Liveaboard Diving in Male Atoll

Male Atoll Liveaboard dive sites

Male Atoll is technically termed Kaafu Atoll, but by any name, it is the classic Maldives, best known and explored of all Maldives atolls. Male is divided into North and South Male Atolls, both of which were the first in the country to open to tourism, though the south opened before the north and still sports more resorts and dive sites. North Male has beloved manta cleaning stations, great topography, and a couple of coral gardens on par with some of the nicest reefs worldwide. South Male is famous for its kandus, channels that bring ripping currents of nutrient-rich water from the open ocean into the atoll, along with big pelagic fish following the food. While sharks are plentiful in North and South Male, the southern atoll is best known for them. The north, however, is better preserved and a bit quieter.

Manta Point may be the most famous dive site in North Male Atoll. Its name speaks for itself- when you visit, get ready to see more mantas than you can keep track of, sharks, and other reef denizens. Nowhere else in the Maldives can you jump in the water to see mantas so close to your arrival at an international airport. The other top North Male location is Girifushi Thila, recognized as one of the premier Maldives dive sites. The current here is full-time, so expect a drift dive alongside scenery of colorful soft corals and water full of fish, including rays, sharks, and tuna.

The variety of dive sites in North Male Atoll caters to every taste. One of the best-loved and first-discovered is Banana Reef, which still showcases healthy thickets of branching corals. Along the curve of this banana-shaped reef, giant grouper and morays can be found. A huge school of bannerfish hangs in the current at the edge, and a few incredible caverns call for an investigation. In another area, the impressive 100-meter Maldives Victory Wreck has enjoyed over thirty years of colonization by creatures of the sea. Luckily, there's a line for ascents and descents because the current can be strong. Once you find your sheltered areas, enjoy the big and small fish and invertebrates, with many that wreck their home.

More sharks are available at Miyaru Faru, where divers watch the blue-water show from the safety of an overhang on the wall. The incoming current at Miyaru Faru brings crystal-clear water and pelagics, including manta rays, eagle rays, tuna, and more. And for inexperienced divers, North Male actually has great sites available. Two stunning dive sites relatively free of current are Hans Haas Place, with plenty of overhangs and little caves, and Back Faru, which offers good reef and pelagic life in incredibly low-stress conditions.

South Male Atoll's six big channels, or kandus, are not known for coral, but they have amazing pelagic life, big schools of fish, and tons of sharks. Cocoa Thila is one of the most famous South Male dive sites. If you've got the perfect amount of current, you can see rays and all the rest; luckily, there are some dips and caverns in the topography where divers can rest as they watch the goings-on. Cocoa Thila is a big pinnacle rooted in deep, deep water, located on the perimeter of South Male Atoll. This means you may be doing a drift dive in the same currency that brings the big ocean life.

Guraidhoo Kandu South is actually many sites under one name. This large area cannot be covered in only one dive, and its topography adds to the feeling of many different dive sites. Here, divers can submerge on a vertical or horizontal plane, from walls to flats, channels, and caves. At Guraidhoo Kandu South, sharks glide along the waterways while tons of different reef denizens enjoy their holes and hiding places. However, for buckets of sharks, it's Embudhoo Kandu that South Male offers at the top of the list. Embudhoo Kandu hosts a healthy population of white-tip and grey-reef sharks. Its marine protected area was established to ensure that's the case forever.

Besides Cocoa Thila, Kandooma Thila is the premier South Male Atoll dive site. At a thin channel along the side of this Thila, an intense current brings a crazy amount of activity, including schools of barracuda and other big predators. Kandooma Thila is another dive where current must be dealt with; the pinnacle provides shelter during parts of the dive, but you'll eventually drift into the blue with a marker buoy for the ending. Other South Male dive sites include Vadhoo Caves and Kuda Giri Wreck. At Vadhoo Caves, one cave after another offers the chance to chill with reef inhabitants among a garden of colorful soft corals while watching sharks glide by in the adjacent open water. At Kuda Giri Wreck, inexperienced divers can jump in the water to explore the artificial reef and its inhabitants with little or no current.

Itinerary details

The length of liveaboard itineraries in Male Atoll usually ranges from 7 to 10 nights, with a budget of over 200 to 350 euros per night. Male Atoll liveaboards go almost everywhere within the Maldives; there is a tour to fit virtually every diver's particular passions and timeframe. The shortest trips loop in the central atolls, sometimes dividing the tours into north-central and south-central options to fit in more of Ari or Baa (to the north) or Vaavu/Meemu (to the south). Check out Scubaspa Ying, Yang, and many other boats for these classic Maldives itineraries. Larger and larger loops or traverses go farther afield in all directions (for example, liveaboards include Carpe Vita and Carpe Diem). Liveaboards in Male Atoll are mostly MV yachts and luxury yachts.

The experience level required by Baa Atoll liveaboards ranges from zero to 100 logged dives, with a certification level of Open Water for some boats and Advanced Open Water for others. Entry-level divers can find some offerings around Male, but in general, expect many of the dives to be drifts, especially in kandus the southern area.

Liveaboard departures

Malé is the main liveaboard departure location in the Maldives and the country's capital city. It is located on the southern edge of North Male Atoll. The main Male liveaboard departure port is Hulhule, next to the Male airport, making it virtually possible to jump off a plane and hop onto a boat. Divers bound for Male Atoll can take direct flights from Dubai, Singapore, and Colombo. Longer international flights from Europe, America, China, India, and Australia are also readily available, often connecting through the above-mentioned airports.

Best time to travel

Diving is possible in Male Atoll all year round, but the northeast monsoon from December to May allows the calmest surface conditions and the least rain. However, even during the wetter part of the year, Male Atoll receives fewer downpours from June to November than areas farther south in the country. Mantas are present throughout the year. The water temperature usually stays between 26 and 29 C, and visibility between 15 and 30 meters.


Male Atoll Diving Reviews

  • 9.2 Superb
  • 317 Verified Reviews
  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Margaret Sheryl W
  • United States United States

So many fish—so little time!!!

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Scubaspa Ying

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Dana T
  • United States United States

Saw manta and many blue fusilier

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Klinger C
  • United States United States

Unique. Plenty of animals and colors.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Kenneth M
  • United States United States

One dive was terrible. The next was good.

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Blue Force One

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Lindsay F
  • United States United States

We saw tons of sharks in Male.

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Emperor Voyager

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Saaliha K
  • United States United States

Great! Lots of sting rays in the area!

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Sachika

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Christopher C
  • United States United States

Had some of my great dives here. I won’t spoil it for you. The Sachika will show you the way

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Sachika

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Anne H
  • United States United States

So many pretty soft corals.

Diving Male Atoll in October on the Sachika

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Jane R
  • United States United States

North Male is not my favorite, but I really enjoyed the sites we did on S. Male Atoll. Healthy corals, and signs of new/improving growth.

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Blue Voyager

  • 9.2 Superb
  • DAVID H
  • United States United States

Tons of fish and other marine life.

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Horizon 3

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • RACHEL D
  • United States United States

Wonderful! Mantas, whale sharks, reef sharks, soooo many beautiful schools of fish.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Horizon 3

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Whitney H
  • United States United States

Fabulous. So many fish and wildlife it felt like you were in an aquarium.

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Emperor Virgo

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Seth G
  • United States United States

Male diving was good. Lower visibility, but saw tiger and bull sharks near the harbor

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Carpe Novo

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Blanca G
  • United States United States

Beautiful Lots of marine life.

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Maldives Aggressor II

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • David E
  • United States United States

Loved Maagiri! Great visability and SOOO many fish.

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Karen J
  • United States United States

Too much shark & fish feeding going on. Lots of boats

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Princess Sara

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Robert H
  • United States United States

Good. Less variety in fish, but sharks and rays

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Emperor Serenity

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Karl E
  • United States United States

Visibility improving, no current to speak of, very relaxed diving

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Emperor Leo

  • 7.6 Good
  • Matilde S
  • United States United States

Snorkeling was great but the reefs were all dead here. We swam with nurse sharks here. It was fantastic.

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Princess Dhonkamana

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Melissa C
  • United States United States

I enjoyed the dive with the sting rays

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Nautilus Two

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Laura S
  • United States United States

The best dive site was the one near the city tuna plant with all the sharks and rays (Nerumathie). There were also some lovely reefs with lots of life (my favorites are the sea cucumbers)

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Princess Sara

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Kazushige T
  • Japan Japan

I was sorry that no manta came out.

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Nautilus Two

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Manuela G
  • Italy Italy

Ok to get started at the beginning of the trip

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 7.6 Good
  • Benjamin K
  • Germany Germany

Fish tank is always worth a visit - Especially between 4 and 6 pm.

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Soleil 2

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Barra O
  • Canada Canada

Great diving, the weather was better there. Our check out dive we had Mantas, great way to start the week.

Diving Male Atoll in October on the Ocean Sapphire

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Jensy H
  • Belgium Belgium

Good, but crowded at times

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Carpe Vita

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Samuel F
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Diving was great, wide range of fish and great rays

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Carpe Diem

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Arundeep K
  • Australia Australia

Male Atol was a bit crowded but dive sites are full of life so good

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Carpe Diem

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • David H
  • Switzerland Switzerland

The highlight of the Male Atoll was the visit of the manta cleaning stations.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Carpe Vita

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Emil D
  • United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates

I think we were a bit spoilt in the other Atoll's so diving was less amazing in Male than elsewhere, but i would have to say that it was still good.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Ocean Sapphire

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Ozgur T
  • Canada Canada

Poor visibility and marine life not very healty

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Carpe Novo

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Jorge R
  • Spain Spain

Full of life and started to enjoy it from day 1!

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • yann R
  • France France

Wreck dive interesting Fish factory not so much

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Emperor Serenity

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Elisabeth A
  • Norway Norway

Great to see all the sharks, but the 3 dives in the channel were much alike. I very much liked the wreck with the pinneackle next to it because of many colours.

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Soleil 2

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Andrea R
  • Brazil Brazil

Not so good visibility but the dive with the many rays and guitar shark was good.

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Soleil 2

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Foong Kiew N
  • Malaysia Malaysia

Pleasant surprise at fish factory..although the natural behaviour of creatures been alter by human feeding

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Emperor Serenity

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Chris L
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Best I have ever experienced

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Emperor Serenity

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Romain M
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong

Male attoll is mostly check dive, it s an easy one to get back to diving

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Emperor Serenity

  • 8.4 Very good
  • andre V
  • Netherlands Netherlands

good, South Male is better than north with some good sites like Kandooma.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Sachika

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Phillip F
  • Germany Germany

Great experience, I wouldn't know how to top this.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Sachika

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Agata P
  • Poland Poland

Mediocre. Visibility was not very good, not a lot to see in terms of sea life.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Princess Rani

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Vasilij S
  • Lithuania Lithuania

Some rays, sharks and pipe fishes , good dive =)

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Emperor Leo

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Juha V
  • Finland Finland

Nice basic diving would go any day again! Lots to see. Good visibity.

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Carpe Diem

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Rahool D
  • India India

It was basic and good for beginners and a wide variety of marine life

Diving Male Atoll in March on the Sachika

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • andre M
  • Netherlands Netherlands

Really nice Especially fishtank (murenes)

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Carpe Diem

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Matthias G
  • Germany Germany

Great visibility, small current and lots of shark life. Healthy reefs, turtles, rays... exceptional experience!

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Carpe Diem

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • sonia M
  • Germany Germany

Great to start checking our skills

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Princess Dhonkamana

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Nicole H
  • Switzerland Switzerland

Nice but not super special

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Horizon 3

  • 8.4 Very good
  • andre V
  • Netherlands Netherlands

Decent but north Male is becoming crowded and the reefs are damaged.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Carpe Vita

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Fernando R
  • Italy Italy

Many fishes, colorfull coral reef in very good condition too and many sharks an turtles.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Horizon 3

  • 7.2 Good
  • Tamara T
  • Denmark Denmark

At Male harbor, behind the fish factory there were hundreds of sting ray and some guitar sharks. But you hear the sound of boats all the time

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Horizon 3

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Tejasvi R
  • India India

Male Atolls were more on the average side - they were crowded, with poor visibility and heavy currents

Diving Male Atoll in November on the Princess Dhonkamana

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Michael H
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Plenty of fish life - all the usual suspects put in an appearance. Pity about the lack of healthy corals - coral bleaching has certainly taken its toll. Not one gorgonian sea fan in evidence, just stumps where they used to be.

Diving Male Atoll in November on the Blue Voyager

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Richard C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Simply stunning watching the Mantas.

Diving Male Atoll in November on the Emperor Serenity

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Niv B
  • Israel Israel

Wow saw a lot of big stuff like whaleshark

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Sachika

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • 슬기 김
  • South Korea South Korea

Very nice, sharktastic experience

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Emperor Explorer

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Gary C
  • Australia Australia

More eels than I've ever seen !

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Susan C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Good. Night diving is a must even if you are not a fan of night dives!

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Alison W
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Good more reef dives would have been good

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Blue Force One

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Ella C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Great wildlife, guides knew the dive sites well, although visibility wasn’t always the best

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Carpe Vita

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Elisa Analia M
  • Chile Chile

Nice Corals and dibersity of sharks

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Emperor Leo

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Marion S
  • Switzerland Switzerland

more touristic and many divers and snorklers, some nice reefs

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Emperor Serenity

  • 9.2 Superb
  • sean C
  • Canada Canada

Visibility was not the best but lots to see

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Sachika

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Christoph P
  • Switzerland Switzerland

due to weather conditions a bite rough, but overall good

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Emperor Explorer

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Jolene H
  • Singapore Singapore

Surprisingly good, so many sting rays just in North Male

Diving Male Atoll in May on the Adora

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • ANURAG B
  • India India

Really good..but will recommend to come here during season time as the visibility was just ok....

Diving Male Atoll in June on the Amba Liveaboard

  • 7.2 Good
  • Stephen S
  • Australia Australia

reasonable, with poor visibility

Diving Male Atoll in June on the Carpe Vita

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Lucas M
  • Germany Germany

Many stingrays. Awesome as well.

Diving Male Atoll in June on the Emperor Leo

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Naseef V
  • India India

Perfect for macro photography.

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Sachika

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Michael B
  • Germany Germany

Great, the variety of fishes, sharks, corals, are incredible!

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Emperor Virgo

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Michael A
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Diving at Hulhumalé was depressingly bad, the water is full of junk.

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Carpe Vita

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Daniel A
  • Switzerland Switzerland

Unfortunately most dives with poor visibility but still a lot of fishes (in particular huge sting rays) to encounter.

Diving Male Atoll in October on the Horizon 3

  • 9.2 Superb
  • David F
  • Switzerland Switzerland

Good. Especially the Manta and the dive in front of Male port entrance with sharks and rays

Diving Male Atoll in November on the Horizon 3

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Ingemar H
  • Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Great, sharks and mantas of all types

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Princess Sara

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Rafael M
  • Brazil Brazil

Nice dive with lots of coral and plenty of sealife

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Maldives Aggressor II

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Mark R
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Good, great intro dives and good immediate shark action!

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Emperor Serenity

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Pei Li Y
  • Singapore Singapore

Little currents, sites are good also

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Amba Liveaboard

  • 7.6 Good
  • Leandro S
  • Brazil Brazil

Not so good reef conditions

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Emperor Explorer

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Cornelis E
  • Netherlands Netherlands

Great easy diving, with chances to see cool stuff!

Diving Male Atoll in January on the Soleil 2

  • 6.8 Review score
  • Anders R
  • Sweden Sweden

We did not appropriate the Phase 1 dive site out side the tuna factory. It felt artificial and unnatural with all the shark and sting rays. Overall we did 3 dives on similar places and the was to much.

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Princess Sara

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Rishi S
  • Canada Canada

Coral bleaching, but still good diving

Diving Male Atoll in March on the Emperor Serenity

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Jamie Q
  • Singapore Singapore

Fan-damn-tastic, exciting drift dives, beautiful landscapes

Diving Male Atoll in March on the Princess Rani

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Cecilia W
  • Sweden Sweden

Channel dives were amazing

Diving Male Atoll in March on the Scubaspa Yang

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Annett P
  • Germany Germany

Leider waren fast überall die Korallen kaputt.

Diving Male Atoll in March on the Amba Liveaboard

  • 8.0 Very good
  • luis fernando R
  • Spain Spain

kandu OK, rest of dives crowded and not worth it. Male port diving worths a try to see sharks but is quite ugly

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Blue Force One

  • 8.0 Very good
  • Victoria S
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Pretty good….vis wasn’t always great here.

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Maldives Aggressor II

  • 6.8 Review score
  • Bruce L
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

The “new” site of Hulhumale wall provided some close stingray encounters as well as sightings of tiger and spinner sharks.

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Sachika

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Ella C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

South Male atoll - saw grey reef sharks, leopard / zebra shark, lots of rays

Diving Male Atoll in April on the Blue Voyager

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Fabienne M
  • Switzerland Switzerland

We saw sharks, schools of rays and many more..

Diving Male Atoll in June on the Horizon 3

  • 8.4 Very good
  • Paul C
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom

Good checkout location. Low stress nothing too exciting.

Diving Male Atoll in July on the Maldives Aggressor II

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Cham Wing S
  • Hong Kong Hong Kong

Good, many sharks and Mantas

Diving Male Atoll in August on the Blue Voyager

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Bea G
  • Switzerland Switzerland

great with lots of eagle rays

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Princess Dhonkamana

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Ofir H
  • Israel Israel

Nice, lots of murray eels and fish

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Sachika

  • 10.0 Exceptional
  • Simon T
  • Switzerland Switzerland

Great fish life and corals.

Diving Male Atoll in September on the Carpe Novo

  • 8.8 Fabulous
  • Christian L
  • Germany Germany

spetacular - see tiger shark

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Princess Sara

  • 9.6 Exceptional
  • Bernard S
  • Singapore Singapore

Unrated with excellent dive sites for sharks, manta and rays.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Princess Sara

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Kee Wee T
  • Singapore Singapore

more sharks and all kinds of sharks.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Princess Sara

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Piotr D
  • Poland Poland

Central Atols are super - a lot of amazing animals

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Blue Voyager

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Leda Cecilia S
  • Japan Japan

Visibility was great, plenty of marine life.

Diving Male Atoll in December on the Blue Voyager

  • 9.2 Superb
  • Ahmad R
  • Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia

Very good dive sites with sharks. Medium to string current sometimes, use of reef hooks is highly recommended. Water temperature is at 29C.

Diving Male Atoll in February on the Emperor Explorer