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Maldives

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Maldives - Male

Overview

The Maldives is a chain of around 1200 islands, which are the tops of a vast underwater mountain range, stretching 750 km across the Indian Ocean. These tiny islands are geographically grouped into 26 atolls, each of which is made up of a coral reef encircling a lagoon with deep channels dividing the reef ring. The islands are small, low-lying and have no rivers or mountains. The quintessential landscape of a tropical island paradise.

Only 200 of these islands are inhabited, and 88 have been developed into tourist resorts. The capital and largest city of the Maldives is Malé, located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll, which houses the international airport. Some atolls can be reached by speedboat from Malé while others require a flight transfer.

The Maldives is a mostly Muslim country with its ancestry consisting of the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka, the Marathi and Gujarati of India, Arabs, Malays and Northern African communities. Subsequently, the Maldives has a rich and vibrant culture and history intertwined with the island-life community, customs and folklore.

When you visit the Maldives, you discover the sunny side of life!

Snapshot

Hot and humid year-round with average temperatures between 24-33°C.
The dry season runs from January to April. You can expect an average daily temperature of 31°C and 25.5°C overnight.
The wet season is from May to December with the monsoon occurring between April and October. It is especially heavy from June to August. Expect daytime temperatures of 30°C and night time temperatures of 25°C.

We recommend taking light, casual clothing. However, please be aware that the country’s culture and religion call for a more conservative dress code. Please consider this if you are planning on participating in above-water activities.

Maldivian Rufiyaa
Type C, Type D, TypeG, Type J, Type K & Type L
GMT+5
Take normal travel precautions when eating and drinking – tap water is not safe to drink unless boiled or chemically treated.

Diving

Overview

A complex formation of reefs has evolved from a massive volcanic mountain range which is teeming with marine life. It is recognised as one of the world’s most diverse and spectacular marine ecosystems.

Ocean currents have worn-down the atolls’ rims creating Channels or “Kandus” that allow water to flow in and out to the open ocean. The Kandus are cavernous and compact, home to larger marine creatures feeding on smaller reef life and plankton which are propelled through the channels by the currents. The headliners on Channel dives are the pelagics such as Eagle Rays, Dog Tooth Tuna, and schooling Grey Reef Sharks.

Small fields of coral surging up to the shallows, known as “Giris”, and mountainous peaks soaring from 35 metres to 5 metres, known as “Thilas”, can be found inside the atolls. Thilas are hotspots for schooling pelagics coming up the steep pinnacles to hunt for reef fish. Dog-tooth tuna, jacks, eagle rays, grey reef sharks, trevally and thousands of red-tooth triggerfish, blue striped snappers, and fusiliers are in abundance when the currents are running.

Circular Reefs or “Farus”, generally located in the ocean channels, rise from the ocean floor. Usually between 1 – 30 metres deep, these reefs generally offer the easiest diving in the Maldives. This is where you will find fan corals with macro life such as moray eels, nudibranchs, frogfish, leaf fish and glassfish.

It’s safe to say that whatever your dive ability there is something spectacular for you to see in the Maldives.

Temperature

24-30°C Rashie or 3 – 5mm

Dive Season

Year round

Dive Highlights

The Maldives is also known for its Manta Cleaning Stations. Here you will sometimes find up to 20 manta rays gracefully hovering over the cleaning station while cleaner wrasse nibble away at unwanted parasites.

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