North Male Atoll dive sites
Maldives · Browse dive locations by depth, type and conditions.
Best Season
January–April, Year-round, January to April, June–November, December to April, January-April
Skill Levels
intermediate, all-levels, beginner, advanced
Nearby Cities
Hulhumale, Male, Thulusdhoo
All dive sites
Banana Reef
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
The Maldives' first protected dive site — a banana-shaped reef with dramatic overhangs and cliffs.
Banana Reef
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
The Maldives' first protected dive site, a banana-shaped reef formation with dramatic cliffs, overhangs, and abundant marine life.
HP Reef (Rainbow Reef)
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Colorful thila with overhangs covered in soft coral. Named after the HP printer company that sponsored research.
Hulhumale House Reef
Hulhumale · North Male Atoll · Maldives
An accessible shore-entry reef on the eastern side of Hulhumale's reclaimed island where surprisingly healthy coral gardens and passing pelagics offer budget-friendly diving minutes from Male's international airport.
Manta Point Male
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
A renowned manta ray cleaning station where reef mantas gather to be groomed by cleaner wrasse on shallow coral blocks.
Nassimo Thila
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
A vibrant submerged reef in North Male Atoll known for overhangs dripping with blue soft corals, schooling grey reef sharks, and one of the Maldives' most accessible yet rewarding thila dives.
Orimas Thila
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
A stunning pinnacle on the outer rim of North Male Atoll with sheer drop-offs, dense soft corals, and reliable grey reef shark encounters.
Thulusdhoo Cokes Reef
Thulusdhoo · North Male Atoll · Maldives
A vibrant channel reef adjacent to Thulusdhoo Island's famous surf break, where strong currents bring eagle rays, reef sharks, and dense fish schools along a pristine coral wall accessible from a local island guesthouse.
Dive centers in North Male Atoll
Maldivers Dhiffushi
Dhiffushi · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Locally owned SSI dive center on Dhiffushi, the easternmost island in the Maldives, offering authentic and affordable diving in North Male Atoll.
Maldivian Academy of Diving
Himmafushi · North Male Atoll · Maldives
The Maldives' only PADI Career Development Center on Himmafushi island, offering professional-level training and daily dive trips to North Male Atoll's premier sites.
Dive Club Maldives
Hulhumale · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Locally owned PADI dive center in Hulhumale near the airport, offering affordable boat dives to North Male Atoll sites and operations at Bandos resort.
Ocean Junkies
Hulhumale · North Male Atoll · Maldives
PADI center near Male airport with day trips to North Male Atoll's best channel dives and manta cleaning stations.
Euro-Divers Club Med Kani
Kanifinolhu · North Male Atoll · Maldives
PADI dive center at the all-inclusive Club Med Kani resort in North Male Atoll, offering convenient access to top North Male dive sites.
Dive Desk
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
PADI 5 Star Dive Center in Male capital, offering daily boat trips to North Male Atoll's best dive sites without requiring resort accommodation.
Emperor Divers Maldives
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Internationally renowned liveaboard operator with a fleet of vessels in the Maldives, offering professionally managed diving cruises across multiple atolls.
Maldives Boat Club
Male · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Established liveaboard operator since 2002, offering luxury dive safari cruises across the Maldivian archipelago with 25+ years of experience.
Sub Aqua Dive Center Thulhagiri
Thulhagiri · North Male Atoll · Maldives
German-run PADI/SSI dive center at Thulhagiri resort, 20 minutes from the airport, with an excellent house reef and access to North Male Atoll sites.
Euro-Divers Kurumba
Vihamanaafushi · North Male Atoll · Maldives
Euro-Divers center at historic Kurumba Maldives resort, just 10 minutes from the airport with access to North Male Atoll's finest dive sites.
Diving in North Male Atoll
North Male Atoll offers reef, pinnacle dive sites across 3 locations. Browse dive locations by depth, type and conditions before planning your dive.
FAQ
Why is Banana Reef historically important?
It was the first marine protected area in the Maldives, established to preserve its exceptional reef health and marine life.
What is the reef shape?
A curved, banana-shaped reef with dramatic cliff formations, overhangs, and swim-throughs covered in vibrant soft corals.
Is it crowded?
Being close to Male, it can attract day-trip boats. Early morning or late afternoon dives are less busy.
Why is Banana Reef historically significant?
Banana Reef was the first dive site in the Maldives to receive official protection, established as a protected marine area in the early days of Maldivian tourism. It helped shape diving regulations across the country.
How did it get its name?
The reef formation curves in a distinctive banana shape when viewed from above, giving it this iconic name that has been used since the earliest days of Maldivian dive tourism.