The diving in Vaavu is popular for its channels and is the perfect location to master the technique of drift diving. Vattaru Reef is an easy dive, protected from strong currents. 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 25-30 m.
A dive on the inner reef explores four thilas (submerged islands) which drop off to 20 me. 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. Advanced divers can encounter hammerhead sharks at the channel’s edge.
Vaavu Atoll's tropical waters are at least 75° F (24° C) all year, and the dry north-east monsoon runs from December to March. Wetter and less stable weather arrives in May and lasts until November (south-west monsoon) but diving is still very pleasant. The diving is suitable for both beginners and advanced divers, depending on how sheltered the site is.
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.
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