Check out this breathtaking view of a sea turtle shot while scuba diving in the Maldives; The marine life is unmatched in the Maldives – be prepared for many more jaw-dropping sights and sounds from deep in the Maldivian waters. How to book a Maldives Safari Boat. You can find out more about Maldives boat holidays online at www.maldivesdivetravel.com, a leading provider of Maldives boat safaris. On the website, you will find plenty of information about the different choices of dive boat in Maldives, prices, special offers, photos, videos and much more. There is also plenty of other relevant information about dive sites, marine life, and general Maldives travel information. We are glad to assist you in any way possible, so don’t hesitate to contact us, regarding your Maldives Safari Boat Holiday.
Archive for 'Maldives Diving'
When planning a Maldives dive safari, scuba divers usually have a lot of different questions that they need answering. So, we’ve put together this Maldives diving safari question and answer list. It should come in very handy when planning all the details of your diving safari in Maldives.
Dive Safari Maldives
What is a Maldives Dive Safari?
A Maldives dive safari is a holiday spent living on a dive boat known as a liveboard with a group of scuba divers. Maldives safaris tend to last anywhere from five to 21 days and will take you to some of the best dive spots in the country. On a typical diving safari in Maldives, you can expect to do two or three dives each day.
What Can I Expect to See on a Maldives Safari?
Think of a Maldives dive safari as you would of an African safari in the Serengeti. Only underwater! There are many varieties of marine animals and fish that you can expect to see, which range from small reef-dwelling fish to enormous rays and sharks. The waters of the Maldives are some of the most exciting in the world from a scuba diver’s point of view, but there are a handful of animals that have people flocking to the Maldives in the hope to catch a glimpse or – even better – dive alongside with.
Manta Ray Hovering Over Divers
Much like the ‘Big Five’ of an African safari, divers in the Maldives really hope to see whale sharks, manta rays, moray eels, grey reef sharks and turtles. The really great thing about a Maldives safari is that spotting the ‘Maldivian Big Five’ is somewhat easier than the African equivalent and all these species can be found in the Maldives throughout the year. In fact, there are very few scuba divers who complete a Maldives diving safari without spotting at least four of the ‘Big Five’.
In order to see the ‘Big Five’, you will need to visit plenty of different dive sites, all of which are interesting and visually stunning in different ways. Each dive site is renowned for a different kind of fish or animal and your crew will design a Maldives safari route that is sure not to disappoint. The exact route you take will depend largely upon what time of year you visit the Maldives, but the experienced divemasters and boat captains know these waters like the back of their hands and do their best to take you to the best spots, taking into consideration the season and the precise weather conditions. Currents in the Maldives can be strong and have a significant effect on the movements of the marine life, so this local knowledge is truly indispensable.
What is the best Maldives dive safari boat?
It’s impossible to say which is the best dive safari boat in Maldives because every person has different requirements and tastes. There really is a live-aboard cruising safari in Maldives to suit every budget and taste, from the utterly glamorous MV Orion and the Island Safari 2 Royal Maldives to the beautiful and comfortable Black Pearl Maldives safari liveaboard.
Panoramic Suite – Dream Catcher II
All liveaboards are equipped with private bedrooms, each of which has an en-suite bathroom, air conditioning and external windows. The more luxurious ships sometimes offer private balconies, bathtubs and even Jacuzzis! All liveaboards offer a further selection of common areas, including lounge rooms, restaurants and bar areas, outdoor sunbathing areas, television rooms with selections of movies on DVDs and internet access. Of course, every ship is different, so make sure that your liveaboard offers the facilities you need before making your reservation.
Can I learn to dive on a Maldives diving safari?
Most diving safaris in the Maldives are designed for experienced scuba divers, so you definitely need to check this in advance with the individual dive boat. Nearly all dive safari boats in the Maldives offer a selection of PADI courses, but most of them are designed for people who are already qualified as Open Water Divers and simply want to further their studies. Be sure to ask in advance!
Stunning Marine Life Seen on Maldives Dive Safari
Is it possible to book a last-minute dive safari in Maldives?
Definitely! In fact, this is probably the best way to book your Maldives diving safari as long as you don’t mind waiting until the last minute. By booking a last minute dive safari in Maldives, you’ll probably get the best possible price. The other time you’ll find a real bargain on your Maldives safari is if you book your dive holiday quite some time in advance.
How much does a Maldives dive safari cost?
Maldives safari prices vary with the time of year, the Maldives safari boat you choose to stay on and how long you go for. Typically, one of the more basic boats will cost around USD $150 per person per night, while one of the more luxurious boats will cost USD $250 per person per night. Maldives safari prices are inclusive of accommodation, transfers between the airport and the boat, all meals and all dives (2 or 3 dives per day). Extra costs include equipment rental in case you don’t have your own and alcoholic drinks: all liveaboard safari boats have a full bar, offering a wide variety of international spirits and draught beers, but these are charged at an additional cost.
How do I book a diving safari in Maldives?
The best way to book a Maldives diving safari is online. Maldives Dive Travel is a leading provider of diving safaris in the Maldives and has plenty of information on its website, including online Maldives brochures for safari, news and information about special offers and deals on last minute diving safaris. The site is regularly updated and offers a great variety of background information to get you ready for your trip. When you are ready to book a safari cruise in the Maldives, contact Maldives Dive Travel through their website, indicating which safari dive in Maldives you’re interested in and we’ll get back to you quickly with confirmation of prices and availability.
It’s really simple and we can have your dive safari in the Maldives booked within minutes! Contact us now to book your scuba diving trip of a lifetime.
Dive Safari Maldives – the Experience of a Lifetime is a post from: Maldives Blog
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One of the biggest attractions of the Maldives to scuba divers and other holdiaymakers is the sheer quantity of fish found in the Maldives. There are thousands of types of fish in Maldives, from large pelagic species to small, reef-dwelling fish and everything in between. Indeed, the largest species of fish in the world, the whale shark, can be found living in the Maldives throughout the year, attracted by the immense amount of plankton that also inhabits the stunning waters of the Maldives. Of all the fish found in Maldives, the whale shark is probably the species that attracts the most visitors to the island nation.
Fish in the Maldives
Common Fish of the Maldives
It would be impossible to mention all the Maldives fish species in this article, so we’ll focus on the most common fish of the Maldives. To the scuba diver, the most frequently-spotted fish are the parrotfish, triggerfish, clownfish, sweetlips, wrasse and sharks.
Parrotfish in the Maldives
The parrotfish is a brightly coloured fish that is drawn to the Maldives’ coral reefs. The parrotfish is a common inhabitant of coral reefs throughout the tropical oceans and is one of the most popular fish in the Maldives thanks to its bright attractive colours and interesting markings.
Check out this breathtaking clip of a scuba diver amongst a huge wall of fish.
Triggerfish in the Maldives
The triggerfish is another of the most frequently seen marine fish in the Maldives and, just like the parrotfish, the Maldives trigger fish is colourful and fascinating to look at. There are several species of triggerfish in the Maldives, including the Titan triggerfish, which is commonly seen around the Madives islands. However, unlike the parrotfish, triggerfish are not the friendliest of marine life and can be extremely territorial, especially when guarding their eggs.
The Titan Triggerfish would seem to be the most aggressive variety of triggerfish and when feeling threatened by intruding scuba divers, they will respond by ramming the diver and sometimes even resorting to biting. They have powerful jaws and can reportedly bite chunks out of a diver’s suit or fins. If you see a triggerfish in the Maldives while scuba diving and the fish begins to approach you quickly, the best advice is to move away calmly and quickly in a horizontal line. In most cases, divers inadvertedly come too close to a Titan triggerfish’s nest and they stop their aggressive behaviour as soon as they are left alone.
Clownfish in the Maldives
Clown Fish
The colourful clownfish, made famous by the movie Finding Nemo, is another favourite Maldives fish among scuba divers and is one of the most common types of fish in Maldives. The bright orange and white fish is also known as an anemone fish because of its symbiotic relationships with sea anemones and there are plenty of varieties of this fish in the Maldives.
Generally speaking, the clownfish is a friendly, harmless fish, but can become quite protective around sea anemones, even occasionally biting people. This is most likely to happen to people who are trying to capture the clownfish for their aquariums – the only real threat to the clownfish population.
Sweetlips in the Maldives
At many dive sites in the Maldives, you are likely to come across massive schools of sweetlips fish around the Maldives reef. The most common variety of sweetlips in the Maldives are the oriental sweetlips, characterised by blue/black and white stripes along its body and yellow facial markings. When swimming in a school, these Maldives marine fish make a simply breathtaking sight. One of the best dive sites in the Maldives for spotting oriental sweetlips is the Manta Point in North Male Atoll where divers are also likely to enccounter bullseye fish, napoleon wrasse and manta rays.
Wrasse in the Maldives
Napoleon Wrasse
There are many different species of wrasse in the world, and several species are present in the Maldives. The most common pelagic fish in the Maldives is the napoleon wrasse which can be found at many different Maldives dive sites and is quite an impressive looking Maldives fish. The napoleon wrasse, which is also known as the humphead or maori wrasse, can reach the enormous size of 2.5 metres (6 feet) and is generally blue/green in colour with some spots and interesting markings.
The size of the napoleon wrasse is often under-appreciated and until you see one of these impressive Maldives marine fish in person, or see a photo or video of a napoleon wrasse alongside a human, it is difficult to appreciate how large they actually are.
Sharks in the Maldives
There are many different types of sharks in the Maldives which make it a very attractive scuba diving destination, especially since the types of sharks in the Maldives are generally considered to be non-agressive. For scuba divers, the most commonly sighted sharks in the Maldives are the grey reef shark and white tip reef shark.
The whale shark, the largest fish in the world, is another special fish found in Maldives and is seen on the surface, making it a popular sight among both scuba divers and snorkelers. You can find out more about sharks in the Maldives at www.maldivesdivetravel.com.
List of Fish in Maldives
It’s difficult to find a comprehensive list of fish in Maldives because there are simply so many. Nevertheless, there are books available and you will find key information about the most common types of fish in the Maldives on the many scuba diving and Maldives-related websites. The best way to get a feel for the varieties of Maldives marine fish is to look at pictures and information about reef fish in Maldives.
By watching plenty of videos before you book your diving holiday in the Maldives, you’ll begin to get excited about the kind of things you can expect to see underwater here and if its a diving destination that interests you. For most scuba divers, the Maldives represents the ultimate diving destination thanks to the stunning coral reef formations, and seemingly endless types of fish in the Maldives.
Busy Fish Life in Maldives
Conserving the Fish of the Maldives
All the types of fish in Maldives are in some way threatened. While most of them are not on any endangered species list, with the exception of the sharks, there are significant threats to their habitat and subsequent existence. Growing concerns over climate change and increasing water temperatures, the Maldives’ coral reefs, home to many of the fish of the Maldives are under more pressures every day. There are many conservation projects underway in the Maldives to protect not only different Maldives marine life species, but also the coral reef itself.
When in the Maldives, you will most likely come into contact with people working on initiatives to protect the coral reef and keep the Maldives fish’ habitat clean and safe. Clean-up dives are often offered to tourists and there are always plenty of opportunities to get involved and volunteer. So, why not make you next trip to the Maldives a truly unforgettable experience by giving something back to the ocean and the many fish around the Maldives.
Fish in the Maldives – Fascinating Marine Life in a Stunning Habitat is a post from: Maldives Blog
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There are an enormous number of dive sites in the Maldives; enough in fact that you could dive here every day for months on end and never need to visit the same dive site twice. Some are more exciting than others, and which Maldives dive sites you visit will depend largely on what you are hoping to encounter while under water as well as your experience level. Many of the best dive sites in Maldives are centered around quite deep reefs and as such, a PADI Advanced Open Water qualification (or equivalent) is often required.
Stunning Marine Life at Maldives Dive Site
Best Dive Sites in the Maldives
It’s difficult to say exactly which are the best Maldives dive sites because there are so many and it depends a lot on what time of year you come to the Maldives and of course on each diver’s personal preferences, but the following are a good selection of the best Maldives dive sites in the major atolls. On the whole, these dive sites are well-known and often visited by the various resort dive centres and liveaboard boats. Once you get to the Maldives, you’ll find out about plenty more top dive sites in Maldives and end up with your own collection of favourite Maldives dive sites.
Maldives Dive Sites in Ari Atoll
There are plenty of amazing dive sites in the Ari Atoll, which are highly recommended Maldives dive sites thanks to their marine life and are known for their populations of sharks and rays. Hammerhead Point, one of the dive sites to see hammerhead sharks in Maldives, is located in the North Ari Atoll and is sometimes known as Big Blue. The best time to dive this site is in the early morning, just before the sun rises, which is when the hammerheads are most likely to visit.
Whale Shark Sighting in Maldives
Maaya Thila, also in the North Ari Atoll is best known for its amazing congregations of grey reef sharks. Maaya Thila makes for a great dive during the day, but is best known for its spectacular night dives when the sharks can be seen hunting the reef. Being one of the Maldives top dive sites, Maaya Thila is included on many liveaboard routes, some of which stay in the area for a whole day to allow divers enjoy a morning, afternoon and night dive at Maaya Thila. Incredibly, each of these dive experiences is totally different, but equally exciting.
Kudarah Thila is found in the South Ari Atoll and is one of the many wonderfully colourful sites in Ari Atoll . Here, you will find greater concentrations of reef fish like angelfish and soldierfish as well as moray eels, pufferfish and the occasional turtle. White tip sharks have also been spotted at this Maldives dive site.
Fish Head – also known as Shark Point – is another of the famous dive sites in Maldives, mainly because of the large numbers of sharks that gather here. This is an interesting “thila” dive site and is one of the best Maldives dive sites for seeing sharks. Particularly common here are the white tip reef shark and grey reef shark and thanks to a government ban, Fish Head dive site is actually protected from fishing; a move executed by the Maldivian government to prevent overfishing of the sharks. Fish Head is also one of the top dive sites of the Maldives because of its large numbers of pelagic including napoleon wrasse and its curious caves and overhangs.
Maldives Dive Sites in South Male Atoll
The South Male dive sites are top Maldives dive sites in terms of seeing some really varied Maldives life and great diving conditions.
Pink Anemone and Fish
While divers are often hampered by the strong currents, it’s definitely worthwhile visiting Cocoa Thila dive site because the rewards are immense. The interesting overhangs, pinnacles and other formations mean there are plenty of places to shelter from the current and enjoy the views of the oriental sweetlips and fusiliers in their droves and where the reef drops off you should be able to spot tuna and eagle rays as well as a number of grey reef sharks. This is one of the most stunning dive sites in Maldives.
Guraidhoo Kandu, is definitely one of the most spectacular dive sites in the Maldives and such is the extensiveness of the site, it is often split into two and visited twice. Many say that the marine life at Guraidhoo Kandu is unrivalled: here you will spot squirrelfish, moray eels, eagle rays and grey reef sharks. Like many of the best dive sites in South Maldives, Guraidhoo Kandu displays a wide variety of colourful coral formations and interesting topography.
Manta Hovering Over Divers at Dive Site
Kuda Giri is one of the best wreck dive sites in the Maldives and is a good spot to see napoleon wrasse, feisty triggerfish and some batfish. The actual wreck is only small and has only been there for around 10 years, but that seems to have been long enough for some interesting and attractive corals to grow. Sightings of turtles and reef sharks are not uncommon here.
Embudhoo Kandu, like many other of the Maldives best dive sites is well known as a place to see sharks. Here you are likely to find many grey reef sharks and white tip sharks and thanks to a shark fishing ban in the area, this dive spot should remain a good place for sighting reef sharks for years to come. It’s also one of the top dive sites in the Maldives for underwater photographers as there is a stunning pinnacle frequented by morays and groupers.
Maldives Dive Sites in North Male Atoll
North Male Atoll dive sites are known and loved for their beautiful coral formations and the best dive sites in this Atoll are almost synonymous with the best dive sites in the Maldives.
Lion’s Head, named after the lion-shaped coral formations here, is considered one of the most beautiful Maldives dive travel sites in the Maldives and is a common playing ground for many different reef-dwelling types of marine life, including rainbow fusiliers and napoleon wrasse.
Sighting of Oriental Sweetlips
Lankan Manta Point is one of the Maldives famous dive sites, known particularly for sightings of manta rays. The key with visiting Lankan Manta Point is to go at the right time of year. It’s also one of the few places where you can expect to see mobula rays.
Check out this fascinating underwater clip shot at the Lankan Manta Point in the Maldives. The divers were plunged amidst a large group of manta rays, peacefully gliding through the water.
Banana Reef, another top Maldives dive site is named for the curved, banana-shaped reef here and is one of the most colourful dives you will find in the Maldives. This is a great place for seeing vivid reef life like the angelfish, blue-lined snapper and bannerfish. The reef itself is gorgeous here and the only precaution you really need to take is to mind the swirling currents known as “washing machine currents” that can really take you by surprise.
Okobe Thila, one of the most interesting “thila” or “pinnacle” dives in the Maldives, is a definite favourite with scuba divers here. The three coral heads at this dive spot are frequented by schools of eagle rays, tuna, bannerfish and much more, but is perhaps most famous for its barracudas – so much so, in fact, that the site is often known as Barracuda Giri. Reef sharks have also been seen at this dive site on regular occasions.
Underwater Landscape in the Maldives
Maldives Dive Sites Information
There is plenty of information surrounding the many dive sites of the Maldives online and you’re sure to find Maldives dive sites maps and many underwater photos taken at the hundreds of dive sites. The best way to find out more, of course, is to get out there and start scuba diving – the dive guides in the Maldives and experienced liveaboard crew members are the ones who really know all about the Maldives top dive sites.
Get in touch with us now to get the best deals on diving safaris in the Maldives!
Dive Sites in Maldives – The Best Underwater Thrills and Chills is a post from: Maldives Blog
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If you’re looking for an amazing scuba diving holiday in the Maldives, you should really think about a Maldives boat charter. There are plenty of Maldives diving boats to choose from, which are generally known as “liveaboards” and they offer comfortable accommodation to groups of around 10 to 20 passengers. The boats are equipped with everything you need for life on board and are accompanied by a second boat, known as a dhoni – a traditional Maldives dive boat – on which all the scuba diving equipment is stored and from where all dives begin. Having this second boat is a great advantage because it can navigate much shallower waters and get much closer to the dive sites than the actual liveaboard boat.
A Maldives Safari Boat
Maldives Boat Trip Diving
The best thing about holidaying on a safari boat in Maldives is that it allows you to explore far more of the country and its magnificent dive sites than you would be able to if scuba diving from a resort dive centre. Because the Maldives islands cover such a large expanse of ocean, if you were tied to sleeping in one place, and had to return there every night by boat, the amount of time you would be able to spend actually scuba diving would be far more limited and the experience would likely be much more expensive. Maldives boat trip dive trips on a liveaboard tend to be surprisingly affordable, especially if you are not opting for one of the more high-end liveaboard boats.
View from a Maldives Safari Boat – Theia
Maldives Safari Boats
There is an incredible variety of Maldives safari boats on offer when looking to book your Maldives diving holiday, and you will find one to suit every taste and budget. Possibly the most exciting liveaboard dive boat in the Maldives is Theia.
Theia is a brand new dive safari boat in Maldives that was launched in 2010 and has been causing a lot of excitement. Offering stylish travel, Theia has accommodation for up to 16 people through 6 cabins and 2 suites, each with en-suite, hot water bathrooms and a stylish Asian décor. The suites located on the upper deck go that one step further, as they are equipped with flat-screen televisions and private balconies, giving guests a touch more privacy.
Other destinations for a sophisticated Maldives boat holiday are the liveaboards Island Safari 2 Royal, Dream Catcher II and MV Orion. Just like Theia, MV Orion was first launched in 2010 and is reminiscent of the private superyachts seen cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean. Described by one diver as “business class scuba diving”, the 130-feet MV Orion houses special features including a private outdoor Jacuzzi on the deck of the master suite, stunning lounge areas and immaculate interior design throughout.
Panoramic Suite on the Dream Catcher II
Naturally, dive holidays aboard MV Orion, Theia, Dream Catcher II and Island Safari 2 Royal come at a premium, with a night’s accommodation costing around USD $200 on each of the boats, which includes all meals and dives. Now, if you compare this with the price of accommodation in one of the Maldives’ most luxurious resorts and then factor in the cost of diving from a resort dive centre, you will actually find that luxury Maldives boat diving is surprisingly affordable.
Furthermore, Maldives diving holidays can be even more economical if you choose one of the many other boats on offer. There is a wide range of Maldivian boats that offer liveaboard diving holidays at a more competitive price, from as little as USD $165 per night. Some of the best choices in this price range include Stingray, Black Pearl and Nautilus One and Nautilus Two. All of these offer a variety of cruises throughout the year which include all dives, meals and accommodation.
Jacuzzi and Lounger on Deck
If you’re looking for more of a feeling of adventure on your diving holidays in the Maldives and have a minimum of 60 dives in your logbook, Nautilus Two is a great option. This traditional Maldivian-style vessel is kitted out with everything you could need for a comfortable diving adventure. The boat is constructed completely out of wood and has 12 cabins – each air conditioned and with a private bathroom. Nautilus Two also features an outdoor Jacuzzi on one of the decks for use by all the guests and hammocks are strung out in the shade for whiling away your surface intervals in peace.
Maldives Safari Boat Information
Now you know there are plenty of Maldives liveaboard dive boats to choose from, there are a few more snippets of information you’ll need to know before you’re ready to start finding the right boat for you and looking into booking some Maldives boat trips. It’s important to understand that the prices for liveaboard holidays do not include flights from your home country to the Maldives, but do tend to include transfers from the airport to the Maldives holiday boat. Likewise, while the boats are typically equipped with a complete bar, alcoholic drinks are not included in the packages and so are charged separately at the end of your trip.
Unique Diving Experience on Maldives Dive Safari
As most experienced scuba divers tend to have their own scuba equipment and prefer not to hire, the prices do not include scuba equipment rental, although this can easily be organized at the time of reserving your Maldives boat safari. Some of the Maldives safari boat operators offer scuba certification courses if you are not yet a certified diver, while others will require that you are already a certified diver. Be sure to indicate your experience level when arranging your Maldives boat holiday. It’s also good to bear in mind that the Maldives is home to some strong currents and some of the dives are in deep water, so it’s really an ideal destination for an advanced diver, although that’s not to say there are no dive spots suitable for beginners.
Check out this breathtaking view of a sea turtle shot while scuba diving in the Maldives; The marine life is unmatched in the Maldives – be prepared for many more jaw-dropping sights and sounds from deep in the Maldivian waters.
How to book a Maldives Safari Boat
You can find out more about Maldives boat holidays online at www.maldivesdivetravel.com, a leading provider of Maldives boat safaris. On the website, you will find plenty of information about the different choices of dive boat in Maldives, prices, special offers, photos, videos and much more. There is also plenty of other relevant information about dive sites, marine life, and general Maldives travel information.
We are glad to assist you in any way possible, so don’t hesitate to contact us, regarding your Maldives Safari Boat Holiday.
Maldives Safari Boats – For That Perfect Diving Holiday is a post from: Maldives Blog
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We at Maldives Dive Travel will do our best to ensure you have an amazing experience on your diving holiday in the Maldives, so don’t hesitate to get in touch! Stopping off on one of the many islands around the Maldives is a popular habit, as you can mingle with the friendly locals and absorb some of their culture and traditions. They will be more than happy to engage in a spot of spontaneous beachside football or volleyball, throw together a barbeque, start jamming with some traditional Maldivian drums along with singing and dancing and maybe even some night-time swimming. One can see how liveaboard safari trips on your holidays Maldives have a little something for everyone.
Grey Reef Shark in Maldivian Waters
The grey reef shark is a fascinating species of shark with a long, streamlined body. Spotting them underwater is one of the highlights of diving holidays in the Maldives. The reef sharks habitat is most commonly found around the coastal regions of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Scuba diving destinations where you can dive with them include the Maldives, the Red Sea, Australia, the Philippines and Madagascar. The grey reef shark tends to be found in shallow parts of the oceans and around coral reefs, where it hunts its prey. Its streamlined physique allows the grey reef shark to glide smoothly through the water, approaching unwary fish without warning.
There have not been many reports of grey reef shark attacks on divers and no attacks on humans in the Maldives have been reported.
Grey Reef Shark Facts
Grey reef sharks form part of the reef shark species – more specifically they are part of the requiem shark family – of which there are many, including the black tip reef shark and white tip reef shark; both of which can also be observed while scuba diving in the Maldives. All of these reef shark species are similar to the grey reef shark in that they have a slender grey body with a white underside, wide nose and big eyes. You can tell the grey tip reef shark apart from his family by his characteristic white-tipped dorsal fin, a dark grey-black stripe on his tail and his size – grey reef sharks are considerably bigger than their white and black-tipped cousins.
Grey Reef Shark Diet
The grey reef shark’s diet generally comprises small marine life including octopus, shrimp and many of the small fish species you would expect to find around a coral reef, where the grey reef shark spends much of his time hunting. The grey reef shark is a nocturnal animal, when they will be found hunting alone. The rest of the time, you will usually find grey reef sharks in groups, as they are quite social animals while not hunting. An adept hunter, the grey reef shark is able to lie very still on the ocean floor in wait of its prey and its acute sense of smell enables it to sense a potential meal from quite a large distance. When attacking the grey reef shark is an extremely quick swimmer – reaching speeds of around 18 meters per second – and its streamlined body helps for a very smooth line of attack.
A grey reef shark patrols the waters near a drop-off.
Grey Reef Shark Reproduction
The grey reef shark is one of the most widely-studied species of marine life in the Maldives and so we are fortunate to know a significant amount about grey reef shark populations and reproductive habits. The female grey reef shark can typically gives birth every two years and each litter has up to six pups. The time between conception and birth (gestation period) is approximately 12 months. When they are newborn, the grey reef shark babies are around 60 centimeters long and they reach their full length of around two meters after 7 years. The grey reef shark’s lifespan is around 25 years.
Thanks to its preference for shallow waters, and its aggressive nature, the grey reef shark has few natural predators. When attacked, the grey reef shark swings its head around, warning predators away.
Grey Reef Sharks in Maldives
The grey reef shark has been assigned the status of “near threatened” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature because in some parts of the world, it is hunted for its meat and the valuable shark fin is exported to China. Luckily, this practice is illegal and poaching remains relatively rare, though some incidents have been reported in recent years.
Other threats to the grey reef shark include general overfishing. To protect the species from extinction, it is important that shark hunting is monitored and fishing of the grey reef shark is limited where possible. Ideally, shark hunting should be banned altogether because most shark species are threatened by overfishing.
Thankfully, the Maldives announced a ban on shark fishing throughout its waters in March 2010 in an attempt to preserve and increase shark populations and consequently boost tourism to the country.
Many people are keen to know whether the grey reef shark is dangerous. While attacks have been reported, the good news is that such attacks are very rare and usually it is a case of a scuba diver or swimmer in the way of a very curious shark.
Maldives Reef Shark Diving
There are plenty of opportunities for scuba diving with grey reef sharks in the Maldives. One of the best sites for reef shark diving is Maaya Thila, in North Ari Atoll, where there are several different dive routes both for day and night diving. A Maaya Thila night dive is a great opportunity for you to see grey reef sharks while they are hunting alone, while during a day dive you are more likely to encounter them swimming in groups around the reef. This is also a great dive spot for seeing the white tip reef shark, as well as moray eels and octopus and countless coral-dwelling fish species. Many liveaboard divers will spend a day moored close to Maaya Thila, allowing them to take in a night-time, morning and afternoon dive, all of which will bring you in contact with different marine life.
Guraidhoo Kandu is another great dive spot, well known for its impressive grey reef shark populations, varied marine life and gorgeous coral heads. Located in the South Male Atoll, Guraidhoo Kandu is often visited on the way to or back from Maaya Thila on the same Maldives liveaboard cruise.
Elaidhoo Thila is another top diving attraction for Maldives reef shark diving; here you will find populations of white tip and grey reef sharks, amid groups of trevallies, nurse sharks and batfish. Like many dive sites in the Maldives, Elaidhoo Thila can be subject to strong currents and so is recommended for experienced scuba divers. Novices may be able to dive here when currents are calm.
More Grey Reef Shark Information
You can find more grey reef shark information online on the dedicated pages on pages like Wikipedia or MarineBio, where you will find a wealth of information related to all kinds of marine species. If you are looking for more information on reef shark diving in the Maldives, check out our recent blog post about it here.
Furthermore, you may be interested in “Maldives SharkWatch”, a research initiative launched by www.saveourseas.com. The page is set up for divers, fishermen and in general all tourists or visitors to the Maldives, who can assist in the study by reporting their personal shark sightings. In turn, contributers can obtain significant information about different species of sharks, and their whereabouts. Please check out the page here, and don’t hesitate to get involved!
Grey Reef Sharks in the Maldives is a post from: Maldives Blog
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Lucky scuba divers might come across zebra sharks and swim with whale sharks while diving in the Maldives. The zebra shark is not a particularly common shark but is quite stunning in appearance. Also known as the leopard shark, the zebra shark is a species of carpet shark and the zebra sharks behavior finds the creature usually moving around the seabed, close to the coral reef. Most of a zebra sharks prey is caught at night, since the shark is a nocturnal creature. A zebra sharks diet consists mainly of small fish and crustaceans. These are just a handful of the shark types seen in the Maldives. Other species include the nurse shark, variegated shark, snaggletooth shark, silvertip shark, silky shark, tiger shark and sliteye shark, and many others, which together make the Maldives a great destination for shark-loving scuba divers.
There is a lot of information about whale shark Maldives and Maldives whale shark diving online, including news and updates about whale shark season Maldives, conservation efforts and peoples’ reports about swimming and snorkeling with these amazing creatures.
If you’re interested in whale shark diving Maldives, you should check out the whale shark maldives blog on www.MaldivesDiveTravel.com/maldives-blog and you’ll be able to see loads of whale shark pictures, find out when is the best period whale shark Maldives and get the latest news on the best dive sites and special offers for whale shark tours Maldives. To experience diving with whale sharks in Maldives is an unforgettable experience – don’t miss out!
Vacations in Maldives are increasing in popularity, due to the amazing conditions and activities the Maldives has to offer. There are countless resources you can utilise to your advantage when planning your Maldives vacation package; Our website www.maldivesdivetravel.com has plenty of information, tips and tricks for your Maldives vacation. Feel free to check out our pages on Maldives marine life, liveaboard maldives cruises, scuba diving information, Maldives weather and many more! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to get in touch! We look forward to hearing from you!