Explore South Male Atoll

Whilst crossing the Vaadhoo Kandu, the division between North and South Male Atolls, you will observe how different they feel. The quieter version of its northern brother, scuba diving in South Male Atoll gives a feeling of remoteness, due to the habitation of only 3 islands. 

Both dive centres and dive resorts can still be found in this region, with more under development. All of these establishments offer dive courses of all levels. Many liveaboards experience South Male Atoll diving on their way out of the nearby capital Male. 

Highlights of scuba diving in South Male Atoll include the thrilling drift dives through the atoll’s many kandus (or channels) as well as large pelagic sightings.

Courses and Events

Dive Activity

Diving in South Male Atoll

South Male Atoll diving is famous for the thrilling drift dives through the kandus, though there is diving available for all levels including channels, wrecks, reefs and caves. Vaadhoo Caves on the northern side of the atoll are fascinating to explore as you shelter from the current. Though the wicked currents in the kandus are famous, more sedate drift dives are also available for the non-thrillseekers! Liveaboards are very popular in this region and they are a great way of experiencing all the best sites.

Top Wildlife Sightings in South Male Atoll

The strong currents that flow around South Male Atoll bring a wealth of diversity to the area. The reefs are teeming with brightly coloured life which includes reef fish, nudibranch, eels, octopus, soft corals and turtles. In the blue, you might see schools of batfish, fusiliers, trevally, unicornfish or barracuda, as well as huge hunting tuna. 

Upon the reef, turtles munch on the corals whilst eagle rays fly in formation out in the blue. Grey sharks and reef sharks are common at many sites. During the monsoon, it is possible to see whale sharks and huge numbers of manta rays who come to eat the plethora of food. 

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 approx.: 200

Moray Eel

6.1k Sightings
J
584
F
409
M
575
A
690
M
388
J
181
J
332
A
489
S
467
O
642
N
704
D
643

Green Turtle

3.8k Sightings
J
358
F
297
M
395
A
453
M
197
J
135
J
237
A
305
S
217
O
384
N
458
D
376

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Eagle Ray

3.3k Sightings
J
268
F
208
M
329
A
483
M
206
J
101
J
169
A
270
S
248
O
302
N
397
D
330

Reef Manta Ray

2.2k Sightings
J
33
F
9
M
31
A
59
M
96
J
77
J
126
A
273
S
320
O
453
N
516
D
197

Hawksbill Turtle

2.2k Sightings
J
235
F
191
M
240
A
259
M
121
J
97
J
182
A
129
S
106
O
187
N
224
D
202

Tiger Shark

1.5k Sightings
J
146
F
125
M
234
A
121
M
90
J
49
J
103
A
178
S
101
O
40
N
183
D
116

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 600

Wrasse

1.1k Sightings
J
145
F
41
M
89
A
124
M
83
J
51
J
59
A
108
S
72
O
131
N
114
D
59

Bull Shark

869 Sightings
J
74
F
80
M
197
A
117
M
96
J
58
J
57
A
60
S
51
O
7
N
33
D
39

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 300

Octopus

691 Sightings
J
115
F
74
M
87
A
93
M
21
J
3
J
17
A
17
S
34
O
66
N
120
D
44

Great Hammerhead Shark

518 Sightings
J
38
F
31
M
79
A
44
M
36
J
15
J
58
A
63
S
43
O
28
N
37
D
46

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

357 Sightings
J
5
F
2
M
6
A
0
M
21
J
14
J
34
A
44
S
49
O
81
N
79
D
22

Whitetip Reef Shark

5.6k Sightings
J
534
F
404
M
520
A
615
M
327
J
205
J
349
A
488
S
394
O
557
N
657
D
522

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 28

Clownfish

4.5k Sightings
J
408
F
319
M
406
A
477
M
344
J
189
J
290
A
362
S
346
O
392
N
491
D
440

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 100

Parrotfish

4k Sightings
J
380
F
265
M
393
A
450
M
265
J
189
J
232
A
337
S
333
O
374
N
428
D
377

Blacktip Reef Shark

3.7k Sightings
J
267
F
257
M
303
A
428
M
189
J
137
J
241
A
284
S
308
O
467
N
447
D
374

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 80

Stingrays

3.5k Sightings
J
318
F
283
M
365
A
428
M
214
J
101
J
155
A
295
S
247
O
280
N
447
D
361

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Triggerfish

3.3k Sightings
J
341
F
211
M
349
A
365
M
192
J
165
J
222
A
288
S
251
O
312
N
296
D
348

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Angelfish

3.3k Sightings
J
331
F
209
M
322
A
350
M
244
J
167
J
223
A
283
S
268
O
311
N
312
D
316

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Butterfly Fish

3.1k Sightings
J
283
F
157
M
296
A
307
M
255
J
147
J
201
A
287
S
262
O
350
N
310
D
275

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 12

Lionfish

3.1k Sightings
J
342
F
192
M
279
A
304
M
237
J
109
J
179
A
257
S
245
O
288
N
306
D
331

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 85

Surgeonfish

3k Sightings
J
299
F
151
M
280
A
320
M
205
J
171
J
163
A
280
S
223
O
258
N
337
D
290

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 8

Bannerfish

2.9k Sightings
J
329
F
165
M
268
A
317
M
213
J
135
J
177
A
245
S
223
O
245
N
319
D
283

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 150

Sweetlips and Grunts

2.6k Sightings
J
239
F
102
M
238
A
241
M
208
J
122
J
179
A
207
S
236
O
274
N
292
D
229

Grey Reef Shark

1.7k Sightings
J
183
F
127
M
162
A
203
M
113
J
57
J
66
A
128
S
102
O
177
N
206
D
202

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 250

Grouper/Basslets

1.5k Sightings
J
146
F
91
M
114
A
163
M
106
J
77
J
89
A
147
S
123
O
151
N
174
D
160

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 130

Pufferfish

1.3k Sightings
J
138
F
58
M
117
A
165
M
76
J
47
J
75
A
103
S
106
O
101
N
127
D
170

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 110

Snapper

1.2k Sightings
J
123
F
73
M
122
A
115
M
70
J
38
J
73
A
118
S
117
O
113
N
110
D
93

Lemon Shark

1.1k Sightings
J
133
F
103
M
172
A
166
M
112
J
48
J
76
A
91
S
50
O
44
N
66
D
62

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 350

Damselfish

1.1k Sightings
J
138
F
59
M
94
A
81
M
102
J
68
J
49
A
100
S
100
O
147
N
95
D
71

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 60

Soldierfish

1.1k Sightings
J
91
F
67
M
91
A
114
M
87
J
62
J
56
A
81
S
119
O
105
N
133
D
73

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 25

Boxfish

980 Sightings
J
109
F
60
M
136
A
103
M
80
J
49
J
41
A
55
S
45
O
89
N
94
D
119

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 40

Jackfish

968 Sightings
J
91
F
69
M
84
A
108
M
83
J
57
J
40
A
69
S
88
O
98
N
66
D
115

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 15

Tuna

959 Sightings
J
133
F
94
M
71
A
100
M
47
J
36
J
44
A
103
S
56
O
57
N
113
D
105

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 2

Nurse Shark

801 Sightings
J
118
F
65
M
21
A
110
M
55
J
31
J
78
A
64
S
50
O
85
N
55
D
69

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 90

Goatfish

772 Sightings
J
57
F
32
M
68
A
72
M
91
J
57
J
51
A
51
S
76
O
113
N
42
D
62

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 20

Guitarfish

580 Sightings
J
89
F
52
M
39
A
42
M
4
J
22
J
33
A
57
S
38
O
41
N
93
D
70

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3000

Nudibranch

516 Sightings
J
82
F
14
M
55
A
22
M
31
J
11
J
22
A
42
S
52
O
85
N
47
D
53

Silvertip Shark

513 Sightings
J
67
F
33
M
42
A
42
M
42
J
13
J
35
A
28
S
53
O
32
N
65
D
61

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3400

Shrimp

403 Sightings
J
40
F
9
M
40
A
42
M
31
J
12
J
18
A
30
S
27
O
56
N
44
D
54

The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

Total number of species approx.: 3

Trumpetfish

341 Sightings
J
57
F
23
M
40
A
38
M
30
J
10
J
18
A
24
S
12
O
25
N
11
D
53

The best Months to Dive in South Male Atoll

Diving in South Male Atoll is possible year round due to the consistently warm weather. From November to April is the best time for diving - the omnipresent sunshine and low winds create excellent visibility. 

From May to October is the monsoon season, though you would be unlucky to experience more than a few hours of heavy rain in one sitting. The winds get stronger which can make the sea choppy and cause dive boat disruption. On the plus side, the winds blow in plankton blooms which attract big pelagics. 

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