Question Where to go for 1 week before central atolls liveaboard

[Jay_Remi]

We've done the north several times which was amazing ~15 years ago, but most of the sharks are now gone. The central atolls are okay, but not nearly a pristine as the south.

Yes the Northern atolls focus on deep thilas, not sharks. I personnally found the North the most pristine diving in the whole Maldives, simply because almost no LOB go there, and very few land based divers.
Now if shark are your thing, then the Vilingili channel is a prime spot. But there are sure dive sites in Central for sharks too.

 

[Jay_Remi]

Just pointing out the OP said December, with Fuvahmulah that is within the peak of hammerheads but Molas are generally in the summer months. We saw a lone thresher but we were 100' down and the thresher appeared to be another 100' down. Everyone is into different things, my personal opinion is I do not recommend Fuvahmulah if one doesn't want to dive with the Tigers

There is no "season" for Mola Molas in the Maldives. They are a very rare find. I know countless Maldivian divers who dived for decades and have yet to see one.

 

[Volleyball]

There is no "season" for Mola Molas in the Maldives. They are a very rare find. I know countless Maldivian divers who dived for decades and have yet to see one.

You're right that they're not seasonal so I stand corrected. My Fuvahmulah DM told me they are rare, you'll only see them during their summer because of the colder water and an article from SSI says the same. Yet there are more comprehensive sources that state year round. Have you ever seen them? I've seen them three times sunning themselves on the surface from dive boats (Capt refused to stop) off the coast of CA but have never been in the water with them

 

[cetacean]

Yes the Northern atolls focus on deep thilas, not sharks. I personnally found the North the most pristine diving in the whole Maldives, simply because almost no LOB go there, and very few land based divers.
Now if shark are your thing, then the Vilingili channel is a prime spot. But there are sure dive sites in Central for sharks too.

@Jay_Remi

We've been to the north 3 times (although not in the last 8 years). On the first trip to the Baa Atoll we dove "Shark Nursery" which was one of the most unique dives I've ever experienced. Juvenile grey reef sharks and juvenile eagle rays circling within a natural reef "bowl" - amazing dive, with a strong current the sharks and rays just stayed there, circling. We went back a couple of years later and the sharks had been fished out... quite sad.