Follow our guide to the most unbelievable scuba diving locations in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives' marine life uniquely offers the most diverse and thrilling scuba diving in the Indian Ocean from vibrant coral reefs to graceful manta rays. Follow the below guide for the top dive spots across the atolls with recommended resorts and detailed dive descriptions for ultimate underwater adventure.
North Male Atoll
Makunudu Island Resort: Five Dive Spots
Kuda Faru
Known as a shark point, Kuda faru is a must-visit when diving in this region. Liveaboards frequent this site regularly due to its consistent shark sightings and thrilling underwater experience.
Madi Gaa
This site is ideal for those who prefer gentler conditions. It offers guaranteed encounters with sharks and stingrays, along with vibrant coral formations.
Boduhithi Thila
With moderate currents, Boduhithi Thila is another prime location where sharks are frequently spotted. During manta season, manta rays are often seen here as well.
Makunudu Faru
Home to tons of turtles due to nesting sights on Makunudu Island.
Blue Canyon
Advanced & adventurous divers only, with a negative entry and strong currents. It's a colorful underwater valley filled with soft corals.
Huvafen Fushi: Three Dive Spots
Bodu Hithi Thila
This dynamic and famous site in North Male Atoll transforms with the seasons. From January to April, it becomes a manta ray hotspot, thanks to its natural cleaning station located at 25 meters. Outside of manta season, the reef remains teeming with life — including schooling fish, reef sharks, and the occasional majestic Napoleon Wrasse.
Coral Garden
True to its name, Coral Garden is a stunning site filled with healthy hard corals, anemones, and a colorful array of reef fish. Divers can expect to see graceful rays, schooling fusiliers, and blue-stripe snappers weaving through the coral formations — a perfect blend of beauty and biodiversity.
Turtle Reef
Just 20 minutes from the resort, Turtle Reef is a diver’s paradise known for its vibrant marine life and pristine coral formations. This site offers an exceptional opportunity to encounter Hawksbill turtles up close, alongside a dazzling variety of reef fish in a lush underwater landscape.
Dhawa Ihuru: Five Dive Spots
Okkobe Thila
A coral-rich site featuring three distinct rock formations (10-28m depth), known for its biodiversity.
Rasfari
Ideal for drift diving, with regular pelagic sightings.
Naseemo Thila
Notable for its dramatic underwater terrain and vibrant soft coral displays.
Lankan Reef (Manta Point)
Prime manta ray sightings during southwest monsoon (May-November), with additional marine life including reef sharks and turtles.
Bodu Hithi Thila
Primary manta ray location during northeast monsoon (January-April), also frequented by reef sharks and napoleon wrasses.
South Male Atoll
COMO Cocoa Island: Five Dive Spots
Cocoa Thila
The ever popular shark cleaning station with frequent sightings of up to 20 spotted eagle rays along the thin edge.
Guraidhoo Corner
Divers can expect fusiliers, dog toothed tuna, white tip sharks, grey sharks, spotted eagle rays,
giant trevally and large Napoleon and from May to November even hammerhead sharks!
Kuda Giri Wreck
A sunken steel coastal trader, located 20 – 35m underwater, housing schools of bat fish, yellow sweeper, blue fin trevallies and much more.
Medhu Faru
What makes this dive unique is the large sightings of large schools of grey reef sharks and eagle rays!
Cocoa Corner
Spot fusiliers, turtles, white tip sharks, spotted eagle rays and grey reef sharks with small overhangs of beautiful soft and hard coral, sea fans and sponges.
Baa Atoll
Amilla Maldives: Three Dive Spots
Kakani
Medium to challenging dive site. Kakani features overhangs, coral-covered ridges, and sandy slopes with a wide variety of marine life.
Dhonfanu Thila
Starting at 8 meters this dive drops to over 30 meters on all sides, featuring impressive overhangs and a narrow swim-through.
Blue Hole
Located right on our house reef, this underwater chimney is a guest favorite. It’s teeming with marine life and is suitable for a broad range of divers.
Raa Atoll
InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau: Three Dive Spots
Maamunagau Giri
Known for its unique reef structure of colorful overhangs and the occasional nurse shark sighting.
Fenfushi Giri
Manta Cleaning station with sightings from December to April
Maafaru Thila
A labyrinth of passages, for expert divers only. Home to frogfish, longnose hawkfish, and even manta rays and mobulas during certain seasons.
Vaadhoo Thila
Caves, overhangs and the occasional turtle or stingray!
Laamu Atoll
Six Senses Laamu: Three Dive Spots
Maavah Kandu and Fushi Kandu
This channel dive for advanced divers only, hosts barracudas, eagle rays, schooling fish and manta ray cleaning stations.
Hithadhoo West
Just outside the reef, this station is known as a manta ray cleaning station as well with large grouper aggregation, ideal for open water and advanced divers.
Rah Dashu Haa and Haleema Haa
Ideal for divers of all levels as this is inside the reef.
Thaa Atoll
COMO Maalifushi: Three Dive Sites
Dhiyamigili Corner
This is one of the most iconic and frequently visited dive sites in the area. Known for its consistent current, Dhiyamigili Corner is ideal for observing grey reef sharks and white-tip reef sharks. Divers often encounter schools of red snapper, green and hawksbill sea turtles, eagle rays, and barracuda. On occasion, mobula rays can also be seen, offering a truly memorable diving experience.
Fahala Gaa
This submerged pinnacle features a vibrant top reef that begins at around 2 meters depth. The reef is characterized by large formations of hard corals and brightly colored anemones, making it a great site for underwater photography and macro enthusiasts. Dramatic overhangs provide ideal hiding spots for small marine creatures. Divers may also encounter pelagic species such as tuna, eagle rays, and turtles.
Guraidhoo Corner
Guraidhoo Corner is renowned for its healthy population of sharks, including grey reef, white-tip, and black-tip reef sharks. The site also regularly features bigeye trevally, eagle rays, and the majestic Napoleon wrasse, making it a thrilling site for divers seeking larger marine species.
