Types of fish in the Maldives. Dive into the amazing underwater world of the unsurpassed Maldives

The Maldives has long been considered a Mecca for scuba divers. Rarely where you will see such an abundance of marine life. Even with a simple mask and snorkel you will be able to immerse yourself in a fantastic underwater jungle: see with your own eyes in a natural environment giant sea turtle, fish of all shades of the rainbow, octopus, graceful small reef shark, moray eel, barracuda sea pike, graceful stingray... And most importantly, there is no need to go on additional excursions for this, all this can be enjoyed every day, swimming snorkeling around your island hotel.

Maldives- one of those few places where anyone, from beginner to expert, will find excellent conditions for scuba diving. The resorts have special schools for those who are preparing for their first dive, as well as for experienced scuba divers. Even beginners can dive in areas with soft corals, gentle slopes and plenty of tropical fish. Experienced divers are given the opportunity to night dive and drift in the undercurrent, as well as many steep walls, caves and even shipwrecks.

You can swim underwater in the Maldives everywhere - in the lagoon near the resort, and on remote reefs.

In the Maldives- 26 atolls, consisting of many small coral islands. Each atoll surrounds a large 40 - 90 m deep lagoon. The calm water in the lagoon creates favorable conditions for the formation of branching and reef-building corals, which are home to about 900 species of tropical fish.

The underwater world of coral reefs Maldives striking in its beauty- a lot of tropical reef fish live here: angel fish, groupers, scorpion fish, clown fish, wrasses, butterfly fish. You can see huge moray eels and sea turtles. But the most vivid memories for divers are from meetings with other inhabitants of the Maldivian waters: tuna and barracuda, huge Napoleons, nurse sharks, reef and whale sharks, manta rays.

The lagoons have channels that cut through the outer reefs, and the straits beyond the lagoons separating the atolls. Both in the channels and in the straits - a strong current, providing a wealth of marine life, and gentle slopes with ledges provide shelter for many fish, crabs and lobsters. There are excellent opportunities for drifting in the straits; the depth of the straits is more than 200 m. The channels are both shallow and very deep.

The water outside the atolls is very clear, and marine life is extremely varied and full of colors. Some reefs on the western side of the Male Atolls have been favored by starfish, which, unfortunately, cause significant damage to corals.

Each island is bordered by what is known as a house reef, making almost all resorts have excellent snorkeling opportunities. Visibility in the lagoons near the islands is usually good (up to 40 m).

Undoubtedly undersea world Maldives impressive and breathtaking. On land they are charming, but underwater they are simply beautiful. Unusually clear water brings here divers from all over the world, as well as hundreds of varieties of fish, shellfish and other marine animals that live in these waters.

Diving in the Maldives - video

Diving with a mask and fins is available at most Maldivian resorts. Diving centers accept tourists of all skill levels. Even those who have never swum under water before have the opportunity to try it here. Firstly, a beginner must take a special course at a diving school. Almost all schools issue upon graduation international certificate. After receiving instructions from an experienced teacher who explains in detail all the details of the upcoming dive, you must pass a theory test to check what you have learned. As soon as the test is passed, you can proceed to the practical part. Diving centers provide any kind of training, as well as offer all kinds of equipment and transport. You can go to sea on a traditional fishing boat, called here "dhoni". The choice of dive sites is huge, for any level of experience. Most dive sites are close to the islands.

rare draws attention green sea turtle. Sea turtles migrate long distances using the Earth's magnetic field for orientation. Adult females usually lay their eggs on the same bank where they hatched themselves. Sea turtles contribute to the development of two ecosystems - they clear the bottom of excess vegetation, and also maintain the natural balance on the seashore. The sharp decline in the number of these animals is entirely on the conscience of man. Turtle meat, shells and eggs are highly valued in many countries. Now, this species (together with 6 other species of sea turtles) is on the verge of extinction. Some divers unintentionally kill them by riding them, not realizing that the turtle has to come up to breathe air.

A flock of barracuda attracts attention gray reef shark. These sharks leave an unforgettable impression on everyone who manages to meet them. Despite the fact that these are very active and inquisitive animals, they do not attack divers for no reason. Attracted by the abundance of animals that inhabit the reef, these sharks come here to hunt for fish, shellfish, octopus and crustaceans - shrimp and crabs.

Usually sedentary moray eels represent a much greater danger to divers than sharks. Moray eels are attracted to shiny things and are known to pop out of their burrows to rip off a swimmer's ring or bracelet. Their large bulging eyes are useless here, and they rely more on their well-developed sense of smell when hunting. Adults reach about 1.5 meters in length. They swim out of their caves only to hunt small fish, mollusks and crustaceans. Therefore, divers do not often manage to see them in open space. And whoever succeeds is a rare chance to watch their original swimming style.

Huge cuttlefish, which looks like an octopus, is a master of disguise. Her skin is covered with special cells that reflect light in different directions, allowing her to blend in with the surroundings when in ambush. She also has a strange blue-green blood - a real alien in the underwater world of the Maldives.

Lionfish, or as it is also called lion fish or zebra fish, covered with sharp needles that secrete poison. He will not kill an adult, but the wound will hurt for a very long time.

Words cannot express how charming and fabulously beautiful underwater world of Maldives, it is worthy to come here and see all this splendor with your own eyes.

The planet has such picturesque corners, visiting which tourists will not lose the feeling that natural beauty sea ​​and land is trying to compete with each other. The Maldives can rightly be noted as one of these places. They attract travelers with their green tall palm trees, white sandy beaches, but primarily beautiful coral reefs. As you know, the Maldives is the best place for diving in the world. Among the inhabitants of the oceanic underwater kingdom of the Maldives, you can see the incredible color and shape of seaweed, coral reefs, large fish and much more. All these beauties of nature paint the ocean with different colors.

Interesting information about the country

• The Maldives are islands in the Indian Ocean, which, as proven by scientists, were inhabited 5 thousand years ago. Europe learned about the islands thanks to the travel of Marco Polo, who called them "the flower of indian ocean».
• The official name of the state is the Republic of Maldives. The country is located to the southwest, 700 km from Sri Lanka.
• The Maldives is a country in the whole world with only one city. The capital Male is a port city located on the islands of Vilingile and Male and is the most populous place in the country.
• The Maldives consists of 1192 coral islands (atolls), but only 200 islands are inhabited by people, 80 - from tourist resorts. Some of the islands are uninhabited. total area countries 90 thousand km2. The population of the Maldives is about 393 thousand people.
• The country has the flattest area in the world. The average elevation of the Maldives above sea level is 1.5 m. The highest point has a height of 2.4 m above sea level.
• The climate on the islands is subequatorial monsoon, average temperature throughout the year is 25-30 °C. The rainy season runs from June to August.
• The length of the Maldives from south to north is 823 km, and from west to east it is 130 km. There is not a single river or other source of fresh water on the islands of the country.
• The Maldives is a Muslim country, so compliance with local laws and traditions is a must for guests.
• Tourism and fishing are the main industries that support the country's economy.
• Motor and sail boats are the main transport of the Maldives. Air transport also carries out a huge part of the transportation.
• Approximately 2,000 species of fish have been found in the coastal waters of the Maldives, of which 300 are reef fish. The largest whale sharks are 20 meters long.
• The Maldives is a heavenly place, clear ocean and tropics that open the way to a completely different world. If you look at the Maldives from a bird's eye view, the picture will amaze the imagination, the blue expanse of the ocean and the green islands look like fabulous.

Scuba diving is the main attraction of the Maldives

Favorable climatic conditions and the distinctive properties of the geological structure of the islands have formed the conditions for the best dive sites in Asia. All over the world, the Maldives is considered to be the best place for diving. Coral reefs are ready to reveal their secrets to the attentive and leisurely swimmer who has an exciting desire to see the underwater beauty of the ocean. The astounded diver, carried away by the undercurrent, will slowly drift past majestic jellyfish, vibrant corals and fish that are also watching him. Impressions from an amazing sight, from the fantastic beauty of fauna and flora will be overwhelming, and often after the first dive, the whole picture seen will merge into a general feeling of delight, admiration and peace.

The inhabitants of the underwater world of the picturesque Maldives

The underwater kingdom of the Maldives is so beautiful and rich that a few meters of depth is enough to see a lot. If you obey the current, which slightly drifts to the side, then a panorama of underwater grottoes and coral thickets will unfold before your eyes. Swimming along the reef, in the bushes of coral gardens, you can meet sluggish turtles, luxurious tropical fish, fabulous stingrays, vicious moray eels and dangerous sharks. The vibrant color palette and outlandish shapes will inspire any scuba diver, but corals are as fragile as they are beautiful, so you need to be extremely careful and careful not to destroy the natural work.

Breathtaking panoramas and unforgettable impressions will give the ocean at night. Under the water column at sunset, inhabitants appear who cannot be seen during the day. Of these, most feed on plankton, which rises to the top with the onset of night. And here hunters show themselves in all their glory: starfish, unusual anemones and corals set up their amazing traps, and crabs separate shells with prey with their claws. Taking advantage of the fact that the victims of sharks do not see anything, they also come to life. The parrotfish avoids danger in a very interesting way - it releases a bubble and rests inside, but as soon as someone touches the shell, it wakes up and runs away.

Features of diving in the Maldives

Every tourist can feel like an amphibious man. Everything you need is on the islands for exciting diving. On the territory of most hotels there are diving schools that issue certificates. Large diving clubs offer a very wide program: training for beginners, improving the skills of already advanced divers. The set of programs also includes training in scnorling.

In order to dive into the underwater world, it is not necessary to complete a full course. A single dive after a short preparation is carried out to a depth of 2 to 12 meters. If a common language is found with the sea abyss and pulls deeper, then it is necessary to begin serious preparation and take a course of study. Experienced divers should remember that they may be asked for a dive diary and a valid medical certificate before any dive.

Diving in the Maldives all year round. For beginners, places with gentle slopes and soft multi-colored corals are suitable for diving. And experienced divers can use the services of night dives and the opportunity to swim in the underwater current among the many caves and sunken ships.

Scuba diving centers operate on ships that ply between the atolls. Cruise ships are a great opportunity to visit the different islands of the archipelago, fishing, uninhabited, which is difficult to do if you stay in a hotel.

A diving safari is a trip across the ocean on a equipped yacht, where there is everything you need for relaxation. If you choose a diving safari, you can get the opportunity to take a break from the huge number of divers who dive in the most accessible places. During the safari you can see uninhabited islands, add to the palette of sensations in ocean fishing and try cooked fish that has just been caught.

The inhabitants and coral reefs of the islands are a real phenomenon of nature, which is located in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is the place where magical landscapes and solitude, especially for scuba divers. Not only professionals, but also those who put on fins and a mask for the first time can enjoy an amazing array of shells, bright corals, and colored fish. As you know, the Maldives is famous for its diverse, vibrant, amazing shapes and sizes of marine fauna and flora. Diving enthusiasts can see a huge whale shark and microscopic plankton. You can get impressions of a lifetime if you look at the amazing and colorful underwater kingdom of the amazing Maldives.

In the final post, I collected photos of the underwater world of the Maldives and its inhabitants. This is real paradise on Earth - warm clear water, the richest vegetation and kilometers of picturesque beaches. Best place for diving and recreation can not be found.

The Maldives archipelago consists of about 1200 small islands, presumably of volcanic origin. They form a double chain of 26 atolls - large coral land areas that look like a bursting ring. The first settlements of the redins were founded on the islands as early as 2000 BC. According to numerous testimonies of navigators, for a long time the islands were ruled by female sultanas...

The population of the archipelago, excluding guests of the country and tourists, is approximately 400 thousand people. capital Republic of Maldives is the port town of Male. The population of the capital is only 105 thousand people, others major cities not in the country:

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Coastal waters are teeming with a wide variety of life forms. The coral reefs that form the islands of the archipelago are home to a great variety of mollusks, several types of starfish (including quite rare ones), lobsters and crabs:

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Approximately 2,000 species of fish have been found in the coastal waters of the Maldives, of which 300 are reef fish. The largest whale sharks are 20 meters long:

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In the next post I will talk about how I drowned the camera for 400,000 rubles, but it will be next year. Happy New Year!

The beginning of the tourist boom in the Maldives in the 70s of the XX century is associated with coral reefs. The first island to have a tourist center in 1972 was Kurumba in North Male Atoll. In those days, about 90% of tourists were diving enthusiasts. The underwater world of the Maldives, to this day, attracts divers from all over the world.

And this is not surprising - there is everything that divers can only dream of: schools of colorful fish, friendly manta rays and dolphins, reef sharks, underwater rocks, canyons, coral gardens and wrecks.

Today, only 15% of the guests of the islands are divers who come here to see the underwater world of the Maldives, the islands have become popular thanks to spa centers. And there is nothing surprising that vacationers are clearly divided into 2 groups: those who prefer beach holiday, and supporters of direct contact with the sea and the nature of the reefs, who prefer the so-called. dive safari. Typically, their flights last from 7 to 14 days and include dozens of different underwater dives.

The most popular divers are the channels connecting the lagoon and the sea (for example, Embudu, Kanahaldi Kandu), as well as the underwater heights of the Maldives (for example, Kanduma Thila, Kudara Thila, Maaya Thila). If you want to get to know the various features of the seabed topography better, you can see, for example, Kudara Tila (“Broken Rock”) - a canyon that cut the underwater hill into two parts. It is also worth going to the outer part of the reef, to eastern part South Male Atoll, in the vicinity of the islands of Lohifushi, Guraidhoo and Kanduma. The slope of the seamount dotted with grottoes drops steeply to a depth of more than 30 meters.

Plunging in the channel, it is best to sink to the bottom and stay longer at its mouth. However, it should be remembered that, according to the rules, diving is allowed to a depth of no more than 30 meters. After the disturbed reef dwellers get used to uninvited guests, divers will be able to admire the richness of the colors of the underwater world of the Maldives. Shrimps, lobsters, snaketails, starfish, hedgehogs, snails and octopuses hide in the crevices of the reef. Divers are surrounded by colorful schools of clown fish, butterfly fish, parrot fish and triggerfish. Sometimes a fish-surgeon or a Moorish idol dances in the air bubbles, a gloomy Napoleon flashes by, and a meek manta invites you to play. However, not all the inhabitants of the reef are peaceful. Encounters with venomous stingray spines, sharp barracuda teeth or mind-boggling predatory moray eels can end badly. Shark lovers can be advised to the underwater valley of Ari Beach Beira, well known to scuba divers, located on the outer side of the South Ari Atoll, where whale sharks feed. Bathing in the company of these peaceful giants, often exceeding 10 meters in length, makes a lasting impression. In turn, the Mai-yafushi reefs in North Ari Atoll were once popular as places to feed sharks. Despite the fact that their feeding is now prohibited here, they still gather as soon as they hear the sounds of approaching boats.

The underwater world of the Maldives is in danger. However, there are also places where the reef is dying. There is no consensus on the causes of this phenomenon. Perhaps this is due to El Niño - for the same reason, a significant part of the coral population around the world has suffered. Probable cause there may also be a change in climate and temperature of ocean waters, since too high temperatures are deadly for reef-building corals. Development tourist centers also causes pollution and overgrowth of coastal waters and, as a result, the destruction of the reef.

To protect this natural ecosystem, 25 protected areas have been created where fishing and anchoring are prohibited. In addition to this, all types of reef corals are protected by a special convention (CITES). Some atolls were declared shark sanctuaries in 1998, and since then there has been a ban on catching sharks within a radius of 12 kilometers.

One of the attractions of diving in the Maldives is the opportunity to explore the remains of sunken ships. Some of them still remember the colonial period, and some were recently flooded specifically for the entertainment of divers (for example, “Where Giri” is a Japanese cargo ship). One of the most visited is the skeleton of the Maldivian "Victoria", located at a depth of 35 meters on the western side of the island of Hulule.

Corals in the underwater world of the Maldives. Various groups of animals with calcareous skeletons live in warm equatorial waters. These are mainly stony corals, and among them are acropores, porous corals, spherical meanders, and brain corals. Their skeletons, mixed with gravel, sand and lime silt, into which particles of bones of other marine organisms (fish, oysters, snails) have grown, form an underwater shaft - a coral reef. Important element reefs, which is also part of their limestone basement, are other colonies of living organisms, such as gorgonians, hydroid invertebrates, bryozoans, sponges and red algae. Reef-building corals need warm water with a temperature of 18 to 35 C, so they are not found above 30 to 35 degrees north and south latitude.

The Maldives are sinking. The Maldives is in danger. They will disappear from the surface of the earth in about 100-200 years. Such alarming information is increasingly appearing in the media and is associated with global warming. An increase in temperature provokes a rise in the level of ocean waters by about 2 - 3 mm per year, sometimes even by 1 cm, while the most high point The Maldives reaches 2.4 meters. The archipelago will be in danger if, according to UN forecasts, the water level rises by 59 cm by 2100. In this regard, representatives of the Union of Small Island States(A0SIS) organized a meeting in the Maldives to highlight the fact that climate change threatens the basic human right to live in a safe and peaceful environment. But while the islands are not hidden by the deep sea, travelers can relax in luxury hotels, enjoy the pristine beauty and explore the underwater world of the Maldives.