Explore Maldives Underwater: Diving Holidays Milaidhoo Island

Diving Holidays in the Maldives offer one of the best scuba diving experiences in the world. The northern part of the Maldivian archipelago is popular among scuba divers for its clear, calm waters. Explore its depths to discover the marvels that live beneath the surface. The  Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is famous for its manta ray site at Hanifaru Bay and its other forty dive spots. Where you will see an abundance of tropical fish and corals, whale sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, giant frogfish and so much more.  

While staying at Milaidhoo Maldives you will have the opportunity to experience numerous dive sites with Ocean Stories Dive Centre. Grab you gear and discover these standout reefs and thila’s. 

Dive with Manta Rays and Whale Sharks 

Angafaru, close to Hanifaru Bay, is a large oval-shaped reef that consists of several thila’s hosting manta rays during the south west monsoon season from mid-May to November. The main cleaning station for manta rays is Dhigu Thila. Feeding also regularly occurs here, as well as inside Angafaru Falhu and on top of Dhonfanu Thila, one of the best long reefs in Baa Atoll. This submerged reef consists of a pinnacle that comes to a point with a narrow swim through. A short swim away is Dhonfanu Rock where you will find black coral, green turtles, snappers, and batfish. Whale Sharks are yet another rare marine species that divers can encounter. Diving Angafaru reef will give you a chance to get up close and personal with these gentle giants of the ocean. 

Dive with Nurse Sharks 

At Kakka Thila will find eagle rays and soft yellow corals on both sides of this reef. On the west side there is a cross over to the main reef, covered in soft yellow corals. In the deeper overhangs you can often spot nurse sharks, octopus, sting rays and schools of banner fish. Nurse sharks are slow moving which provide divers with an opportunity to observe them for longer periods of time. Adult nurse sharks range in colour from tan to dark brown, whereas juvenile nurse sharks have a spotted pigmentation.  

Milaidhoo Wall  

The Milaidhoo house reef is home to thousands of tropical fish including trumpetfish, blacktip reef sharks, surgeonfish, jackfish, and butterflyfish. The reef edge, known as the Milaidhoo Wall, is covered in soft, yellow-coloured corals. Dive the wall when there is a light current to see the corals open and discover hundreds of colourful fish inhabiting the shallows.  

Spot the Masters of Disguise  

Daravandu Thila is a narrow, curved thila that offers an interesting seascape of leaf scorpion fish and ghost pipe fish. Both are difficult to spot as they effectively camouflage themselves among the corals, algae, and seagrass. There are three different species of ghost pipe fish in Maldives –  ornate, halimeda, and robust. Ornate types disguise themselves among the soft corals, Halimeda hang around algae and robust imitate seagrass. In season, manta rays, honeycomb moray eels, oriental sweetlips and blue striped snappers frequent Daravandu.  

Exotic Schooling Fish Displays  

Dhigali Haa is a beautiful thila with a small canyon on the west and north and overhangs covered with soft corals and anemones. Here is where you are likely to see spinner dolphins. The thila hosts a variety of schooling fish such as fusiliers and blue-striped snapper which provide beautiful underwater displays. Giant trevallies and skipjack and yellowfin tuna hunt them mostly in the early morning or in the late afternoon. These aggressive predators are opportunistic hunters and target schools of fish.  

Big Fish Diving 

Scores of reef sharks, rays, and schools of barracuda and jackfish are abundant on Orimas Thila. This dive site is ideal for watching quietly while communities of mega fauna, from small juveniles to adults rollock around the thila. 

The Blue Abyss 

Dive into the deep abyss of the Blue Hole. This is an exciting drift dive for experienced divers only. The current splits in the middle of the reef and divers are steered by its strong flow. Here you will see frogfish, sting ray, turtles, and moral eels. Frogfish are some of the more unusual fish you will see in the Maldives.  

Contact us at [email protected] or call 960 660 7788 to plan your underwater adventure at one of the Maldives’ top snorkelling and dive resorts. For the latest news, exclusive offers, and to follow the story of our small island, subscribe to our newsletter.