Turtle Bay - South Malé Atoll

Turtle Bay, over in South Malé Atoll, is a really gentle introduction to Maldivian diving, a perfect spot for folks just getting comfortable in the water. It’s a shallow reef, topping out at a modest 17 meters, so you get plenty of bottom time to just drift and watch things unfold. We’ve seen quite a few green sea turtles here, predictably, just munching on the corals or cruising by. It’s not a drift dive, just a nice, easy potter around the reef, great for photographers wanting to practice their buoyancy or anyone happy to take it slow.

Location
South Malé Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates
2.900500, 73.568700
Type
reef
Maximum Depth
17m
Difficulty
Beginner

Marine Protected Area: Lhazikuraadi/Hakura Thila

Best Time to Dive in South Malé Atoll

The warmest water temperatures in South Malé Atoll occur in April, averaging 30.4°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.5°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 28.5°C
  • February: 28.8°C
  • March: 29.4°C
  • April: 30.4°C
  • May: 30.1°C
  • June: 29.6°C
  • July: 29.7°C
  • August: 29.6°C
  • September: 29.4°C
  • October: 29.3°C
  • November: 29.3°C
  • December: 29.0°C

Nearby Dive Sites in South Malé Atoll

Nearest Dive Centres to Turtle Bay

Marine Life in South Malé Atoll

Home to 106 recorded species including 44 reef fish, 41 hard corals, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 2 other.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for Turtle Bay

Based on average water temperature of 29.4°C, currents 19 cm/s.

  • Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories