— Experiences

One extraordinary site, repeated many ways.

Three pillars: the Tiger Zoo, pelagic & reef, and PADI courses. The full Fuvahmulah portfolio.

— 01 / Year-round · near-100% sighting rate

The Tiger Zoo · Femunu Kol

Our signature dive. Less than a minute from the harbour to Femunu Kol — a sand-bottomed site at roughly seven metres, just outside the harbour entrance, where the reef shelf falls away into the open ocean. Sightings: tiger sharks, silvertips, turtles, Napoleon wrasse. Group size 1–10 divers per dive, with a steady-state preference of 3–6.

Depth: 7–8 m (sandy bottom)
Difficulty: Open Water+ (with operator assessment)
Bottom: 30–50 min

— 02 / Year-round · peak Apr–Jul

Thresher Sharks · Thundi & Farikede

Pelagic threshers come up from the abyss to cleaning stations on the reef walls. Thundi (the northern tip) is one of the few places in the world where pelagic threshers can be seen year-round; Farikede (the technical southern plateau) is where they meet hammerheads, dog-tooth tuna and schooling jacks.

Depth: 20–60 m+
Difficulty: Advanced Open Water
Bottom: 30–45 min

— 03 / Most likely Apr–Jun

Scalloped Hammerheads

On the right currents, schooling hammerheads come up to within reach of recreational divers on early-morning blue-water dives. These are deep, drift dives. Patience is the entire skill. When they happen, they are among the most spectacular shark dives in the Indian Ocean.

Depth: 20–30 m+
Difficulty: Advanced Open Water + Deep
Bottom: 25–40 min

— 04 / Two windows · Apr–Jun & Nov–Dec

Oceanic Manta Rays

Fuvahmulah accounts for the majority of all oceanic (and black-morph) manta sightings in the Maldives, with the aggregations gathering near cleaning stations and pelagic zones. Wingspans up to seven metres; behaviour curious, unhurried, generous.

Depth: 10–25 m
Difficulty: Advanced Open Water
Bottom: 40–55 min

— 05 / Occasional · May–Oct (tuna migrations)

Whale Sharks

Juveniles and adults pass through during the tuna migrations. Encounters can occur on any dive. We carry briefing protocols for whale shark interaction (no touching, distance maintained, no flash) on every departure.

Depth: Surface–20 m
Difficulty: All certifications
Bottom: Variable

— 06 / Year-round

Rasgefanno & Sea Fan

Rasgefanno — once the island's primary harbour — has some of the sharpest drop-offs and most dramatic overhangs on the island, with healthy top-reef coral. Sea Fan, near the current harbour, holds gorgonian fans larger than two metres across along a ledge from 20 m down to 40 m.

Depth: 10–60 m+
Difficulty: Open Water+
Bottom: 45–60 min

“On new and full moon currents, the thermocline rises and brings schooling scalloped hammerheads up within reach.”

— Courses

Built toward Fuvahmulah-grade conditions.

Most Fuvahmulah dives reward the well-prepared. We run a tight, expert PADI training programme designed to bring divers from confident-tourist to comfortable-in-pelagic-conditions in days.

PADI Open Water

Foundational certification. Five days. Theory, four confined-water sessions, four open-water dives at Fuvahmulah's gentler reef sites.

Advanced Open Water

Minimum recommended for most Fuvahmulah dive sites. Two days. Five adventure dives including Deep (30 m) and Drift.

Deep Diver

Required by some operators for hammerhead and thresher windows. Three to four dives to 40 m with full theory.

Enriched Air (Nitrox)

Two-dive certification. Strongly recommended for any guest diving four days or more.

Shark Conservation

Our signature speciality. Two days. Shark research, identification, behaviour and conservation policy. Photo-ID protocol included.

Bespoke Specialty

Drift, navigation, search & recovery, equipment specialist — bundled into your expedition on request.

Enrol in a Course

— The Sites We Run

A small constellation of world-class sites.

Five named sites pressed close together by geography. The full Fuvahmulah perimeter, in detail.

Femunu Kol · The Tiger Zoo

7–8 m · Year-round · near-100% sighting rate

At the harbour entrance, less than a minute from the dock. The only place in the world where tiger sharks are encountered with near-100% reliability every day, in shallow water. Tiger shark, silvertip, turtle, Napoleon wrasse.

Thundi

20–60 m+ · Year-round threshers

A cleaning station at the northern tip of the island — one of the few places in the world where pelagic threshers can be seen year-round. Thresher, grey reef, turtle, in-season manta and whale shark; possible hammerheads and rare mola-mola.

Farikede

30–60 m+ · Technical · strongest currents

The most technical site we run, at the southern end of the house reef. A plateau diveable in the blue or close to the reef. Thresher, tiger, grey reef, dog-tooth tuna, schooling jacks, hammerheads; in season, manta and whale sharks.

Rasgefanno

10–60 m+ · Sharpest drop-offs

Once the island's primary harbour, on the north-eastern side. Some of the most dramatic overhangs on the island, with healthy top-reef coral. Turtles, great barracuda, threshers, clownfish, puffer fish.

Sea Fan

20–60 m+ · Gorgonian forest

In close proximity to the current harbour. A unique site characterised by gorgonian sea fans larger than two metres across along a ledge from 20 m down to 40 m. Napoleon wrasse, turtles, tiger.

— A Day

You wake to a plan, not a question.

By 7:00 pm the previous evening, you receive your schedule for the next day. The dive lead has read the tide tables, watched the swell, walked the harbour and decided.

— Scenario 01

Two-Dive Day

Early Breakfast at Maakuri, timed to the dive schedule.
Pickup Hotel pickup by Shark Expeditions transport.
Briefing Dive briefing on the dock with the lead guide.
Dive 1 Femunu Kol or a pelagic site, depending on tide.
Surface Surface interval at the harbour. Coffee, snack, log entry.
Dive 2 A complementary site — wall, reef or cleaning station.
Lunch Lunch break at Maakuri.
Free Afternoon free, or optional third dive in season.
Dinner Dinner at Maakuri rooftop. Tomorrow's schedule confirmed.

— Scenario 02

Three-Dive Morning

Early Breakfast at Maakuri, timed to the dive schedule.
Pickup Hotel pickup, briefing, departure.
Dive 1 First of three morning dives, by tide and weather.
Surface Surface interval at the harbour.
Dive 2 Second dive of the morning rotation.
Surface Surface interval at the harbour.
Dive 3 Third morning dive — windows concentrated AM.
Lunch Lunch at Maakuri. Afternoon free; the boat is done.
Dinner Dinner at Maakuri rooftop. Plan confirmed.

“Surface intervals always take place back at the harbour, not at the dive sites. Differences from one day to the next are governed almost entirely by tide and the timing of the Tiger Zoo window.”