Route Description - The Deep South
7 Nights Atolls: Huvadhoo Atoll – Fuvahmulah Atoll – Addu Atoll
10 Nights Atolls: South Male Atoll – Felidhu Atoll – North and South Nilandhoo Atolls – Meemu Atoll – Thaa Atoll – Laamu Atoll.
Nitrox is highly recommended.
Explore the southernmost reaches of the Maldives on an extraordinary journey through the Equatorial atolls—Huvadhoo, Fuvahmulah, and Addu. This unique adventure crosses the Equator, where divers traditionally honor Neptune, marking the transition with a ceremonial tribute. Despite their remote location, these atolls are well connected to Malé via a 60-minute domestic flight to/from Kooddoo and Gan airports.
Huvadhoo Atoll is one of the deepest natural atolls in the world, known for its strong currents and exhilarating channel dives. Here, divers can expect encounters with large schools of pelagic fish, rays, and various species of sharks. Hook into the reef corners and witness the underwater drama unfold before drifting into the atoll’s interior, where vibrant coral gardens and rich macro life offer moments of tranquility. At night, whale sharks are often drawn to the back of the boat by its lights—a breathtaking and humbling experience.
South of Huvadhoo lies Fuvahmulah Atoll, a submerged mountain that rises from the ocean floor, creating a dramatic plateau at approximately 30 meters. This unique geological formation attracts an extraordinary range of large marine species, including tiger sharks, hammerheads, threshers, silver tips, and grey reef sharks, offering some of the most thrilling drift dives in the region.
At the southern tip of the Maldives, Addu Atoll awaits. The historic island of Gan, once a key British naval and air base, is now home to one of the country's most intriguing wreck dives—the British Loyalty. Now an artificial reef teeming with life, it serves as both a historic site and an underwater haven. The atoll also features dynamic eastern channels and a famous northern manta cleaning station, where divers can observe giant mantas up close as cleaner wrasse perform their delicate work.
Please note: This itinerary requires a minimum of Advanced Open Water certification and at least 100 logged dives due to depth, currents, and the advanced nature of the dive sites.