Close encounters in the Maldives

The image that remains ingrained in the minds of most visitors to the Maldives is the spectacular aerial view of the Indian Ocean, speckled with tiny white sandy islands encircled by turquoise lagoons as they fly overhead via seaplane to their beach paradise.

But the picture-perfect paradise of islands that lay above sea level represent just a fraction of the total landmass of the Maldives, the rest remaining hidden beneath the waves just waiting to be explored.

The Maldives is renowned for its diving. Thousands of divers flock to this beautiful island nation every year, attracted by the promise of a close encounter with the amazing creatures that live among the atolls.

Their relative isolation, some 800 miles from the nearest mainland, means they boast a fabulous variety of marine species. The plankton rich waters inside the atolls support an incredibly fertile marine ecosystem and the last few years have seen the re-growth of some of the most amazing corals in the world.

With some 87 resort islands to choose from, most of which house PADI-certified dive centres, divers can be spoilt for choice. But one island that is extremely popular is Huvahendhoo, or Lily Beach resort resort, which is situated in the south-east Ari-Atoll and is well placed for a visit to some of the best dive sites in the Maldives.

The Ocean Pro dive school on Lily Beach offers a wide range of PADI courses, from beginner to expert, with a full range of equipment for hire. It has considerable experience of scuba diving in the Indian Ocean, with a number of schools on resort islands throughout the Maldives.

There are 55 dive sites around Lily Beach, all within ten to 60 minutes away by dhoni (traditional Maldivian boat). They range from shallow thila dives to challenging drift dives where strong currents attract many of the shark and ray species for which the Maldives are renowned.

Highlights include Omadhoo Thila, or Big Valley, which boasts a fascinating variety of corals and is home to many exciting species including jackfish, tuna and barracuda and Gaviamas Thila, or Scorpion Reef, where scorpionfish, stonefish and anglerfish can be seen in abundance.

Kudara Thila, or Heaven's Door, is a firm favourite and is rated in the world's top ten dive spots. Lily Beach is also well placed for Madivaru Channel, which is perfect for spotting manta rays as they glide through the water like huge flying saucers, flapping their wings lazily.

For the more experienced divers, Hiti Thila, or Terminator Thila, which features huge caves and overhangs and promises hair raising encounters with some of the biggest fish in the Maldives, including eagle rays, sharks and napoleon fish, is a must.

Of course the whale shark is the biggest of them all, and is often spotted off Whale Shark Point. An encounter with a whale shark is probably one of the most exciting experiences any diver will ever have and the chances of seeing one in the Maldives is quite high, particularly in the South Ari-Atoll where Lily Beach is situated.

Divers watch in anticipation as its large shape appears out of the gloom, the animal's huge mouth open to catch the passing plankton, its giant tail fin cutting through the waves.

The whale shark can grow up to 14 metres, although the average size is a smaller, though no less awesome, 7.5 metres. Swimming alongside this magnificent creature is bound to make any diving trip to the Maldives complete and create lasting memories.

The Ocean Pro dive school offers two boat dives a day, one departing after breakfast and the other after lunch, with single dives costing $39 and reducing in price the more dives you do. It also hosts various early morning dives, night dives and wreck dives for the more adventurous.

One of the Lily Beach's most attractive qualities is its excellent house reef, which is just 25 metres from the dive base, meaning divers can quickly grab their tanks and BCDs and jump off the jetty into what can only be described as fish soup.

It also means the beauty of this underwater world is not just restricted to divers, as snorklers can see almost as much by simply bobbing along the reef edge. Schools of jackfish and trevallies, giant moray eels and moderately sized sharks can all be seen in the waters just a few metres from the beach.

Hayes and Jarvis offer a variety of holiday packages to Lily Beach, flying direct to the Maldivian capital of Male with First Choice.

Gemma Roskell