Best time of day to go scuba diving in the Maldives
13 May 2018Prodivers Kuredu offers scuba divers an exceptional amount of choice with regards to the time of day they can dive (perhaps one of the reasons it was recently voted Best Dive Center in the Maldives!) and with choice comes decisions – which time of day is the best time to dive? When this question was asked in the dive center recently there followed some disagreement! Four instructors and 43 times repeater guest, Laurie, share their thoughts…
Julia
‘My favourite time of day to go diving is at sunrise or very early in the morning before the sun comes up. I find that diving at this time refreshes me for the whole day and to watch the reef come to life as the day begins is magical.’
Jacob
‘Totally the opposite for me! I prefer diving at night – there’s so much to see when you just focus your attention on the beam of your torch. The thrill of watching predators hunting in the dark, even the sneaky jack fish who wait for us to light up an unsuspecting fish and then dart in for supper. I like to spend time underwater at night without my torch on too – the bioluminescent plankton glowing like thousands of tiny stars as you wave your hands through the water is a sight you don’t forget in a hurry. Surfacing after the dive to a clear sky and the stunning view of the Milky Way is the perfect end to a night dive.’
Carola
‘Definitely at sunset – there’s nothing better than waiting on the boat and watching the beautiful Maldivian sunset before diving in and watching the underwater shift change from day to night. There seems to be so many small critters to find in the reef at this time of day too.’
Steve (the boss)
‘The morning boats are my favourite – diving at this time of day gives me chance to get wet before getting back for a late morning coffee to set me up for a hard afternoon in the office, planning all the exciting activities for the next day!’
Laurie (43 times repeater guest)
‘I like to enjoy breakfast with my wife, Terri, before joining the morning two-tank dive boat. This allows me to have the best of both worlds – I can squeeze two fantastic dives at different reefs into the morning, get back in time for lunch and then drink a beer or two with Terri in the afternoon.’
It’s clear to see that the answer lies with the diver, whichever time of day is chosen, there’s something special about diving at that time. The safest bet is probably to try them all before making a decision!