Raa Atoll
4 Anemone City
08 Photographers follow
a large school of jacks
Equipment & settings:
Canon EOS-1DX, Canon
8–15mm fisheye lens,
dual Sea & Sea YS-250
strobes, f/13, 1/125s,
ISO160
This is a fabulous manta cleaning station, where
it’s possible to see hundreds of mantas during
an aggregation. The top of the thila is blanketed
with thousands of anemones, and is exploding
with fusiliers and other schooling fish. There’s a
healthy turtle population here as well, and it’s
not uncommon to see multiple turtles vying for
territory amongst the anemones. Where the
current hits the point (and there can be strong
current), look for schooling jacks and barracuda.
09 A massive school of
longfin bannerfish
Equipment & settings:
Canon EOS-1DX, Canon
8–15mm fisheye lens,
ambient light, f/8,
1/60s, ISO400
Huvadhoo Atoll
5 Gemanafushi Haa
Haa in Dhivehi means “flat reef”, deeper than a
thila. Gemanafushi is valley shaped and vast, and
you could never see this site in a single dive – it
would take at least three. While you’re exploring,
you’ll see the most pristine and colourful hard
corals in the Maldives, if not on the planet. An
enormous field of cabbage coral stretches for
almost half a mile, teeming with small reef fish.
This is a good place to see dolphins, as well as
whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill and green turtles,
eagle rays, Napoleon wrasses, trevallies, schools
of fusiliers, and schooling barracuda.
FAST FACTS
WHERE
The Maldives is in South Asia,
southwest of India and Sri Lanka
in the Indian Ocean, in the
Laccadive Sea.
08
LANGUAGE
Dhivehi is the official language of
the Maldives, with English the most
commonly spoken second language.
CURRENCY
The currency of the Maldives is the
rufiyaa, but US dollars are widely
accepted, as are euros at some of the
larger resorts.
WATER TEMPERATURE
The water temperature stays
between 82°F and 84°F (28–29°C)
year round.
DIVING EXPERIENCE
Some experience with currents is
recommended, especially in the
south, where many liveaboards
require a minimum of 100 dives.
PHOTOGRAPHY EXPERIENCE
09
Experience with wide angle is
recommended, but beginners
will benefit from being able to
practise on the same type of
subject repeatedly.