Recreation: Swimming, Scuba Diving and Snorkeling. A visit to Maldives is incomplete without experiencing the realms of the underwater world. If you thought the aerial view was breathtaking, exchange your sunglasses for a mask, and take a glimpse underwater. This is where the real treasure of the Maldives is hidden.

Most visitors enjoy the lagoons as the natives do, swimming and snorkeling in the warm, turquoise waters, or canoeing, sailing, wind surfing, parasailing, deep sea fishing, jet skiing and water skiing. You can go on a shark feeding/ whale shark watching expedition, where you're in the water with hungry reef sharks that are being hand-fed by a guide. You can also charter a yacht, perhaps with a captain and chef, to sail among the islands.

The Maldives is famed for its rare underwater beauty. The profusion of psychedelic colors and the abundance and variety of life underwater have fascinated divers and snorkelers since Maldives was discovered as a diving destination. The highest level of visibility that one could expect- sometimes exceeding 50 meters - and warm temperatures throughout the year makes diving in the Maldives a delight you would want to experience over and over again. The Maldives has some of the best dive sites in the world and many visit the Maldives repeatedly for the sole purpose of diving. All resorts in the Maldives have professional dive schools with multi-lingual instructors and conduct courses for beginners as well as the advanced. Many of the resorts have excellent house reefs.

You don’t have to be a diver to enjoy the fascinating underwater world of the Maldives. A snorkel mask and fins is your passport to enrich your holiday experience and to encounter different species of playful fish, turtles and other curious creatures that may be residing in the house reef.

Fishing is not only the lifeblood of the Maldivian economy; it is also a popular pastime among locals as well as visitors. Maldivians enjoy a variety of different types of fishing. The most popular among these is night fishing. The boat leaves the island and anchors at a reef before the sun sets and darkness sets in. The lines are tethered with hooks and sinkers and dropped overboard from both sides of the dhoni. If the fishing is good it gives a lot of excitement to everyone. If not, it gives you an excellent opportunity to relax under the night sky as the boat gently rocks with the waves.

Morning fishing or big game fishing involves trolling, usually outside the atoll along the reef. Fishing enthusiasts may prefer to bring their own equipment. Almost all the resorts organize night fishing trips at least once a week. Big game fishing or morning fishing, if not included in the resort’s weekly program, may be organized upon request.

Surfing: Maldives is fast establishing itself as a destination for surfers. Surfing is relatively new to the Maldives, especially compared to more established activities such as scuba diving. However, the recent O’Neil Deep Blue Contest has placed Maldives firmly on the world’s surf map. While most of the recognized surf breaks are in Male’ Atoll, there is certainly more to be discovered. For resort-based surfing it is advisable to choose one of the resorts on the eastern side of North Male’ Atoll where there is access to a number of excellent breaks.