Addu Atoll (way down south)

[Wiggsy]

Hi folks,

I'm getting increasingly interested in the diving way down south at Addu Atoll (Gan Island). With direct flights now ex Colombo this becomes a convenient option. Equator Village appears to be the best accomodation option and is basically a renovated British Airforce Base (nice pool and grounds). I've heard of epic manta dives and Tiger Sharks with the odd Hammerhead. Anyone out there in scubaboardworld have any direct experience of diving way down south in The Maldives..?

 

[mantajohn]

Hi Wiggsy

In the last year, I've done two liveaboards in the south of the Maldives. I highly recommend the area. Lots of channel diving & pelagics. Not much here for the macro photographers though!

One itinerary was '7 southern atolls' the other was 'Deep South'. The only difference was that the 'deep south' included Addu/Gan.

In my experience, the diving at Gan was less good than at the other southern atolls. I may just have hit the wrong week, but judging from the DMs comments, they didnt seem to think so.

Cheers

John

 

[Wiggsy]

Thanks John. Yes, Ive been advised b a local to combine Gan with Fuvamulah (45 minutes away)....apparently with the good prospect of Tiger and Thresher Sharks... Looking into it all.

 

[JohnRom]

Hi Wiggsy, we stayed at Equator Village in March 2017. Resort is fine, the dive operation is less so. It was difficult getting the operator to do the number of dives we were looking for (we dive a lot and the operator really only wanted to do a max of 2 dives a day) (you can shore dive however it is not really worth it). The reefs around Gan are extremely variable. Some had fantastic coral growth (100% dense coverage) and others were completely dead (coral bleaching). For sharks we say several types of reef sharks however no Tiger, Thresher or Hammerheads (these were not even mentioned in any dive briefings). Did see several Manta Rays. If I was to go to the southern Maldives again it would be on a liveaboard so you may want to follow up on mantajohn's suggestion.

 

[mantajohn]

I just dug out my dive logs for March this year.

Addu - lots of dead coral but good Mantas

Fuvamulah - first dive - 6 sliver tips & a real close thresher!!

 

[Wiggsy]

I gather Aquaventure runs a better dive op than at Equator village. Indeed it sounds lke Fuvamulah is the bigger attraction down there. Sidey from Aveyla Manta Village (Dharavandoo) where I stayed two weeks back saw a Tiger there as well. IThe area is a good option though as it is a direct flight ex Colombo. BTW, Dharavandoo was beautiful - great fish life - lots of Dogtooth Tuna....more Mantas than you will see anywhere (30-50 in Hanifaru Bay) and we missed a whale shark and 2 swordfish (mixed in with the Mantas) in Hanifaru Bay by one day. Must write a report....! Thanks Mantajohn and John Rom.