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| Home :: Maldives Information :: Diving and Snorkeling |
Diving & Water Sports in Maldives |
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| Diving and Snorkeling |
Under the water in the Maldives lies a veritable wonder of nature — a superb coral garden filled with rich flora and fauna.
 Snorkeling is the simplest way to take a look at this amazing world. The prerequisite is knowing how to swim! All you need is a good mask, a snorkel tube and an optional pair of fins. Most tourist resorts and cruising vessels have these items on offer.
If you want the fuller experience, a dive is what you need. If you are a novice, you are an experienced diver already, be prepared for the time of your life. Ask to be taken out one of the famed diving spots in the vicinity and enjoy the sheer beauty and the plethora of life in the crystal clear water.
When diving or snorkeling in the Maldives, observe the following considerations. Do not swim or dive in the nude. Ask for and observe all environmental protection guidelines. Use the right equipment. Follow all instructions given by your diving instructor or dive master. Put safety first.
 Dive Facilities
The dive center is one of the most important facilities in any resort. Each resort has a dive center and are staffed by qualified dive instructors. Divers may, if they wish, bring along their own dive gear, however the centers carry a wide range of rental equipment. At resorts diving is conducted daily all year round. Even in Male there are some dive centers, mainly serving the residents of Male. There are two decompression chambers in the Maldives located in Kaafu Atoll and Ari Atoll.
 Dive Sites
There are thousands of dive sites; so numerous that you can literally swim over from one to the other. Only a small percentage of the Maldives reefs have ever been dived. Each dive site has its unique characteristics in form, fauna and flora, the currents and other elements that shape and mould them.
Resorts concentrate on dive sites within a one ortwo-hour radius, while cruise boats cover more ocean and therefore a greater variety of sites. |
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| Water Sports |
 All resorts without exception have water sports centers that provide a range of water sports and fun activities. The most popular among these are snor-keling, windsurfing and catamaran sailing. The water sports centers are equipped with boards and sails of different sizes and some offer courses for beginners and advanced windsurfers and sailors.
Among other popular water sports activities are parasailing, kayaking, kite-surfing, water-skiing and jet skiing. Some resorts even offer you the opportunity to try out your sailing skills on a local dhoni.
Surfing
 Today surfing is the fastest growing water sport in the country, with several surf breaks that are documented and well-known by surf enthusiasts. The most important surf event is the annual ONeill Deep Blue Contest which has placed Mal.dives firmly or) the world's surf map.
Surfing Season
The best season to surf in the Maldives is the Southwest Monsoon from April to October. Surfers are most likely to enjoy the biggest swells from June to September. The surf generally ranges in size from 3-8 feet.
Surf Breaks
The best known surf breaks are in the North and South Male' Atoll and most surters stay in resorts close to these breaks. However cruise operators offer specialized surfing cruises, that give you the opportunity to test some of the less known surf breaks in the atolls further away from Male' Atoll.
 Sports in Resorts
Resorts offer a variety of sports for the enjoyment of their guests; beach volleyball is the most obvious, however many resorts have tennis courts of exceptional quality and fully equipped gymnasiums complete with instructors. Badminton and squash courts are quite common in the resorts as well. Billiards, pool and a variety of board games are offered on most resorts. |
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