Maldives

The Maldives is a chain of twenty-six coral atolls in the Indian Ocean. What sets the character of the diving is the channels between the atolls: with the tide, ocean water flows in and out through them, carrying nutrients and gathering the big animals. That is why diving in the Maldives is mostly done in current, as a drift. Water temperature is around 28-30 degrees all year; a thin suit is usually enough.

Two monsoons define the season. The northeast monsoon (December-April) is the dry period: calm sea, high visibility, little plankton. Manta rays and whale sharks feed mostly on the western side of the atolls then. The southwest monsoon (May-November) is wetter and richer in plankton; visibility drops but feeding intensifies, and the mantas move to the cleaning stations on the eastern side. So there is no such thing as a "bad season", only a different one — the dates are chosen according to what you are after.

Current is also the measure of level. On channel dives a reef hook is used, the timing of entry and exit is up to the guide, and experience makes a difference. On the southern atolls — around Addu and Fuvahmulah — there is a chance of meeting large species such as tiger sharks. Our tours in this region are planned as liveaboards; with three or four dives a day you move between the atolls.