Diving in the Maldives is an activity many people put on their bucket list, but if you have never learned to dive, you may feel you are missing out. There is a solution – going 40m below the surface of the crystal clear Indian Ocean in a submarine! Operating out of the capital of the Maldives, Male, these submarine dives bring to life a breath-taking world that non-divers can now also enjoy. It’s a journey to an unbelievable underwater wonderland.
The trip begins at the Male harbour where a representative will meet you for a short boat journey to a mid-sea jetty. It is from there that you descend into the deep-diving passenger submarine. With comfortable seating and large portholes it’s an ideal way to experience the most amazing sea life without the difficulty of learning to dive. The submarine is full air-conditioned and has normal atmospheric pressure. No breathing apparatus is required.
Once in the vessel, you descend beneath the water and a whole new world comes to life…it’s an extravaganza of marine activity and variety – an abundance of colours, shapes and sizes, from moray eels to whale sharks and exotic fish of all descriptions and names– trumpet, clown, angel, hawk, butterfly – the list is endless. The guides on the submarine are there to tell you the names and information about the sea life you see. The coral and plant life is spectacular too – it’s an unusual and unexpected vast garden kingdom.
There are lights on the outside of the submarine which allows for greater visibility of the sea life. To draw fish towards your portholes, the Submarine is accompanied by an underwater diver who feeds the fish, attracting them towards you.
Half way through the excursion, you change seats to the other side of the submarine, so you can enjoy a different perspective. This is a great family activity. Children absolutely love it – they feel safe and no skill is needed – all the sights from this spectacular submerged classroom can be enjoyed and discussed together. It makes the pictures from a book leap into real life and it’s a memory that will stay with them forever.
You are taken to a depth of 45m and the dive takes 45 minutes. Once back on the surface, you are returned to the capital by boat.