These idyllic coral islands rank amongst the best dive destinations in the world. When conditions are good, the underwater visibility is at the highest level – sometimes exceeding 50 metres – and the warm water temperatures year-round make diving in the Maldives a pleasure. The North Malé Atoll is home to the Lion’s Head and Wattaru Kandu dive sites, both of which are frequented by reef sharks. Wattaru Kandu is also home to stingrays and garden eels whilst Lankanfinokhu, or Manta Point as it’s known locally, is a great place to see manta rays being cleaned by local colonies of cleaner fish.

In the South Malé Atoll, Hukrueli is another place to see rays and cleaner fish, and Maaya Thila, a protected marine area, is home to white-tip sharks, turtles, zebra morays and the elusive guitar shark. Hanifaru lagoon in the Baa Atoll is one of the best places to see whale sharks and manta rays – June to September being the best time as this is during the monsoon season and equinox when the lagoon is filled with plankton.