Maldives is quickly becoming one of the best places to scuba dive in the world. Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean and is a little group of coral islands that dot the ocean with beautiful atolls and shallow reef waters. There are about 1,000 islands that make up Maldives, but only about 200 of them are inhabited and only 90 of them are designated as tourist islands.
If you are heading to Maldives and you want to embark on a diving adventure, make sure you check out Rasfari. There are many awesome diving spots in Maldives, but if you’ve got to choose just one, it’s got to be Rasfari. This dive site is in the outer reef regions of the North Male Atoll and is an incredible experience. In Rasfari you’ll be able to see different species of sharks (like the gray reef shark, silver tip reef shark, white tip reef sharp) and eagle rays gliding around gently with the current.
The currents in Maldives are very strong, so if you’re not a very experienced diver you may have a difficult time, but the view is worth the fight. Visibility at Rasfari is great for 45-80 feet, but beyond that is the unknown of the Indian Ocean that has long help the imagination of divers and other underwater explorers.
Because Rasfari has such beautiful coral beds, reefs and fish, Maldives has named it one of their protected marine areas. Maldives has several islands and beaches protected, and any type of trade that involves black corals, pearl oyster shells, turtle shells or red corals is strictly prohibited. More than 500,000 people visit Maldives each year, so the regulations are simply a form of protection for the country.
If you’ve never dived before, you may think that all dive spots are created equally and they are all beautiful. Experienced divers know better. No two dive spots are ever the same. Everything is different – from the types of corals to the fish to the colors, every dive spot is unique – and Rasfari is no exception.
As you explore the water at Rasfari you’ll find napoleon wrasses, tuna, barracudas, snappers, surgeon fish, several types of sharks and other marine life. You’ll see white- and black-tip reef sharks swimming lazily near the bottom of the ocean at Rasfari. The sharks rarely come near humans, but it’s still not smart to swim over to them. Sharks are sharks – humans should just leave them alone.
If you like diving at night, when the moon is full, you’ll see an ocean trigger fish. The trigger fish visits for nesting on the deeper sandy slopes. Once a month, the female trigger fish will lay eggs – just a couple days before the full moon. A couple of days later, on the full moon, the eggs will hatch and the young fish drift away from the area and predators with the ocean currents. If you can time your visit just right and be here for the full moon, you won’t regret it. There’s something amazing about seeing baby trigger fish during the full moon. It’s magical.
If you are looking for the ultimate diving experience in Maldives, you’ll want to book your Rasfari dive through a resort or a dive school. Once you get to Rasfari, your dream of swimming with sharks and eagle rays might just come true. Oh, and don’t forget a waterproof camera – you’ll want to take pictures. Rasfari is beautiful; you’ll want to show everyone your pictures.
