Vaavu Atoll

For kandu dives, plan for strong current, negative entries, and potential blue-water pickups. Carry an SMB on every dive and practice deployment before the trip. Stay close to your buddy, keep your depth and gas under control, and do not follow animals into the blue or into overhead spaces. On night dives (especially Alimatha Jetty), manage buoyancy carefully in shallow water and avoid finning up sand or crowding other groups.

Serious medical care is centered in Male, and evacuation from Vaavu may involve speedboat and or seaplane coordination. For dive injuries, contact your operator immediately, provide 100% oxygen if available, and coordinate with a hyperbaric unit. Carry dive accident insurance (such as DAN) because hyperbaric treatment and evacuation can be expensive.

Do not touch coral, do not collect shells or coral, and do not feed wildlife. Maintain distance from sharks, rays, and turtles and allow them a clear exit path. Maldives policy has historically protected sharks strongly, but a Gulper Shark Fishery Management Regulation was published in late 2025 for deep-water gulper sharks, and rules can evolve. If shark conservation matters to your trip, check for updates and support operators and NGOs working on sustainable management and reef protection.