Fuvahmulah
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Why dive in Fuvahmulah?
BEST SEASON
Featured Animals 10
- Unlikely
- Likely
- Very likely
Variable Frequent sightingsGiant Oceanic Manta Ray
Mobula birostris
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is the world's largest ray, with a disc width that can reach up to 9 meters. It is a circumglobal species found in tropical to temperate pelagic waters, often near coastlines, reefs, and in the open ocean, diving to depths of 1,000 meters. These filter feeders primarily consume zooplankton, including mesopelagic sources, and can also eat small fish. While generally solitary, they aggregate at feeding grounds and cleaning stations. The species is currently listed as Endangered due to overfishing and low reproductive rates.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsGrey Reef Shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
The Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) is a medium to large-sized requiem shark, common in Indo-Pacific coral reefs and adjacent waters. Characterized by its grey body and a distinctive broad black band on the trailing edge of its caudal fin, it is a fast and agile predator. These sharks are known for their social daytime aggregations, which disperse at night for individual hunting.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsOcean Sunfish
Mola mola
The Ocean Sunfish is one of the heaviest known bony fish, notable for its round, flat body. It often basks on its side at the surface of the ocean and is a diurnal predator feeding primarily on jellyfish.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsOceanic Whitetip Shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
The oceanic whitetip shark is a large pelagic shark recognized by its broad, rounded fins tipped in white. It inhabits tropical and subtropical open oceans and is an opportunistic predator, feeding mainly on fish, squid, and carrion.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsPelagic Thresher Shark
Alopias pelagicus
The Pelagic Thresher Shark is recognizable by its extremely long caudal fin, which can be as long as its body and is used to stun prey. It is an active, fast-swimming carnivore found in tropical and subtropical open ocean waters, often near the surface but capable of diving to considerable depths. This species exhibits ovoviviparity and is unfortunately classified as Endangered due to overfishing and slow reproductive rates.
BEST SEASON
Cathemeral Frequent sightingsScalloped Hammerhead Shark
Sphyrna lewini
The Scalloped Hammerhead Shark is a large, migratory shark easily recognized by the central indentation on its hammer-shaped head. These sharks are found globally in warm temperate and tropical coastal and oceanic waters, often forming large schools around seamounts and islands. They are primarily nocturnal foragers, feeding on a diverse diet of bony fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and smaller sharks and rays.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsSilvertip Shark
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
The Silvertip Shark is a large, streamlined requiem shark identifiable by the prominent white tips and trailing margins on all its fins. It is an aggressive apex predator, often dominating other sharks during feeding, and can be found in various tropical Indo-Pacific marine habitats from the surface to considerable depths. While often solitary or in pairs, it can also form small groups or mixed-species aggregations and exhibits variable activity patterns throughout the day and night.
BEST SEASON
Variable Frequent sightingsTiger Shark
Galeocerdo cuvier
The tiger shark is a large apex predator recognized by the dark vertical stripes along its body, especially visible in juveniles. It inhabits tropical and subtropical waters and has a highly varied diet, feeding on fish, rays, turtles, seabirds, and other marine animals.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsWhale Shark
Rhincodon typus
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world and a gentle filter feeder.
BEST SEASON
Diurnal Frequent sightingsYellowfin Tuna
Thunnus albacares
The Yellowfin Tuna is one of the fastest and most powerful pelagic fish in the ocean. Recognizable by its sleek body and distinctive yellow fins, it inhabits tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. It often forms large schools and is frequently encountered around reefs, drop-offs and offshore seamounts, where it hunts smaller fish and squid with remarkable speed.
BEST SEASON
More marine life 53
Barred MorayEchidna polyzona
Bigeye TrevallyCaranx sexfasciatus
Black DurgonMelichthys niger
Blacktip Reef SharkCarcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip SharkCarcharhinus limbatus
Blue SharkPrionace glauca
Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatus
Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucas
Bumphead ParrotfishBolbometopon muricatum
Clown TriggerfishBalistoides conspicillum
Common Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus
Common Thresher SharkAlopias vulpinus
Dogtooth TunaGymnosarda unicolor
Emperor AngelfishPomacanthus imperator
Fimbriated MorayGymnothorax fimbriatus
Garden EelHeterocongrinae
Giant MorayGymnothorax javanicus
Giant TrevallyCaranx ignobilis
Giant clamTridacna gigas
Glider FlyingfishCheilopogon atrisignis
Great BarracudaSphyraena barracuda
Green Sea TurtleChelonia mydas
Hawksbill Sea TurtleEretmochelys imbricata
Honeycomb MorayGymnothorax favagineus
Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliae
Humphead WrasseCheilinus undulatus
Killer WhaleOrcinus orca
Leaf ScorpionfishTaenianotus triacanthus
LionfishPterois spp.
Moorish IdolZanclus cornutus
Orange-lined TriggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Orbicular BatfishPlatax orbicularis
Painted Spiny LobsterPanulirus versicolor
Pennant CoralfishHeniochus acuminatus
Potato GrouperEpinephelus tukula
Rainbow RunnerElagatis bipinnulata
Reef Manta RayMobula alfredi
Silky SharkCarcharhinus falciformis
Smooth Hammerhead SharkSphyrna zygaena
Snowflake MorayEchidna nebulosa
Sperm WhalePhyseter macrocephalus
Spinetail Devil RayMobula mobular
Spinner DolphinStenella longirostris
Spot-fin PorcupinefishDiodon hystrix
Tawny Nurse SharkNebrius ferrugineus
Teira BatfishPlatax teira
Threadfin ButterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Titan TriggerfishBalistoides viridescens
White-spotted PufferfishArothron hispidus
Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesus
Yellow BoxfishOstracion cubicus
Yellow Longnose ButterflyfishForcipiger flavissimus
Zebra SharkStegostoma tigrinum
Where is Fuvahmulah
Indian Ocean · Maldives
Frequently asked questions about Fuvahmulah
When is the best time to dive in Fuvahmulah?
The best time to dive in Fuvahmulah is from December to April. In those months the water is between 28°C and 30°C.
What marine life can you see diving in Fuvahmulah?
Divers can encounter 63 species in Fuvahmulah. Highlights include Giant Oceanic Manta Ray, Grey Reef Shark, Ocean Sunfish, Oceanic Whitetip Shark, Pelagic Thresher Shark, and Scalloped Hammerhead Shark.
When can you see the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray in Fuvahmulah?
The Giant Oceanic Manta Ray is most often seen in Fuvahmulah from March to July.
When can you see the Ocean Sunfish in Fuvahmulah?
The Ocean Sunfish is most often seen in Fuvahmulah from July to August.
When can you see the Oceanic Whitetip Shark in Fuvahmulah?
The Oceanic Whitetip Shark is most often seen in Fuvahmulah from April to October.
What is the water temperature in Fuvahmulah?
Water temperature in Fuvahmulah ranges from 27°C in June to 30°C in March.
What wetsuit do I need to dive in Fuvahmulah?
Most divers wear a 3 mm wetsuit in June, when the water drops to 27°C, and a rash guard or a 1–3 mm shorty in March, when it reaches 30°C.
What is the visibility like when diving in Fuvahmulah?
Visibility in Fuvahmulah ranges from 15 m to 40 m. The water is clearest from December to February.
What are the currents like in Fuvahmulah?
Divers in Fuvahmulah can expect moderate, strong, or very strong currents, depending on the month and the dive site.
What can you see on a night dive in Fuvahmulah?
After dark, Fuvahmulah reveals nocturnal species such as Blue Shark, Fimbriated Moray, Giant Moray, Honeycomb Moray, Leaf Scorpionfish, and Lionfish.
Where is Fuvahmulah located?
Fuvahmulah is a dive destination in Maldives, in the Indian Ocean.
Every answer is built from the conditions and sightings data we keep for Fuvahmulah. Spotted something that looks off?
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