Diving Safaris In The Maldives

One of the most exciting things to do while on holiday in the Maldives is to dive beneath the clear blue sea and spend some time with the amazing tropical fish and coral reefs.

It is possible to stay in a resort and go diving from there, however, I have found it is much more fun to spend a few days on a diving safari. These are generally made up of a dozen or so divers that live onboard a boat that is custom fitted for this purpose. On a diving safari you can pick and choose your dive sites, visit some of the smaller and more remote islands, and find secluded anchorages to spend the night.

Obviously the bigger the boat the more comfortable and less cramped you will be, they are also generally better equipped. However, they are also more expensive, so you should organise a group to go with before leaving for the Maldives or try to catch up with one when you land. You can try to contact a dive club as these are usually good places to meet liked minded people who may be interested in a diving safari in the Maldives.

If you are not a qualified diver you must do a dive course before you start your diving safari. There are many dive courses that are run out of resorts on various islands, but it is often cheaper to do this at home as the Maldives are notoriously expensive.

Every dive safari should be fully equipped with all the necessary dive gear as well as a compressor and dive computers. It is generally advisable to bring your own snorkel mask and wetsuit to ensure they fit correctly. It would be a shame to ruin a dive because you are uncomfortable in the wrong size suit.

For safety reasons every boat should have plenty of oxygen and good communications with Male, where the main hospital in the Maldives is located. The dive master on the boat should go through the various safety aspects of the boat and general guidelines for diving in the particular areas you will be visiting.

There are literally hundreds of dive sites in the Maldives and it is advisable to plan your dives beforehand and contact the diving safari owners to ensure you will be getting the most from your trip.

The Maldives offer some of the best diving in the world so be prepared and enjoy your stay.