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Diving in the Maldives

12 dive destinations in the Maldives, up to 830 km apart. Water temperature across them runs 26–30 °C. All 12 are in season in April. 147 named dive sites have their own pages.

North Malé Atoll · photo Genet (Diskussion)

Destinations: 12
Dive sites: 147
Water: 26–30°C
Most in season: April

RegionIndian Ocean

How do they compare?

Conditions at each dive destination in the Maldives
#	Destination	Best months	Water	Visibility	Depth	Level	Access	Sites
1	Haa Alif & Haa Dhaalu AtollsReef mantas cleaning on Baarah Thila, with up to 30 reported at once	Jan–Apr	28–29°C	5–30 m	5–30 m	Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	11
2	Raa AtollManta cleaning stations and overhang-rich thilas	Dec–May	27–30°C	—	to 32 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	12
3	Lhaviyani AtollReef mantas gather at Fushifaru Thila's two protected cleaning stations	Dec–Apr	27–30°C	5–30 m	5–30 m	Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat, Shore	11
4	Baa Atoll & Hanifaru BayUp to two hundred reef mantas barrel-roll inside a 200 m bay	May–Oct	27–30°C	5–30 m	5–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	15
5	North Malé AtollCurrent-fed thilas, grey reef sharks and a manta cleaning station	Dec–Apr	26–29°C	15–30 m	3–25 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	24
6	South Malé AtollProtected shark channels 20–40 minutes by boat from Maafushi's guesthouses	Dec–Apr	26–29°C	5–30 m	3–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	13
7	Ari & Rasdhoo AtollsWhale sharks live year-round on the South Ari reef shelf	Dec–May	26–30°C	10–30 m	5–40 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Liveaboard, Day boat	24
8	Vaavu AtollFotteyo Kandu, a channel many rank among the best dives in the Maldives	Dec–Apr	26–30°C	5–30 m	5–30 m	Advancedsites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	6
9	Meemu AtollUncrowded channel drifts and a manta cleaning station on the southern liveaboard route	Dec–Apr	27–30°C	5–30 m	5–35 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Liveaboard	10
10	Laamu AtollQuiet kandu channels and a manta point that works year-round	Jan–Apr	27–30°C	10–30 m	3–30 m	Intermediatesites from beginner to advanced	Day boat, Liveaboard	8
11	FuvahmulahTiger sharks cruise a cleaning station a few meters off the harbor wall	Dec–Apr	26–29°C	10–35 m	12–30 m	Advancedsites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat	5
12	Addu AtollA manta cleaning station dived all year and a wartime tanker on her side at 33 m	Jan–Apr	27–30°C	5–35 m	5–30 m	Intermediatesites from intermediate to advanced	Day boat	8

When is the best time to dive the Maldives?

The most destinations are rated good or prime at the same time in April: 12 of 12. Each row is one destination's own season rating.

Season rating by month for each dive destination in the Maldives
Destination	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
1Haa Alif & Haa Dhaalu Atolls	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good
2Raa Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Prime
3Lhaviyani Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Good	Good	Good	Prime
4Baa Atoll & Hanifaru Bay	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair
5North Malé Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime
6South Malé Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime
7Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Prime
8Vaavu Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime
9Meemu Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good	Prime
10Laamu Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Good
11Fuvahmulah	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good	Good	Good	Fair	Fair	Prime
12Addu Atoll	Prime	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime	Good	Good	Good
Good or prime	11	11	11	12	11	5	6	8	7	6	10	11

Which destinations combine into one trip?

Destinations that fit within 200 km of each other end to end and share at least one month rated good or prime. Distances are straight lines between destinations, not travel routes.

165 km end to end

In season together: Nov–May