Tips and Hints

Naturism and topless bathing are prohibited due to Islamic rules and laws. Violations are punishable by fines of up to $1.000.

Swimming, snorkeling and diving around the islands is a real pleasure. What you should pay attention to, however:

• Please never snorkel alone! Even experienced snorkelers can get into trouble due to overexertion, exposure to heat or a cramp in their leg. There should always be a partner who can help or summon help in an emergency.
• Snorkelers should always start their trips against the current and then return to the starting point with the current.
• Apart from the titan triggerfish, there are no aggressive or dangerous fish in the Maldives.
• When snorkeling, always keep enough distance from corals and fish so that they do not feel threatened or restricted. The titan triggerfish is an aggressive creature during the breeding season.
• Don't touch anything you don't know underwater. Fish with poisonous spines etc. or surgeonfish equipped with “scalpels” will never approach a snorkeler on their own, but will defend themselves in the event of a proverbial attack.
• Many corals and mussels have nettles or secrete secretions to which human skin reacts allergically or even with burns. So again: Please don't touch anything underwater!
• If possible, wear rubber shoes in the water, if not fins, to avoid injuring yourself on the sharp-edged pieces of coral. They also protect against contact with sea urchins or stonefish, which you rarely encounter.
• If you don't have a good tan, you run the risk of getting a serious sunburn in the first few days. We therefore recommend sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and a T-shirt for snorkeling. Due to its proximity to the equator, the sun's influence is many times stronger here than in Europe! Otherwise, fever, chills and diarrhea could occur in the first few days.
• Please do not underestimate the tides. The height difference between high and low tide is on average 1,5 m. For more detailed information, contact your resort's diving school. Since the tides do not change exactly every 6 hours, the ebb and flow always shift slightly. In addition, the strength of the tides depends on the moon. For example, there are extreme differences in water levels during full and new moons.
• Please never go swimming after dark and especially not alone! Swimming in the lagoon at night is also not advisable, as the shallow water is a popular sleeping place for stingrays!

Important:

• After snorkeling, rinse your ears with fresh water to remove plangtone residue and avoid inflammation.
• Do not clean the ear canals with ear swabs as the outer skin can become irritated and Plangton can be pushed in even deeper. An English proverb advises snorkelers and divers: “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but bubbles.”

With this in mind, we wish you a lot of fun with the Maldivian underwater world!