Maldives Liveaboard - What time of year is Best

There is a "high season" (where the weather is better or drier) from Jan-April and then a "low season" when the weather is more changeable and more chances of rain and high seas.

The fish life doesn't change a great deal and the water temp may change by only 1 degree (C).

Viz is changeable regarding which side of the atoll you're diving. The blue water is associated with water coming from the deep and flowing in to the atoll. In the "high season" the currents mostly run west to east, so diving the western sides have better visibility. The opposite occurs in the low season where the currents are predominantly east to west. Heavy rain affects light and can lead to bad viz.

Mantas and whalesharks are to be found where there is abundant food in the way of plankton. This happens on the "downstream" side of the atoll. It's rare to see mantas and whalesharks in blue blue water as there is no food in it.

Other pelagics- reef sharks, eagle rays etc. are more easily seen in the upstream currents.

The inside of the atoll can go either way- there is usually more biodiversity on the inner reefs- especially on pinnacles or 'thilas' with steep walls, overhangs and the like.

supergaijin

Thanks for answering. This helps alot. Seems like other than topside weather theres not much diiference in dates.