| Many of the world's top diving destinations claim to | | | | the currents to carry them into the calmer waters to |
| offer a truly unique form of diving, however few are | | | | be found inside of the atoll. With these currents |
| able to substantiate it as easily as the Maldives. From | | | | drawing nutrient rich water into these channels from |
| the moment you first enter the water in the | | | | the open ocean, these kandu dives often provide the |
| Maldives, you are surrounded by an almost magical | | | | best opportunities to spot the various species of |
| underwater kingdom. A myriad of colourful reef fish, | | | | rays, sharks and other pelagic marine life which can |
| incredible corals exist alongside a wide variety of | | | | be found throughout the waters of the Maldives. |
| larger marine life including manta rays, whale sharks | | | | Marine life throughout the Maldives is prolific, with an |
| and many, many others. In fact, it is estimated that | | | | incredible array of tropical reef fish to be found |
| over 26 different types of shark can be found in the | | | | throughout the region. Bannerfish, parrotfish, |
| dive sites in the Maldives including the whale shark, | | | | butterflyfish and surgeonfish mingle easily with the |
| the tiger shark and the hammerhead shark. | | | | larger Napoleon wrasse and triggerfish which can be |
| It is the unique geography of the Maldives that allows | | | | found here. Fans of the larger marine life will also find |
| it to offer such incredible diving. The tops of an | | | | rich pickings in the waters surrounding the Maldives, |
| ancient submerged mountain range, the coral reefs | | | | and a wide variety of sharks and rays can be found |
| and atolls of the Maldives now stretch across some | | | | throughout the hundreds of beautiful dive sites in the |
| 500 miles of the Indian Ocean from north to south. | | | | Maldives. |
| The scuba diving in the Maldives tends to fall into | | | | The climate in the Maldives does vary slightly |
| two distinct categories, kandu diving and thila diving. | | | | between the north and the south atolls, with the |
| Thila diving tends to focus around large coral | | | | Northern regions experiencing more extreme |
| formations or reefs which top out just under the | | | | temperatures, and the southern atolls experiencing a |
| surface of the water. These thilas allow divers the | | | | slightly heavier average rainfall throughout the year. |
| opportunity to dive or drift with the currents across | | | | Water temperatures in the Maldives tend to remain |
| and around these large reefs, often providing | | | | consistent, ranging from 27 degrees to as warm as |
| spectacular views of the prolific marine life and coral | | | | 30 degrees. The region experiences two monsoon |
| formations just below the surface. There are a | | | | seasons, which run from December to March, when |
| number of excellent dive sites in the Maldives, which | | | | the Maldives experience the warmer prevailing winds, |
| offer this thila type of diving. Some of the better | | | | and the wetter monsoon season which runs from |
| known thila dives include Maaya Thila on North Ari | | | | May through to November. |
| Atoll, and Okobe Thila, together with its resident | | | | If you are considering diving in the Maldives, it is |
| population of huge Napoleon wrasse. | | | | highly likely that your resort will have an affiliated dive |
| The second type of diving for which the Maldives is | | | | centre on the island. Recent years have seen an |
| well known is kandu diving, where divers can drift | | | | increase in the reputation of the region as one of the |
| with the currents along the channels between the | | | | worlds best dive sites, and today there is a highly |
| islands or reefs. In a typical kandu dive, the divers will | | | | developed and extensive network of dive centres in |
| enter the water just outside of the lagoon, allowing | | | | the Maldives. |