The North East monsoon, from November to April, is the dry season. The air temperature varies little with an annual average daily maximum of 94F and minimum of 75F, while the water temperature ranges from 82F to 86F. The annual rainfalls run around 12 inches with a total of over 2.700 hours of sunshine each year. The Maldives are know for their enchanted underwater world. The translation of the word " Maldives " means "Realm of the thousand islands". Of the about 1.200 islands, only 200 are inhabited by a population of mainly fishermen. Another 80 islands are set aside exclusively for tourism resort development .

Maldives Diving
While the Maldives certainly have some gorgeous reefs, it's the fish life that makes them an outstanding dive destination. There are three distinctly different types of diving: inside the atolls, outside the atolls and inside the channels or passes, which is where the currents are strongest and you'll find the greatest congregation of fish life. Most intriguing are the cleaning stations, found around every corner and under every ledge. Groupers, Snappers, Surgeonfish, Eels, Parrotfish, even Giant Napoleon Wrasse park casually in corners, oblivious to all (including cameras) while armies of wrasse, shrimp and other assorted cleaners pick at debris in their open gills and cavernous mouths.

The big attraction, however, are the schools of fish that patrol the reefs in colorful packs: Humpback and Black and White Snappers, Trevally Jacks, Barracuda, Batfish, Unicornfish, Yellowback Fusiliers and Harlequin Sweetlips almost comical in design. The reef's larger inhabitants, including sharks, rays and occasionally even Whale Sharks, are often seen cruising in the blue. This parade of awesome marine life combines with exquisite coral covered backdrops to create many of what is surely some of the world's most extraordinary dives.

Dive sites in the Maldives are widely scattered while hotel based clients only have access to a limited number of good diving spots; a far greater number can be reached on a liveaboard, making it the ideal holiday for experienced divers.

The great magic of the Maldives is the tame fish life to be found on very shallow, sun dappled reefs. This is one of the best places in the world for fish photography. The fish are intensely colorful, swarm in great numbers over the reef, and are nearly tame.

You can have your diving holiday either in a resort or in a liveaboard hence please click either section for complete review of the products

RESORT SECTION
LIVEABOARD SECTION