Fuvahmulah Diving Information
The single island atoll of Fuvahmulah in the Maldives is most famous for the near certainty of seeing thresher sharks and tiger sharks But this little island getaway just north of Equator and home to 12000 people has so much more to offer. The incredible and diverse abundance of vibrant oceanic life and frequent sightings of large pelagic species such as schools of hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, rare oceanic mantas, as well as black oceanic mantas are just some of the many reasons to head to Fuvahmulah. Let’s dive in and I’ll tell you basically everything you need to know about scuba diving in Fuvahmulah.
What can you see in Fuvahmulah?
Tiger sharks, thresher sharks, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, oceanic mantas, silvertip sharks, whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, huge schools of tuna and barracuda, as well as leaf fish, octopus, turtles, moray eels, mola mola, dolphins and so many more. The waters around the island are teeming with life.
Can I see sharks if I am an open water certified diver?
As an open water diver, you can see, with near certainty, the tiger sharks. However, we also recommend divers be certified with a Deep Adventure Dive Course. That way, you’ll be able to dive to the depths where threshers, hammerheads and whale sharks are, in general, normally found. The Deep Dive Adventure is also a part of the Advanced Diver course. Should you be interested, we have outstanding dive instructors with years of experience to facilitate this.
Is diving with tiger sharks safe?
Tiger sharks are not aggressive towards divers, they are fairly easy-going and can be quite curious. They will come close and offer incredible opportunities for you to see them up close and capture astonishing photographs. With repeated multi-daily diving over the years we have gotten to know our resident population very well. Our guides will ensure the sharks only come as close to you as you are comfortable.
Tiger sharks can grow to a length of up to 5m (17 feet) and have the most beautiful stripes. Sharks have gotten a bad reputation, but the risk of being bitten by a shark is extremely low. It is safe to dive with them as long as you are with an experienced guide and you maintain a high level of respect for these incredible animals.
Tiger shark diving in Fuvahmulah
Tiger shark diving in Fuvahmulah is fast becoming one of the best places in the world to dive with this beautiful species. You can dive with them all year round, however December to April affords the best visibility (up to 100m/330ft!). The dive site that offers near-certain sightings is just at the mouth of Fuvahmulah’s harbour, affectionately renamed “Tiger Harbour”. There, at a depth of approximately 10m (33 feet) on the flat sandy bottom in the warm crystal-clear waters, you can enjoy being around the tiger sharks along with silver tips. On occasion, up to 20 tiger sharks can be seen at once. Encounters with other pelagic species such as the whale sharks are also possible at this dive site.
Key dive sites of Fuvahmulah
Tiger harbour
Depth: 10m/ 33ft
Recommended level: Open water and above
Featured creatures: Tiger sharks, Silvertip sharks
Best time for this dive site: All year around (visibility up to 100m (330 ft) between Dec – Apr)
Farikede (South reef or Plateau)
Depth: 30m+/ 100ft
Top reef : 15m/50ft
Recommended level: Advanced and above
Featured creatures: Tiger sharks, Silver tip sharks, Thresher sharks, whale sharks, Oceanic Mantas, Schools of tuna and barracuda and occasional sightings of Oceanic white tip sharks and Mola Mola.
Best time for this dive site: November to May
Thoodu (North reef)
Depth: 30m+/ 100ft
Top reef : 5m/15ft
Recommended level: open water and above
Featured creatures: Thresher sharks, Whale sharks, Oceanic Mantas, Schools of tuna and barakuda and occasional sightings of Mola Mola.
Best time for this dive site: All year around
Fuvahmulah Island
Fuvahmulah is a 4.5km long local island in the Maldives. It is very unique when compared to other islands in the Maldives due to its lush tropical vegetation, mango trees, coconut palms, papaya plantations and an array of vibrant flowers. It is also the island with largest freshwater lakes in the Maldives, which is a rare find and makes for breathtaking views. The locals are friendly and will certainly make you feel welcomed.
Weather in Fuvahmulah
The best overall time to dive is usually between November to May.
However, it is possible to dive in Fuvahmulah all year round, although the weather can sometimes be quite windy and wet making for rough seas from June to August.
November to May (Dry season)
June to November (Wet Season)
Visibility: On most dive sites the visibility is between 30m (100ft) to 40m (130ft) during the year, aside from June – September where it reduces quite drastically to approximately 15m (50ft) to 20m (66ft). During February and March visibility can be more than 100m (330ft).
Water temperature in fuvahmulah
Water temperature is usually between 27°C – 30°C (80 – 86°F), however the temperature can drop down to 25°C (77°F) in deeper waters therefore I do recommend a wetsuit for deeper dives. Furthermore, during the new moon and full moon cold water from deep is pushed closer to the reef – this is when we do most of our dives for Hammerheads.
Frequently Asked Quesitons
- What can I see when diving in Fuvahmulah?
There is an abundant of marine life and pelagic species to see when diving in Fuvahmulah. The island is known for tiger shark encounters all through the year. Other pelagic species that can be sighted in Fuvahmulah are the thresher sharks, scalloped hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, oceanic mantas, schools of barracuda, schools of tuna and an array of coral reef life.
- Can I go diving in Fuvahmulah with an Open Water certification?
Yes, you can go diving in Fuvahmulah with an Open Water certification. However, we do recommend that divers do a Deep Adventure Dive Course or better yet the Advance Open Water Diver. This way divers are able to enjoy the deep dives in Fuvahmulah.
- How do I get to Fuvahmulah?
To get to Fuvahmulah, you would need to take a domestic flight from Male. All our dive packages will include return domestic flight tickets between Male and Fuvahmulah. Our team will assist in booking the domestic flights based on your international flight details.