Conditions referenceSeason, water and visibilityBest Jan–Apr · Strong current · 27.5–30.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Apr)
- Current
- Strong
- Water temperature
- 27.5–30.5°C (coldest Jan, warmest Apr)
- Visibility
- 10–30m: Often 20–30m on incoming eastern-channel current during the northeast monsoon; plankton, rain and outgoing lagoon water can reduce it to about 10–15m.
- Experience
- Advanced Open Water with recent drift-diving experience is the practical floor for Fotteyo, Miyaru and Vattaru.
01 · Marine life
What you may see
Sightings are never guaranteed. The bars show typical likelihood by month.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident on the channel mouths, with the official Miyaru description emphasizing sightings during northeast-monsoon incoming flow.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
A year-round, human-conditioned gathering occurs at Alimatha after dark.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident predatory fish around current lines and at Alimatha after dark; concentrations vary with tide and prey movement.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident around channel ledges and reef slopes; the official Miyaru description records them particularly during the northeast monsoon.
02 · Dive sites
Dive sites worth knowing
A starting point, not a ranking. Conditions decide what works on the day.
Alimatha Jetty
Nurse sharks gather after dark around a working resort jetty.
3–15m · Mild current
Fotteyo Kandu
A protected channel dive with a negative entry and fast descent to the up-current corner.
8–40m · Strong current
Golden Wall
A wall and channel-corner dive on northern Vaavu.
8–30m · Moderate current
See all 5 dive sites
03 · LogisticsGetting there and costsModerate. Fly to MLE. Typical trip $–$$$.
Route overview
Moderate
Reachable but with some friction: a 1.5h boat crossing.
Airport options
MLE
Velana International Airport
International arrival point and central-atoll liveaboard port; scheduled speedboats continue to Fulidhoo and other Vaavu islands
Typical trip cost
$–$$$
under $2,000 to over $4,000
Per person, excluding international flights.
- A local-island guesthouse plus 8–12 dives can fit below $2,000 for a week before international flights; resort and liveaboard choices commonly move the same trip into $2,000–4,000 or higher.
- Published Alimatha night-dive excursions are about $150–175 per diver, while equipment, nitrox, service charge, GST and speedboat transfers may be separate.
- No Vaavu-wide marine-park entry fee was found in official sources.