Explore Gnaviyani Atoll (Fuvahmulah Atoll)
Nestled in the Gnaviyani Atoll, Fuvahmulah is renowned for its unique dive experiences, making it a standout destination in the Maldives for both seasoned and adventurous divers. Unlike the multi-island atolls, Fuvahmulah is a solitary island enriched with freshwater lagoons and a remarkable variety of marine life. Its relatively untouched dive sites offer some of the most exceptional underwater encounters, comparable to world-famous locations like the Galapagos and Cocos Island.
Fuvahmulah's proximity to deep waters creates ideal conditions for spotting majestic marine giants. Divers can expect thrilling encounters with oceanic manta rays, thresher sharks, whale sharks, and hammerhead sharks—often all in a single dive. The occasional appearance of the elusive mola mola adds an element of surprise, delighting those fortunate enough to witness this prehistoric-looking creature. With its recently developed harbor and airport, the island is becoming more accessible, yet its reefs remain largely pristine, offering untainted and exhilarating diving adventures. This makes Fuvahmulah a must-visit for those seeking both challenge and wonder beneath the waves.
Dive Activity
Diving in Gnaviyani Atoll (Fuvahmulah Atoll)
There are limited sites on which to dive on Gnaviyani Atoll. There is only 1 dive centre and no dive resorts available, there are few options on where to stay. One of the best ways to dive Gnaviyani Atoll is by choosing a liveaboard. Not only is it the most economical choice, but it means you can see more.
The diving in Gnaviyani Atoll is challenging. The strong currents and proximity to deep (1000m+) make these dives only suitable for very advanced divers, some sources say over 100 dives are required. The walls and reefs can have ripping currents, and even when they don’t, hanging above a drop into kilometres of deep blue water can be intimidating for even for the most experienced divers.
Top Wildlife Sightings in Gnaviyani Atoll (Fuvahmulah Atoll)
The reefs in Gnaviyani Atoll are notably untouched and beautiful - with a healthy reef ecosystem to go with them. Though the corals and fish may draw in some to this southern atoll, the real prize is the big fish. All diving here opens onto the deep blue, giving you marine life encounters that are found nowhere else in the world. Giant oceanic manta rays loiter here for a few weeks every April, for no known reason. Tiger sharks (visible on almost every dive), threshers, huge hammerheads, whale sharks, oceanic white tips and even mola-mola are spotted here regularly. The normally exciting grey reef sharks and white tip reef sharks pale in comparison to their big brothers.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
Alamy/Fiona Ayerst
1.9k Sightings
J
154
F
274
M
322
A
211
M
120
J
28
J
57
A
64
S
125
O
140
N
241
D
171
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 3
Alamy/imageBROKER
Thresher Shark
169 Sightings
J
8
F
4
M
5
A
0
M
31
J
0
J
3
A
12
S
29
O
37
N
25
D
15
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
Alamy-WaterFrame
Moray Eel
144 Sightings
J
9
F
23
M
7
A
23
M
6
J
5
J
2
A
8
S
5
O
18
N
35
D
3
iStock-June Jacobsen
Whitetip Reef Shark
256 Sightings
J
21
F
19
M
26
A
20
M
13
J
6
J
10
A
11
S
18
O
36
N
47
D
29
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 130
Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
Butterfly Fish
159 Sightings
J
4
F
9
M
35
A
26
M
9
J
1
J
9
A
10
S
3
O
12
N
33
D
8
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 40
iStock-wrangel
Triggerfish
152 Sightings
J
5
F
21
M
31
A
23
M
10
J
1
J
10
A
4
S
7
O
20
N
16
D
4
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 100
iStock-burnsboxco
Parrotfish
150 Sightings
J
8
F
9
M
33
A
12
M
8
J
2
J
10
A
10
S
12
O
21
N
19
D
6
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 90
Shutterstock-Rich Carey
Angelfish
125 Sightings
J
6
F
4
M
31
A
13
M
7
J
2
J
4
A
12
S
3
O
11
N
23
D
9
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 28
Udo Kefrig
Clownfish
124 Sightings
J
11
F
3
M
21
A
8
M
10
J
0
J
7
A
2
S
14
O
10
N
30
D
8
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 15
Shutterstock-Al McGlashan
Tuna
102 Sightings
J
11
F
22
M
23
A
15
M
5
J
1
J
2
A
5
S
3
O
5
N
7
D
3
Top Gnaviyani Atoll (Fuvahmulah Atoll) Dive Sites
Gnaviyani Atoll diving is available all year round but there are seasons which provide better conditions. The dry season from December to April has low, warm winds and minimal rainfall. The long hours of sunshine and the still, clear waters make this the perfect time for a diving holiday.
The rainy season is from June to November. Though the conditions still provide plenty of sunshine, the increased rainfall and changing direction of the wind means that the water will become choppier. Diving will still be fantastic but some liveaboards may not operate when the weather is bad, so check beforehand.
