For underwater lovers, nothing comes close to the pleasure of diving in the Maldives. This collection of 1,190 atolls and islands that string together like teardrops in the Indian Ocean, offer divers of all ages and experience the chance to marvel at an unspoilt underwater world.
With a choice of two stunning islands to stay on, Sun Hotels & Resorts offers not just amazing accommodation and excellent resort facilities, but also the exceptional services of a Sun International Diving School with PADI Gold Palm status which can be found at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort and Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort.
Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort (South Malé Atoll)
The diving sites around this four-star 133-room resort have everything to offer. The long house reef is beautiful and safe and ideal for those learning to dive.
But what makes Olhuveli so special and popular with divers from all over the world is the access to over 35 dive sites, making it possible to dive with whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, turtles, tuna, Napoleon fish and even dolphins.
Dive in Maldives
Experienced divers will enjoy a 30-metre reef channel drift dive where they can be serenaded by surgeon fish dancing around the air bubbles from the airtank or come face-to-face with black tip and hammer head sharks as they hang out on the flat sand shelf of the reef’s edge.
Vilu Reef Beach & Spa Resort (South Nilandhe Atoll)
This authentic Maldivian 122-room resort has much to offer but its greatest assets are something that no other resort can boast because it’s natural: one side of the island is a protected lagoon and the other is a beautiful reef ideal for snorkelling and diving. The variety of corals and reef fish are greater than in any other atoll and the diving easier because of the wide channels and the shallower drop-offs.
Resort in Maldives
After the sun sets, the underwater world truly comes to life and a night dive at Vilu Reef is thoroughly recommended. With the aid of powerful torches, on an 18-metre depth dive see moray eels poke their heads out of holes in the rock face, a turtle silhouette, large lobsters scuttle across the underside of the reef and even sharks as they do their rounds on a fish hunt. Turn the powerful torch beams off and relish the feeling of floating in space.
With impressively modern equipment, large and fast dive boats and multi-lingual staff on-hand, the Sun International Diving Schools at Olhuveli and Vilu Reef focus on taking small groups out ensuring an amazing diving experience for all. Whether to learn, develop or enhance, there are diving courses to suit everyone; from beginners wishing to dip a toe in the underwater world with a Discover Scuba course or an open-water PADI qualification to speciality training for drift diving and nitrox and re-breather courses.
Turtles in Maldives
The Maldives has an average sea water temperature of 28C and with clear visibility, sometimes exceeding 50 metres, it is no wonder that this is known as one of the best places on earth to dive.
Tropical Sky Scuba Diving (www.holidays4scubadiving.co.uk / 0845 543 2184) is offering seven nights at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort from £1,549 per person (saving £950 per person). Available for selected departures in October, the price includes flights from Gatwick with Qatar, accommodation in a deluxe water villa on a full-board basis, taxes, seaplane transfers and surcharges. Diving is bookable in resort and costs from US$175 for two dives, including all equipment and a check dive. Unlimited dive packages are also available.
Travel Related Topics:
- maldives diving (10)