Diving Maldives

The Maldive Islands are scattered across the Indian Ocean, like gems skipping across the equator. This nation of islands depicts a rare perfect vision of tropical paradise. Gilligan never had it so good! Palm fringed islands with sparkling deserted white beaches, turquoise lagoons, clear warm waters and coral reefs teeming with abundant varieties of marine flora and fauna fascinate visitors as they have for thousands of years. Marco Polo referred to the Maldives as the `flower of the Indies`, and Ibn Batuta called it in his chronicles `one of the wonders of the world`.

Truly a natural wonder, the Republic of Maldives is sinking nation. The highest point on the islands is just a few feet above sea level. With the very real and imminent threat of global warming, rising oceans will some day submerge the doomed atolls of the Maldives - another great reason to travel now! The local Maldivians are seemingly nonchalant about their fate. More and more 5-star resorts are popping up on outer atolls with measures being taken for environmental concerns. However, most resorts are air-conditioned and require a massive support system to cater to upscale clientele.

More than a thousand islands make up 26 atoll formations and are spread over an area of 56,000 square miles. The country is broken up into various regions - North and South Malé Atolls, Ari Atoll, Baa Atoll, Vaavu Atoll, Meemu Atoll, Adduu Atoll and many other small atolls, all surrounded by shallow crystal clear lagoons enclosed by coral reefs. These unique islands provide visitors with one of the most breathtaking views of underwater life in the world, formed above peaks emerging from the depths of the ocean upon layers of both living and dead coral as well as remnants of other marine life. The island interiors are generally covered with dense tropical vegetation, coconut palms towering above dense undergrowth protecting the shores from erosion. The smaller islands are sand banks under formation.


Measuring 510 miles north to south and 75 miles east to west at its greatest width, the closest neighbors of Maldives are India and Sri Lanka. The population of 238,500 resides on the 199 inhabited islands, and an additional 74 islands are set aside exclusively for tourist resort development. The origins of the Maldivians are lost in ancient history. As a crossroads on an important trade route, the Maldives were settled by people from all over the world. Dhihevi, a member of the Indo-Iranian language group, is the official language of the Maldives. English is widely used in government offices and in commerce. Malé is the capital and the seat of the government.

Maldives climate is warm year round, determined by the monsoons. However, being on the equator, the monsoons are mild and not as defined as in neighboring countries. Of the two monsoons, the southwest monsoon from May to October, brings slightly more rain and wind however this is also typically the best season to view pelagics. The northeast monsoon, from November to April, is the dry season with very little wind and great visibility. The temperature ranges from a maximum of 94ºF to a minimum of 75ºF while the water temperature is set between 82ºF and 86ºF. The annual rainfall is around 12 inches with a total of over 2,700 hours of sunshine each year.