Like a fish in the water

The reefs teeming with flora and fauna that surround the Maldive islands make this archipelago one of the best destinations in the world for diving and snorkelling.

The warm water currents that cross the islands have created an extraordinary undersea world that is worth exploring at least once in a lifetime. To dive, you’ll need to have a certificate to show you have the appropriate training. Novice divers can get a certificate by attending one of the diving schools at the many resorts. You can also hire everything you need for the dive there, and they’ll provide the boat transport to the dive site.
With more than 1,000 aquatic species living among the 3,000 coral reefs and visibility up to 50 metres deep, where to dive is the least of your worries. Some of the best spots are on Vaavu and Lhaviyani atolls, where grey sharks and manta rays live among hundreds of reef fish. The waters of Ari atoll are particularly well known for the abundance of marine life, and are one of the favourite haunts of divers for seeing hammerhead sharks, manta rays or giant toadfish. Unlike the others, the sea bed of the North Malé atoll is minimalist. The waters are calmer and the bigger fish are not often seen around the reefs, hence the smaller species and more delicate flora, like the corals, are better preserved. In this atoll, many divers opt for night diving with dive lights.
In contrast, snorkelling requires no certificates or complicated equipment: just goggles, fins and breathing tube that you can rent on the beaches or use for free. Vilamendhoo Island, on the South Ari atoll, is one of the best for those who prefer to stay on the surface. Excursions are also organized to the most populated reefs or to Vaadhoo beach, on the Raa atoll. Here, night bathers can enjoy the sea floor under the magical effect of bioluminescence.
The best time of year for surfing is from April to October, although the waves are biggest between June and September. Surfers prefer the North and South Malé atolls, where there are specific surfing resorts. The best beaches in the area are Chickens, Coke's, Lohis, Ninja and Sultans. The waves here come in from both sides; fast and consistent tubular waves, up to 130 metres long, guaranteeing surfers of any level an amazing ride.

For water-lovers who prefer not to get wet, day or night fishing is a good alternative. Depending on the time of year, the dhonis and larger boats for deep-sea fishing, head for the North or South Malé atoll. They set out in the early hours or just before sunset towards the best fishing grounds and you can practice, or learn, the art of the hook and line. Eating the fish on board or at a barbeque on the beach is the icing on the adventure. It doesn’t get any fresher!

Night Diving under a Starry Sky

The Maldives hides secrets that are best discovered in person, like the magical phenomenon produced on Vaadhoo beach, a deserted island of the Raa atoll. The bioluminescent show occurs when phytoplankton reacts to oxygen, generating its own light. On warm, moonless nights, the most romantic tourists stroll hand in hand along the edge of a sea of stars, and take home a magical memory. Divers turn off their dive lights, stir up the waters and set off a storm of lights around them.

“We all live in a whale submarine...”

For those who enjoy marine treasures, but don’t like to get too wet, Whale Submarine is the perfect solution. A boat leaves the Malé pier several times a day taking no more than 50 passengers out to the reef. There they board a submarine that takes them between ten and 40 metres below the surface to enjoy the life on the ocean floor: coral and fish, while keeping perfectly dry. The cabin has air conditioning and is pressurised.