The diving in Vaavu is popular for its channels, but the strong currents aren’t always suitable for beginners.Located to the south of the Vattaru Reef is an easy dive. It’s protected from strong currents and begins in the channel. You’ll drift along the reef’s edge with butterflyfish and oriental sweet lips that have a leopard-skin pattern on their fins. Whitetip reef sharks, Napoleon wrasses and eagle rays will be about. Advanced divers can explore the overhangs between 82-98 feet (25-30 meters).A dive on the inner reef explores four thilas (submerged islands) which drop off to 65 feet (20 meters). Large schools of lunar fusiliers flash as they swim amongst the well-formed corals; reef sharks and turtles can also be seen. During the wet season you might also find mantas.Located in the north-east of the atoll is the Miyaru Kandu. Due to the currents this dive may be challenging for beginners, and only advanced divers can explore the caves at the corner of the channel (72 feet (22 meters)). You’ll find wire corals and groupers in these caves. However, this dive’s main attraction is the chance of a rare encounter with a hammerhead shark at the channel’s edge.Vaavu is the perfect location to master the technique of diving in strong currents.
Vaavu Atoll Sea Life
This atoll is the Maldives’ most easterly and isn’t protected from the currents during the north-east monsoon. This helps attract sharks and mantas. There is also the possibility of seeing the ocean’s placid giant – a whale shark.The upper parts of the channels’ outer reefs tend to have better corals. Some of the hard corals burst with color as though Jackson Pollock flicked paint on them.The variety of marine life around the Vaavu atoll is extensive. Your dive log will fill up faster than you drift through the atoll’s channels.
How To Get There
Male Ibrahim Nasir International Airport is well served by direct charter flights from Western Europe, but direct scheduled flights are rarer – and you need to transfer in the Middle East first. If you’re staying on the Vaavu Atoll then you will transfer by speedboat, which will take approximately 90 minutes.
