Maldives – Deep South

South of Vaavu the atolls grow larger and emptier. Meemu, Thaa and Laamu have long, current-swept channels with grey reef sharks and mantas, and vast Huvadhoo has deep kandus that attract big pelagics. Fuvahmulah, a lone island on the equator, is famous for daily tiger shark dives at Tiger Harbour plus thresher sharks, seasonal hammerheads and oceanic mantas. Addu, the southernmost atoll, offers the Maa Kandu manta station and the British Loyalty, the Maldives' largest wreck. Most diving is done on advanced liveaboard routes in the north-east monsoon, or from local dive centres reached by domestic flights.

Facts

Best season: Deep-south liveaboards run mainly December–March/April in the north-east monsoon (Iruvai, roughly Dec/Jan–Mar; onset varies by year). Fuvahmulah: tiger sharks at Tiger Harbour daily year-round (best visibility Dec–Apr); scalloped hammerheads best Jan–Mar (also around new and full moon); thresher sharks year-round at deep cleaning stations and shallower Apr–Nov; oceanic mantas around Mar–May; whale sharks possible ~Jan–May. Addu: reef mantas at the Maa Kandu cleaning station on the morning incoming current; Meemu's Kurali Kandu is known for mantas in the north-east monsoon — check current
Water temperature: Generally 26–29 °C; in the far south it can drop to about 24 °C during the north-east monsoon, so a 5 mm suit or hood is worth considering. Tiger dives at Fuvahmulah require a dark, full-length suit
Visibility: Oceanic water around Fuvahmulah and Addu is often clear (around 30 m reported at Addu's Manta Point); visibility is generally best December–April, lower in plankton-rich periods
Currents: Huvadhoo, Laamu, Thaa and Meemu channels can be very strong and unpredictable, and many dives are below 18 m; operators ask for Advanced/Deep certification, nitrox and around 100 logged dives on southern routes. Fuvahmulah's outer reefs have strong currents and vortexes (Thundi, Farikede), while Addu's currents are comparatively gentle
Getting there: Fly into Velana (MLE), then take a domestic flight to Gan (GAN, Addu), Fuvahmulah (FVM; about 80–90 minutes), Kooddoo (GKK, Gaafu Alifu), Kaadedhdhoo (KDM, Gaafu Dhaalu), Kadhdhoo (KDO, Laamu), Thimarafushi (TMF, Thaa) or Muli (MUM, Meemu). Southern liveaboards often start or end at Kooddoo or Gan with a domestic flight to/from Malé; Fuvahmulah dive packages often include the flight
Fuvahmulah tiger shark dive rules: Codes of conduct agreed in 2024–25 with Fuvahmulah City Council and local operators: stay at least 5 m from the sharks and the bait/fish heads, kneel on the seabed and stay up-current, no touching or chasing, no flash, strobes or video lights, dark full-length suits (hood and gloves recommended), max 4 divers per guide, at least 3 guides and max 20 divers per dive, no hand-feeding and no marlin/billfish bait. The council's 2023 rules also banned feeding and touching and capped divers at 35; a local dive fee applies (e.g. USD 30 charged by one liveaboard) — check current
Depth & decompression limits: Under the Maldives Recreational Diving Regulation (2003) the maximum depth for all recreational diving is 30 m, also on liveaboards; entry-level divers are limited to 20 m until trained in deep diving. Only no-decompression diving is allowed, and diving less than 12 hours before a flight is prohibited. A technical/research-diving amendment allowing deeper dives was announced in 2026 after a fatal cave accident — check current
Dive computer & night-dive kit: The 2003 regulation requires a time/depth device, alternate air source, SMB-style signalling device and 'highly recommends' a dive computer; in practice operators treat a computer as mandatory (e.g. a resort price list states it is compulsory in the Maldives). Night dives require every diver to carry a torch and a night signalling device, and the boat must have a search light. A 3-minute safety stop at 5 m is required after every dive
Marine Protected Areas: Activities harmful to Marine Protected Areas and protected species are banned under the Environment Protection and Preservation Act (4/93); many classic dive sites are protected. Typical decree bans include anchoring, removing coral or sand, feeding wildlife, harming or catching marine life (only traditional bait fishing allowed) and lighting the area at night; anchor only in sand or use moorings. Rules differ site by site — check current
Shark protection & feeding: Shark feeding by divers and dive staff is prohibited by the diving regulation. Shark fishing has been banned since 2010; in October 2025 a licensed gulper-shark fishery was reopened outside the atolls, but catching any other shark species remains prohibited — check current
Manta & whale shark etiquette: Manta Trust-based code: enter the water quietly at least 10 m away, never approach closer than 3 m, no touching or chasing, let the manta come to you, no flash. Whale sharks: no touching, keep your distance and do not block the shark's path; boats should go slowly near sharks
Green tax: Since 1 January 2025: USD 12 per guest per night at resorts, hotels, guesthouses with more than 50 rooms and tourist vessels (liveaboards); USD 6 at guesthouses on inhabited islands with 50 rooms or fewer (the rates doubled in 2025). Liveaboards usually collect it on board — check current

Season

Best months: Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr
Acceptable: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Water temperature: 24–29 °C

For Fuvahmulah the dry season (January to April) is best and tiger sharks peak December to April, though they can be dived year-round. Water is 26–29 C January–April and 24–26 C May–December. Currents and swell make it advanced. Data for Addu and Gaafu Dhaalu is thin.

Dive sites (42)

Fuvahmulah

Bilhifeyshi – 5–40 m, intermediate
Bodo Fanno (Sea Fans) – 14–35 m, intermediate
Farikede – 10–40 m, advanced
Neregando – intermediate
Rasgefanno – 5–30 m, beginner
Thoondu – 5–30 m, advanced
Tiger Harbour – 5–15 m, intermediate
Tiger Wall – intermediate

Addu

Bodu Hoholha – intermediate
British Loyalty – 15–33 m, intermediate
Bushy East Channel – 5–25 m, intermediate
Gan Inside – 5–14 m, beginner
Kuda Hoholha – 6–30 m, advanced
Kuda Kandu Corner – 5–25 m, intermediate
Maa Kandu (Mudakan Manta Point) – 15–30 m, advanced
Maakandu Outside – 5–30 m, beginner
Meeddhoo Outside – 15–30 m, advanced
Mulikolhu Fara – 5–12 m, beginner
Turtle Point – 5–30 m, intermediate

Laamu

Deep Thila – 8–32 m, intermediate
Fish Thila – 3–28 m, beginner
Fushi Kandu – 5–30 m, advanced
Hithadhoo Corner – 8–25 m, intermediate
Maabaidhoo Kandu – 30 m, advanced
Maava Kandu – intermediate
Muniyafushi Kandu – intermediate
Vadinoloo Kandu – advanced

Thaa

Dhiyamigili Corner – 30 m, intermediate
Guraidhoo Corner (Thaa) – 10–30 m, advanced
Kuda Haa (Thaa) – advanced
Olhugiri Kandu – 10–30 m, advanced

Huvadhoo (Gaafu Alifu & Dhaalu)

Gemanafushi Blue – advanced
Kondey Kandu – intermediate
Kooddoo Kandu – 15–40 m, advanced
Maarehaa Kandu – 8–30 m, advanced
Nilandhoo Kandu – 10–30 m, advanced
Vilingili Kandu – 20–40 m, advanced

Meemu

Kurali Corner – 30 m, intermediate
Kurali Kandu Manta Point – intermediate
Medhufushi Thila – 4–35 m, beginner
Mulah Kandu – 10–30 m, advanced
Vanhuravalhi Kandu – 20–40 m, advanced

Operators (9)

Emperor Divers Maldives (Emperor liveaboards) – liveaboard, Malé (deep-south trips end/start at Gan or Kooddoo)
Blue Force Fleet (Maldives Blue Force One & Blue Force 3) – liveaboard, Malé / Kooddoo / Gan
Scubaspa (Yin & Yang) – liveaboard, Malé / Kooddoo / Gan
The Residence Maldives at Dhigurah – Dive Centre – resort, Dhigurah, Gaafu Alifu (Huvadhoo)
Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah – dive centre, Fuvahmulah
Fuvahmulah Dive School (Fuvahmulah Dive) – dive centre, Fuvahmulah harbour
Extreme Dive Fuvahmulah – dive centre, Funaadu, Fuvahmulah (jetty by Oivaali Cafe)
Liquid Shark Divers Fuvahmulah – dive centre, Fuvahmulah
Aquaventure Dive Center – dive centre, Maradhoo, Addu

Routes (6)

Site positions are approximate unless marked otherwise and are for orientation only — never for navigation. Maldivian channel dives can have strong currents: dive within the 30 m legal limit, carry a surface marker buoy and always dive with a local guide.