| Duration: | 3 Hour(s) - 0 Minute(s) |
| Tour Category: | Half Day Tour |
Duration: 0.8 hours
Location: Tear Drop Reef, between Malé & Villingili
If you visit the Maldives, you cannot miss the most advanced and outstanding attraction in the country—a visit to the underwater world in the state-of-the-art Whale Submarine. It is the world’s largest deep-diving passenger submarine and takes you on an underwater adventure to 120 ft below the surface.
Ninety-nine percent of the Maldives is water, and if you haven’t explored the underwater world, you have missed the most exciting views and marine creatures that inhabit the seas of the Maldives.
On arrival at the dock, the dive master and his assistants lead guests to the ticket counter area.
The underwater hostesses serve guests soft drinks and coffee while tickets are being issued.
While guests are inside the submarine, just before the dive starts, the hostesses give a briefing on safety procedures using the safety equipment (similar to what an air hostess does for flight safety), followed by the captain’s announcements regarding the dive.
Fish identification cards are found in the back pockets of the passenger seats, and the hostesses help passengers identify fish using these cards if needed.
The Dive
The first stop is at 25 meters, where you will see a colorful display of corals and different types of reef fish. On most dives, the submarine is greeted by schools of blue or yellow-striped snappers. Common lionfish, yellow boxfish, and turtles are also usually found here.
The next stop at 40 meters features another type of coral garden. Depending on the current, the submarine may rest on a sandy spot close to a large cave. The exterior lights of the submarine enable you to see different types of fish taking shelter inside the cave. Occasionally, white-tip reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse are sighted here.
If you are lucky, you may be able to see one of the biggest groupers in the Maldives at this location. This two-meter-long giant grouper frequents this area and is completely unafraid of the submarine. On many dives, she has come close to the viewports and shown passengers her gaping mouth with unevenly arranged, razor-sharp teeth. One Japanese passenger commented, “...she should see a dentist.”
Depending on the time of day, current, and many other factors, the submarine may dive at historical sites such as a shipwreck, a more exciting location like a shark-feeding area, or simply another beautiful reef.
Before the dive begins, the crew inside the submarine will give you a briefing on that particular dive site.
If you are joining a night dive, watch closely for sleeping manta rays as the powerful exterior lights illuminate the entire area.
Take your camera with you and never miss a surprise encounter with a shark, a giant grouper, or the protected Napoleon wrasse, now threatened with extinction.
After the Dive
After a breathtaking 45-minute dive, the submarine will ascend to the surface. The transfer vessel will be there to pick you up immediately after the dive, and you will be dropped off at Malé or the airport. The entire tour will take approximately less than 3 hours.
