Baa Atoll Diving

A UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and famous manta hotspot, Baa Atoll is a classic dive destination offering some of the best marine megafauna encounters in the world. Dive in to discover hundreds of feeding mantas, swim with whale sharks or just enjoy the numerous easy reef dives on offer.

Info We don't currently have any dive centers or liveaboards in Baa Atoll, but that might change. In the meantime, take a look at other dive experiences nearby in Northern Atolls.

Diving in Baa Atoll

The Maldives are a dream dive destination for many - and it’s easy to see why. Its remote location in the southern Indian Ocean and the sparkling, cerulean ocean make an ideal getaway from modern life. 

In the Northern Atoll lies the Baa Atoll.  Lying at the northwest of the Maldives chain, it’s Maldivian name is South Maahosmadulu. It is formed of 3 separate atolls - Maalhosmadulu, Fasdūtherē and Goifulhafehendhu Atolls. These 75 islands are sparsely inhabited and made up of only 11,000 inhabitants. It is a quieter holiday choice than the busier southern atolls. 

Scuba diving in Baa Atoll is some of the best in the world and people flock from all over the world. Baa Atoll diving boasts not only a variety of reefs but the opportunity to witness ocean giants like mantas rays and whale sharks. In 2011, the Baa Atoll was designated a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve - putting the islands in an exalted company like the Galapagos Islands, Ayers Rock and Komodo Island. 
 

Best time to dive

The Baa Atoll is located in the Northern Atoll chain which means it enjoys a drier climate than the south. It has a monsoon season from May to November, where it will rain most days. From November - May, the climate is drier, though there are still around 5 rainy days per month. The water temperatures year-round are between 28 and 30oC. 

The dry season is probably exactly what you are expecting from a paradise island. The weather is warm and dry, with little wind and calm seas. The diving conditions are excellent during these months as the water is warm, the seas are still and the visibility can exceed 30m. 

Though called the “monsoon” season, this is no reason not to visit (or dive) Baa Atoll! It rains more, but it is usually in short bursts and there is still an average of 7 hours of sunlight per day. The diving in monsoon season does offer less visibility because of plankton blooms in the cooler water - but this is far from a disadvantage. The plankton blooms bring in large pelagic life like manta rays and whale sharks. Several dive sites like Dharavandhoo Kanmathi become manta ray cleaning stations during these months and all but guarantee a sighting of these gentle giants. 

The summer months also has the benefit of being a little cheaper. As it is a quieter season, some resorts may reduce their prices - though many increase during August due to the summer holidays. However, some resorts will close during these months, so do make sure to check before booking. 
 

Types of diving

Almost all scuba diving in Baa Atoll is reef diving and there are several different types to explore. These include Thilas (submerged islands) and circular reefs specific to the Maldives. Some reefs such as Dhonfanu Thila also offer the opportunity to drift dive. 

Liveaboards are one of the best ways to dive Baa Atoll. It is around 46km long and with dive sites located all over, a liveaboard allows the travel time to slip by. There is a range of liveaboard prices available but it can’t be denied that a Maldivian liveaboard will stretch the average backpackers budget.

The larger islands such as Dharavandhoo, Kunfunadhoo and Maalhos offer plenty of dive resorts for those that wish to combine scuba diving with other activities. There are also many standalone dive centres for those wishing to stay elsewhere or to try diving for the first time. 

Baa Atoll diving is perfect for both beginner and advanced divers. More advanced divers can take advantage of the liveaboards and the deeper, more complex dive sites while beginners can enjoy shallower sites. The clear waters and unchallenging conditions on many sites are perfect for first time divers. It is a very popular location for all levels of dive courses - well, who doesn’t want to learn to dive with manta rays and whale sharks?!
 

What to see

The marine life in Baa Atoll is some of the most diverse in the world. Famous for its pelagic life, it is home to the largest gathering of manta rays in the world. If you dive during the monsoon season, you are almost guaranteed to see one. Whale sharks put in appearances all year round but the summer months are your best chance to spot one. 

The stunning reefs offer diving to suit everyone and have huge varieties of both hard and soft corals. For macro photographers, there are colourful nudibranchs and tiny shrimp. Brightly coloured fish like sweetlips, wrasse and parrotfish swim in huge numbers. Glassfish are known for schooling on particular reefs, which leads to a visual disturbance in the water similar to a thermocline. 

There are three types of turtles in the Baa Atoll - loggerhead, green and hawksbill which can be seen munching on the corals and swimming. If you look out into the blue, you can see schooling fusiliers and snappers. You may be lucky enough to spot hunting giant trevally and dolphins. Most dive sites have resident reef sharks - some dive sites are even shark nurseries!
 

Best places to dive

Dhonfanu Thila - This dive site is perfect for all levels of divers. The submerged pinnacle begins at 8m and descends down to 30m. It can be dived as a drift dive when the conditions are right which is when you’re most likely to see mantas. The reef itself has an abundance of marine life with clouds of red toothed triggerfish, parrotfish, rabbitfish and angelfish. It also has a swim through which begins at 25m and ascends to 18m, lined with stunning black coral. It can be quite narrow at times though so it's not ideal for the less experienced diver. 

Dharavandhoo Kanmathi - Boasting schools of jackfish and fusiliers year-round, this is a consistently popular dive site. When the currents are flowing, there are also grey reef sharks. In the summer months, it becomes a manta ray cleaning station and one of the best places to see them.

Nelivaru Haa - This site ranges from 14-30m making it suitable for all qualified divers. It is another manta cleaning station during the summer and has coral studded overhangs, stingrays, groupers, sweetlips and batfish. 

Horubadhoo Thila - Ranging from 12-16m this dive site is perfect for beginners but will more than satisfy an advanced diver. It has gardens of hard and soft corals, schools of glass fish and all the trappings of a healthy reef ecosystem. 

Shark nursery - Imagining a dive site when you can see dozens of juvenile reef sharks? Look no further, this is exactly that!