Requirements

All internationally recognised certification is accepted, log books and mandatory DIVE INSURANCE to Cover Hiperbaric Chamber treatment in case its needed.

Divers holding PADI "Open Water" or equivalent certification and fewer than 20 logged dives need to dive with an instructor.

Diving Conditions

The water temperature remains warm and comfortable (27-30 deg C) throughout the year. though with minor variations locally and seasonally. A wetsuit is not necessary, though some people wear a thin suit until acclimatized to Maldives waters. Visibility is also clear all year round, though plankton blooming around early May can reduce visibility on the outer reef from about 30 metres (100 feet) down to about 10 metres (33 feet). The richest concentrations of plankton are usually on the eastern side of an atoll, which is where you will find the most fish.

The northeast monsoon which arrives in January, brings clearer water to most parts of the atoll. In the clearest conditions you can see up to 70 metres (230 feet) below as you float over the reef edge, giving a sensation of vertigo when one looks out into the open ocean. Tidal movements are also very important in determining visibility levels. Incoming tides bring clear water but outgoing ones carry sediment and can sometimes decrease visibility on the fringing reef and lagoon, and reef outlets nearby. Rougher weather, usually in the southwest monsoon from May to October, sometimes restricts boat dives but resorts still provide opportunities to explore the house reef.

Precautions while diving

Coral reefs are not dangerous places, but there are some points divers new to any region should bear in mind.

Sharks can be seen regularly.

Most sharks are not interested in humans, which are not part of their normal high-protein diet (unless provoked or cornered). However, if you see the "threat display" (hunched back, nose up, pectoral fins down), it is wise to leave the scene slowly and quietly.

Tiger Sharks can be seen in the Deep South trips, located specially in the remote island of Fuvamulah where Ocean Divine spends at least a day on their way down and another day on the way up (check our calendar).

The most common types in the Maldives are the nurse, whitetip, reef black tip, grey reef and silvertip sharks.

Tiger Sharks can be seen in the Deep South trips, located specially in the remote island of Fuvamulah where Ocean Divine spends at least a day on their way down and another day on the way up (check our calendar).

The moray eels have very sharp teeth, but they, too, will keep clear unless provoked.

Predators who rely on ambush can be a problem for those who stumble about the reef rather than just, be neutral and use REEF HOOKS while on the reef!

The scorpion fish has excellent camouflage and care should be taken to avoid accidentally touching its poisonous spines. Stonefish, are extremely well camouflaged, and care should be taken when walking on the sea floor.

Brightly coloured lionfish floating in mid-water also carry poisonous spines.

Fire coral gives a nasty sting, as can some cone shells that deliver a sharp dose of poison to divers who try to collect them.

Marine life should be seen but not touched, and those who stick to this simple philosophy should enjoy a lifetime of happy tropical dives.

For those who wish to progress from Open Water Diver to Divemaster or beyond, there are certification courses conducted under PADI supervision.

For experienced divers

Awide variety of dives is possible, including sheer drop-offs, drift dives, night dives and some limited coral cave diving. There are enough sites around any resort to provide new experiences every day. Regular visitors enjoy diving the same spot in different seasons to see how life on the reef changes with time and tide.

Most aquatic life is seen within 1 to 26 metres, so decompression dives are not necessary. Drift diving is encouraged as a conservation measure, as it is less damaging on coral and underwater structures.

Types of dive

In addition to miles of wall diving on the outer edges of the various atolls, there are submerged pinnacles (known in Maldives as "Thila") made up of a large coral structure jutting up out of deeper water. These rise to up to within just a few feet of the surface,and serve as havens for marine life, from fish fry to large sharks and rays.

Another interesting area is the crevice which forms a channel from the ocean into the reef (called "Kandu Olhi"), where current and nutrient flow produce enhanced coral growth, thus attracting a host of reef and pelagic fish.

Here large garoupa, manta rays and sharks are a common sight.

Sometimes, hammerheads or whale sharks make seasonal appearances. These channels are best seen when drift diving during an incoming tidal flow.

A dive inside the atoll"s inner reefs will provide a glimpse of the sheer variety and biodiversity within the reef community.

Here, all varieties of soft and hard corals can be seen amidst myriad colours of swarming fish. Even the apparently bare coral sand at the bottom of shallow lagoons provides a habitat for crabs, garden eels and aggressive trigger fish. There are no empty niches and, if one is found, it is quickly occupied.

Wreck dives in the Maldives offer nowhere near the range and variety of Truk or Saipan, but the few available attract many divers. The best known are, the "Maldive Victory" in Male atoll, "Kudima wreck" in Ari atoll, "The Shipyard" in Lhaviyani and the largest in the Maldives, "the British Loyalty" in Addu waters, southern atoll of the archipielago.

We try to dive on one of them in all our trips!