Blessed with a rich bounty of marine life, the Maldives features stunning underwater landscapes teeming with fish and coral; here are some insights on what to expect.
Island Resorts
The island resort you stay at will be key to enjoy snorkelling and diving in the Maldives; over water bungalow options even offer direct lagoon access for snorkelling to spot marine life anytime you choose! Consider properties near a house reef in places like the South Male Atoll to see a dazzling array of coral and fish.
Marine Life
With over 2,000 fish species here, there’s plenty to see. These include particularly colourful varieties like oriental sweetlips, clown triggerfish, butterflyfish, unicornfish and powder blue surgeonfish. To add to the adventure, properties like Anantara Veli Maldives Resort also give you a chance to snorkel with nurse sharks, mantas (seasonal), turtles and whale sharks!
Colourful Coral
Another fascinating element of the underwater world is the various types of soft and hard coral in all shapes, sizes and colours. Try and familiarise yourself with some of them so you will know what they look like; keep your eyes peeled to spot brain, staghorn, whip, star or carnation coral along with beautiful sea fans.
Getting Involved
Apart from seeing coral and fish, you can also get involved in protecting this precious marine ecosystem. You can get involved in coral adoption programmes offered at certain resorts; these properties are committed to protecting reefs and give you chance to participate in coral planting and follow its progress and growth over time.