertebrates and gorgonians to explore. At well-known cleaning stations, wrasse and shrimp service manta rays, and other large marine species. With a welcoming culture and some of the finest dive sites on the globe, a dive holiday in the Maldives makes for an unforgettable experience.

Kaafu Atoll - Hulhumale

Kaafu Atoll is the best known and most explored area of the Maldives. It is characterized by beautiful underwater scenery including coral reefs, caves, drop-offs and wrecks. Divers in the northern section of the atoll are able to enjoy some of best coral reefs the Maldives has to offer, whilst in the southern section, cleaning stations allow for close encounters with manta rays and unusual reef residents such as octopus and moray eels are often seen. A shipping route through one of the atoll channels has also left a few wrecks for future generations to enjoy as colorful and thriving artificial reefs. In addition, the North Male dive sites enjoy some of the best coral reefs in the Maldives. The islands are not really known for their pristine coral coverage these days but there are spots in this area as healthy and bright as anywhere in the world. Manta Point is a cleaning station in the south east of the atoll that's great, not just for observing manta rays at close quarters, but also reef residents such as octopus, moray eels and white-tip reef sharks. With a little luck (but not too much) you'll see, not just one or two mantas, but more than your fingers can count of these magnificent graceful rays.

Raa Atoll - Furaveri

Raa Atoll or North Maalhosmadulu Atoll is one of the northern most visited atolls of the Maldives. It is separated from Baa Atoll by the 5km wide Hani Kandu or channel, located only 20km east of South Miladhunmadulu Atoll, a very remote atoll in the upper north of the Maldives. Raa Atoll is almost 70km long and 30km wide, bordered by a chain of islands on its western side. With more than 90 islets Raa Atoll offers many fast flowing channels, an enormous amount of marine life and some of the best beaches in the Maldives. Because of the ever present current, advanced divers will be more comfortable then beginners, but with this many pinnacles, inner lagoon dive sites and colorful fish life it will attract anybody, also non divers.

Back Faru

Banana reef

Banana reef is very popular among photographers due to the amazing marine life and reef shape. One of the first dive sites discovered in the Maldives

Coral garden

Being protected from strong currents, the site is suitable for all levels of experience. Coral Garden offers some great growth of both hard and soft corals

Emboodhoo Express

Hanging in the blue you may be lucky enough to see Grey reef sharks circling below you. There are clouds of surgeon fish, and eagle eay swoop over the reef

Faru corner

Faru Corner is the outside reef of Hulhumale island. Many turtles reside on top part of the reef near large coral blocks and crevices under them

Feydhoo finolhu

Reef wall is covered with gorgonians, whip-corals, sponges, clams and more. Many Green Turtles found inside the larger caves which are often filled with glassfish

Fish tank

Fish tank is known as one of the most thrilling dives sites anywhere in the world! Schooling stingrays are as friendly as any small-town welcoming committee

Furana north

You can easily swim around the whole thila in a single dive. The top of the thila is at 10 meters and gently slopes down to the atoll bed at 25 meters

Furana south

Furana South is the outside reef of Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa - facing the channel of Kuda Kalhi. Large variety of fish can be found at the corner

Hannes reef

Hannes reef features a section of wall broken off to leave a 100 metre long area of reef to be explored, free from currents normally sweeping through the Maldives

Himmafushi corner

Drifting with the current into the channel will float you across geometrically intricate hard coral blocks covered with a magnificently colored vibrant soft corals

HP reef

The Thila is made up of huge coral boulders with plenty of overhangs / caves and crevices. The whole area is covered is blue, orange and yellow soft corals

Hudhuveli

Marine life such as eagle rays, sharks can be expected to cruise by the reef if you look out in the blue. Ideal diving conditions for beginners and advanced divers

Kanduoh Giri

At the corner of Kanduoh Giri - in front of the overhangs, a large coral block has broken of the main reef creating protection for plenty of marine life

Kani corner

Kani Corner can be a very exciting drift dive. White-tip reef Sharks like to rest on the sandy slope below the reef at 25m to 30m. Here you can often see Eagle Rays