The very name of “Maldives” brings into one’s mind pictures of pristine white beaches, swaying coconut palms and turquoise blue waters where a wealth of marine fauna and flora awaits. Here’s a guide to diving in Maldives to help you find the best destinations to go down under!
Manta Point
See flocks of giant and graceful manta rays in a feeding frenzy! The Manta Point is an amazing diving site that’s situated off the coast of Nusa Penida; there are many diving resorts in Maldives the likes of Anantara Veli Maldives Resort that provides excursions to this site. At the Manta Point you can see many manta rays lining up to be cleaned by tiny wrasse fish who feed on the parasites on the ray’s body. The whole spectacle resembles a sort of a car wash!
HP Reef
A protected marine area, the HP Reef is also known as the Rainbow Reef for its home to a kaleidoscopic range of reef fish, pelagics and coral species including blue corals. It also features a 25m vertical swim-through chimney, dramatic rock formations and amazing caves.
Banana Reef
Another Protected Marine Area, the Banana Reef gets its name for its curious banana shape. Spectacular coral formations, remarkable caves, overhangs and cliffs; big predators like barracuda, grouper and sharks and reef fish like Napoleon wrasse and much more all call Banana Reef their home.
The Halaweli Wreck
Love watching movies about people discovering ship wrecks, gold and getting rich? Well you won’t get the ‘gold and getting rich’ part but you definitely will discover a ship wreck under the beautiful Maldivian waters. The Halaweli Wreck went under in 1991 and since then many wondrous marine animals have made a home for these selves within the wreck; some of these include sea turtles and moray eels.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting.
