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It’s well known that one of the best places in the world for scuba diving is the Maldives, but what makes it so incredible? Amazing and abundant marine life, interesting reef structures and uncrowded dive sites with luxurious yet carefree resorts are just some of the reasons that makes it such a popular destination with divers. Another big draw is the ease at which divers can tick marine sightings off their bucket lists!

Sharks – Relax in the bar with a beer in the evening and you will invariably hear stories of the number of sharks seen and how big they were – sharks are commonplace in the Maldives with everything from baby sharks cruising the shallows to imposing silvertips hanging out in the currents of the channels where divers on underwater scooters can have the most thrilling dives of their lives. Nurse sharks, leopard sharks, black tip and white tip reef sharks, grey reefs are all common sightings with very occasional tiger sharks making appearances too.

Mantas – year-round sightings of manta rays are possible in the Maldives and our dive centers are within easy reach of well-known manta hotspots where these majestic and graceful creatures come to get cleaned or feed. It’s not just divers who get to tick this one of the bucket list, snorkellers are in for a treat with manta search boats going out in peak manta season.

Whale Sharks – seeing the biggest fish in the sea is a jaw-dropping experience and one never to be forgotten. Divers visiting our centers in South Ari Atoll, Lily Beach and Vakarufalhi, are most likely to be able to tick these gentle giants off their list, but sightings do also occur further north in the Lhaviyani Atoll from time to time.

Turtles – One of the oceans’ oldest residents, sea turtles are endangered worldwide but here in the Maldives you would be very unlucky to dive or snorkel throughout your stay and not see one. Lhaviyani Atoll is home to the largest community of green sea turtles in the Maldives and numerous individuals can be seen in just one dive. Seagrass meadows are a great place for snorkellers to find turtles grazing and there will be many great photo opportunities.

Frogfish – Possibly the weirdest looking creature in the ocean, very well camouflaged but due to sitting still on the reef most of the time, once spotted by our eagle-eyed instructors they can be found again and again until they decide to move on to a new hiding place.

There are many more things to see, both big and small, from tiny colourful nudibranchs to squadrons of eagle rays, from well camouflaged stonefish to flambouyant lionfish, from big stingrays to sleek tuna and giant green napoleon wrasse. The Maldives is the place to dive if you have a bucket list full of ‘must-see’ marine creatures!