Lhaviyani Atoll, nestled in the Northern Atolls of the Maldives, is a diver's paradise renowned for its proximity to Malé and its captivating underwater landscapes. With only 5 of its 54 islands inhabited, it offers a tranquil yet exciting dive experience. The Atoll is home to over 50 dive sites, including the famed Aquarium, where divers of all levels can encounter guitar sharks and hawksbill turtles. For those seeking a thrill, Madivaru Kandu offers a challenging channel dive with sightings of graceful eagle rays.
The Atoll is celebrated for its pinnacle and drift dives, embodying the quintessential Maldivian topography. Among its standout features is The Shipyard wreck site, where two boats rest close to each other, with one breaching the surface, creating a striking visual. Another highlight includes the Skipjack wrecks, with Skipjack 1 sitting upright at 15 meters/49 feet and Skipjack 2 resting on its side at 28 meters/91 feet. These sites offer divers a glimpse into the vibrant marine life that thrives in the Maldivian waters, making Lhaviyani Atoll a must-visit for any dive enthusiast.
Like most Maldivian Atolls, diving in Lhaviyani Atoll is characterised by 2 major structures: submerged pinnacles (thilas or giris) and channels (kandus). The thilas allow reef diving that can be catered to all levels in most cases due to the gentle slope of the site. The kandus allow drift diving, which can be beginner friendly or advanced level depending on the specific dive site.
Lhaviyani Atoll also offers some unique diving opportunities in the Maldives. It is one of the few atolls with diveable wrecks. Actually, in this case, there are 2 - spaced only 40m apart! This dive site can even be seen from the surface as one of these boats lies with its hull protruding above the water.
There are several dive resorts to choose from in Lhaviyani Atoll. Many of these are catered to the higher end of the price range. There are dive centres available on some of the certain islands - the easiest way to find the nearest one to you is to check with the staff at the hotel you are staying at.
As ever in the Maldives, if you are planning on diving a lot, a liveaboard may be the best way to go. You know at the offset how many dives you will get and how much the price will be. Due to Lhaviyani Atolls location close to Malé, there is a wider selection of liveaboards to choose from. Another benefit is that you may end up seeing a bigger variety of sites.
There is marine life to satisfy even the pickiest divers on Lhaviyani Atoll. For those interested in investigating the benthic life on the reef, peering in amongst the rocks will yield nudibranch, tiny shrimp and even lobsters in the bigger overhangs. Sharp eyes can also spot masters of disguise like pipefish, leaf scorpionfish and frogfish blending in with the soft corals.
For those more interested in the larger species, you will not be disappointed. Even just glancing over the reef will yield swarms of brightly coloured butterflyfish, angelfish, damselfish and the translucent glassfish. Out in the blue there are schooling fusiliers, snappers and sweetlips. Turtles , stingrays, reef sharks and eagle rays are frequent visitors to many sites as well. Depending on the season, site and conditions, it is also possible to glimpse grey reef sharks, whale sharks and manta rays.
Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 25
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 200
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 600
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 300
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 27
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 80
The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.
Total number of species: 100
The diving in Lhaviyani atoll can differ depending on the time of year. Though there is no time of the year when you should definitely not dive, there are a few things to bear in mind.
The months of December - May tend to be known as the dry (or high) season. The rainfall and wind are minimal which makes for fantastic dive conditions. The water is clear and calm and everything you could want for a dive holiday in the sun! The only downside to this time of year is that the prices will be at their highest.
May to November is technically known as the monsoon season. Though there is increased rainfall and winds, it is still possible to have fantastic diving conditions during this time. The exception is the month of June, during which the seas can sometimes be too choppy - this is important to bear in mind if you are planning on diving at this time. On the upside, the prices of many resorts come down slightly during this period. The increased winds also draw in plankton blooms which increase the chance of seeing pelagic giants like manta rays and whale sharks.
