If you are looking for a diving destination that offers stunning coral reefs, diverse marine life, and mysterious shipwrecks, then look no further than the North Male Atoll in the Maldives. These are some of the best dive sites to be found here, each with its own captivating marine wonders.
Banana Reef
Banana Reef is one of the oldest and most popular dive sites in Maldives, named after its curved shape. This reef is a paradise for divers, and you can expect to see bannerfish, Napoleon wrasse, snappers, and barracudas, as well as sharks, turtles, and moray eels. It also has some spectacular overhangs and caves that add to the thrill of diving. For such adventures, look to be based at resorts in the North Male Atoll like OBLU SELECT Sangeli which offers PADI and SSI courses and diving excursions.
The Victory Wreck
For more exhilarating underwater discoveries in the Maldives, adventure activities can include exploring the Victory Wreck. This approximately 100-metre-long cargo ship that sank in 1981 is home to an array of marine life. The ship with its mast, stern, bridge, wheelhouse, and cabins intact, provides an intriguing sight to come across along with the colourful corals and diverse fish species like pufferfish, lionfish, batfish, groupers, lionfish and more.
Manta Point
In the Maldives, dive sites such as Manta Point in North Male Atoll are not to be missed since one can get up close to majestic manta rays. It is best visited from around May to November when this site becomes a ‘cleaning station’ as other smaller fish remove unwanted parasites off the mantas! There’s more to discover here as well and divers can also come across marine species like eagle rays, moray eels, hawksbill turtles and whitetip reef sharks.
Rainbow Reef / HP Reef
Rainbow Reef or HP Reef is a stunning site that lives up to its name, featuring a dazzling array of colourful soft corals that create a vibrant world beneath the waves. With dives ranging from 10 to 40 metres along with caves, swim-throughs and overhangs on offer, there’s plenty to explore. On underwater escapades here, one has a chance to see grey reef sharks, clownfish, parrotfish, eagle rays and butterflyfish as well, adding to its allure.