Recommendations for diving & snorkelling resort in Nov-Dec

[oldbiker]

Hi everybody,
I've been to the Maldives several times, both in resorts and liveaboard. My wife and I are currently planning a trip to Maldives for the end of November or beginning of December. I'd like to go on liveaboard but my wife suffers from seasick, so that opportunity is not feasible. We're looking for a resort with the following features:

• superb snorkelling (for my wife): rich marine life, easy access to the coral reef
• superb diving (for me): having definitely more than 1,000 dives on my logbook I'm a bit "demanding" (I love sharks, mantas, etc.)
• we are not interested in fancy resorts (Jacuzzi's, water bungalows, swimming pools, water scooters etc.) - on the contrary, we're looking for well maintained structures, environmentally responsible.
• we would not go to the resorts we have been to before (Asdu, Bathala, Embudu, Eriyadu).

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[cetacean]

@oldbiker

Take a look at Laamu. The resort is a little bit "fancy" however the diving is very good, and away from other divers.

As experienced divers we asked (ahead of time) if we could get off the beaten track a bit and get out to some of the passes. We dove 4-5 of these (seveal repeatedly) and consistently saw lots of grey reefies, huge schools of jacks, and the occasional manta. They also had a couple of manta cleaning stations where we had successful encounters.

Re: snorkeling - the snorkeling right off the dive center dock was quite good, they also had several snorkeling trips that other guests mentioned were excellent. Separately, The Baa Atoll (farther north) had some excellent snorkeling.

In taking a look at where you've been before, I think you'll find more of what you are looking for by getting farther away from the Male Atoll. The north and south of the Maldives is both more remote, and less developed.