Diving in the Northern Atolls

The Maldives are laid out north to south and the 26 atolls that make up the country can generally be broken up into three sections, the Northern Atolls, the Central Atolls and the Southern Atolls. The Northern Atolls’ best diving locations include Haa Alif, Haa Dhaalu, Shaviyani, Noonu, Raa, and Lhaviyani atolls. This is the least developed region of the Maldives and because of this, is little known to outsiders, making it ideal if you want to get off the beaten track. The diving and underwater life is the most pristine and untouched in the country and it is also the best place to see and experience the traditional ways and lifestyle of the Maldives. While diving in the Northern Atolls, it is not uncommon for a boat or group to be the only ones at a dive site at a given time.

The Maldives’ highest point is in the northern Atolls and the region is made up of smaller islands than the Central and Southern Atolls region. The north also as has a huge number of underwater ring reefs. Diving season in the Northern Atolls is best during the Northeast Monsoon season which runs from December to April and September to November can produce great conditions too. It is possible to dive in any month except for June in this area.