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Maldives

Stunning islands with world class diving

The Maldives is a stunning archipelago,  consisting of 1,192  islands grouped into 26 coral atolls, with no single island rising more than 1.8 metres above sea level. The atolls act as a barrier to the Indian Ocean currents that flow through the channels, creating a concentrated mix of rich, nutrient water that support a staggering amount of marine life. The Maldives offers unforgetable diving,  ranging from shallow white sand lagoons to exhilarating drifts over pristine reefs thriving with fish life and pelagics.

The Maldives has two seasons that affect the movements of marine life. From November through to May the winds come from the northeast, with currents flowing from the east to west.  Reef sharks gather in large numbers in the clear water channel entrances on the eastern side of the atolls, while mantas and whale sharks are drawn to the plankton rich west. During this time of year the skies are blue and the lack of wind means the seas are generally calm. 

From June to November, during the southwest monsoon, the currents move easterly through the channels, offering some of the best sightings of mantas and whale sharks. The wind picks up a little during this time, and the seas can get slightly rougher, but the country receives plenty of sun all year round.  Average air temperature throughout the year are close to 30 degrees, with water temperatures around 28 degrees.

The Maldives is best explored by liveaboard, which allows for a larger variety of diving, but you  can still enjoy great diving from one of the 150+ island resorts.  With so much choice, we can’t possible list them all here, so below are just a few of our most popular. Let us know if there are other islands or liveaboards you are interested in; chances are, we will have all details on file in our office.

How to get there

Getting to the Maldives is pretty straightforward with many quality carriers stopping once en-route to Male. The most popular airlines tend to be Emirates, Qatar and Etihad who each have a short transit and arrive into your destination at a sensible hour. There are direct flights with British Airways from November to March from Gatwick, but only 3 days per week. The flight time is around 11 hours to Male from London.

Stay a bit longer

The Maldives is a great place to combine liveaboard and island stays with a huge variety of options out there we can tailor make your dream dive holiday. Having been to many of the resorts we can also best advise which ones would be best suited to you.

If you fancy combining the Maldives with a different experience altogether then we have some excellent itineraries that can include a visit to Sri Lanka either before or after your stay. Sri Lanka is a stunning country, rich in history and culture. We can put together a tailor-made tour itinerary, with private transport and guide, to explore the highlights of this wonderful island.

Since Emirates are one of the most popular airlines used for the Maldives,  a stopover in Dubai is well worth doing. Dubai is a vibrant and opulent city, rising from the desert.  You can find everything here: ostentatious 7 Star hotels, huge shopping malls, even an indoor ski slope. The more active amongst you can head out on adventure activities in the desert dunes.

Whatever you may fancy adding on to your Maldives trip we will be happy to guide you and to assist with your travel needs.

Quick Guide: Maldives

  • Location: South-west of India
  • When to go: All year round (driest Jan – Apr)
  • Average air temp: Tropical 27 – 30°C 
  • Average water temp: 26°C – 28°C
  • Recommended diver level:
    Island Resorts – Beginner upwards
    Liveaboards – PADI Advanced or equivalent with minimum 25 dives

Maldives Liveaboards

EMPEROR EXPLORER

42m / 26 passengers

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EMPEROR EXPLORER

EMPEROR VOYAGER

30m / 20 passengers

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EMPEROR VOYAGER

EMPEROR SERENITY

40m / 26 passengers

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EMPEROR SERENITY

EMPEROR VIRGO

32m / 18 passengers

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EMPEROR VIRGO

EMPEROR LEO

35m / 24 passengers

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EMPEROR LEO

CARPE NOVO

42m / 22 passengers

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CARPE NOVO

CARPE VITA

38m / 20 passengers

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CARPE VITA

CARPE DIEM

35m / 20 passengers

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CARPE DIEM

Maldives Resorts

ANGAGA ISLAND RESORT & SPA

South Ari Atoll

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ANGAGA ISLAND RESORT & SPA

BANDOS ISLAND RESORT

North Male Atoll

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BANDOS ISLAND RESORT

CINNAMON DHONVELI

North Male Atoll

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CINNAMON DHONVELI

ELLAIDHOO MALDIVES BY CINNAMON

North Ari Atoll

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ELLAIDHOO MALDIVES BY CINNAMON

ERIYADU ISLAND RESORT

North Male Atoll

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ERIYADU ISLAND RESORT

FILITHEYO ISLAND RESORT

Faafu Atoll

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FILITHEYO ISLAND RESORT

OBLU BY ATMOSPHERE AT HELENGELI

North Male Atoll

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OBLU HELENGELI

HONDAAFUSHI ISLAND RESORT

Haa Dhaalu Atoll

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HONDAAFUSHI ISLAND RESORT

HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT

Lhaviyani Atoll

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HURAWALHI ISLAND RESORT

INNAHURA MALDIVES RESORT

Lhaviyani Atoll

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INNAHURA MALDIVES RESORT

KIHAA MALDIVES

Baa Atoll

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KIHAA MALDIVES

KOMANDOO ISLAND RESORT

Lhaviyani Atoll

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KOMANDOO ISLAND RESORT

KUREDU ISLAND RESORT & SPA

Lhaviyani Atoll

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KUREDU ISLAND RESORT & SPA

MIRIHI ISLAND RESORT

South Ari Atoll

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MIRIHI ISLAND RESORT

NIKA ISLAND RESORT & SPA

North Ari Atoll

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NIKA ISLAND RESORT & SPA

REETHI BEACH RESORT

Baa Atoll

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REETHI BEACH RESORT

REETHI FARU RESORT

Raa Atoll

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REETHI FARU RESORT

THULHAGIRI ISLAND RESORT & SPA

North Male Atoll

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THULHAGIRI ISLAND RESORT & SPA

VELIGANDU ISLAND RESORT & SPA

Rhasdoo Atoll

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VELIGANDU ISLAND RESORT & SPA

VILAMENDHOO ISLAND RESORT & SPA

South Ari Atoll

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VILAMENDHOO ISLAND RESORT & SPA

Seen another Maldives resort listed elsewhere that is not shown here?

We have contract rates on file for over 100 resort islands throughout the Maldives, so if you have seen or heard about a particular resort that is not shown here, then please do ask us for information and prices.

Ready for your next adventure?

Great Escapes Diving Holidays Ltd

Combs Tannery
Tannery Road
Combs
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 2EN
United Kingdom

Office hours: Mondays to Fridays, 9am - 5pm
Tel: 01449 535010
Email: info@greatescapesdiving.com

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate

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