My experience with a local dive center in the Maldives as a female solo traveler

When I was working as a scuba dive instructor on an island resort in the Maldives in 2010, I wondered why it wasn’t possible to dive with a local dive center in the Maldives. I found it very disappointing at that time because not all scuba divers need the luxury of a resort. In this post, I share my experience of diving with a local scuba diving center in the Maldives and staying on a local island, as a woman traveling alone.

Go on a budget diving holiday and scuba dive with a local dive center in the Maldives

At the time, it wasn’t possible to dive with a local dive center in the Maldives or to book an affordable accommodation, such as a hostel, homestay, guesthouse, or bed & breakfast (ad) on a local island in the Maldives.

This way, scuba divers on a budget were discouraged from going on a diving holiday to the Maldives. And the local population couldn’t earn much from tourism, other than by getting a job at an island resort. Click here for my post about Veligandu Island Resort in the Maldives. But things have changed in the Maldives!

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Research was done to share my experience with a local dive center in the Maldives as a female solo traveler

Then I figured out that it’s now possible to stay on a local island in the Maldives and go scuba diving with a local dive center. This makes it possible to travel to the Maldives on a budget and experience the local culture! I decided to check it out for my fellow splashpackers, so I could share my experience of a diving vacation with a local dive center in the Maldives.


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The experience of a diving holiday with the local Rasdhoo Dive Centre in the Maldives

In this article, I share scuba diving with the local dive center of Rasdhoo dive center in the Maldives. You might also like to read my post with practical information about staying and traveling to Rasdhoo Island in the Maldives. I lived on Rasdhoo island for a few months and did my research in regards to staying on a local island in the Maldives.

Madivaru Corner is the best dive site I have gone scuba diving in my life

I have worked as a scuba diving instructor in more than 7 different countries on 4 different continents. Also, I have done scuba dive travel as a solo female traveler to even more countries. The dive site with the sharks of Madivaru Corner in the Maldives is still one of my favorite dive sites on earth. You can now dive there with a local dive center and experience staying on a local island in the Maldives.

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Experiencing scuba diving at this amazing dive site with a local dive center in the Maldives

You can now dive at this scuba diving site with a local dive center in the Maldives, and experience staying on a local island. The dive is so complete with many white tips sharks, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons, leaffish, mantis shrimp, and macro life amongst other marine life. Every scuba diver will be satisfied to dive at that site.

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Video about scuba diving with the sharks in Rasdhoo Atoll in the Maldives

Here is a video about scuba diving and the shark show at Madivaru Corner on the Splashpacker YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe to my channel :-)

The experience of staying on a local island and diving with a local scuba dive center in the Maldives

Not only Madivaru Corner, there are more than 19 dive spots on the atoll of Rasdhoo and they all offer spectacular diving. I was never bored when I worked as a dive instructor on Veligandu Island in the Maldives. So now I became very curious about how it would be to dive with a local dive center and stay on a local island in the Maldives.

Rasdhoo Dive Centre offered me to stay in their dive lodge for a few days and to experience scuba diving with a local dive center in the Maldives as a female solo traveler.

The local dive center in the Maldives looked very modern

The first thing I noticed was how well this dive center and the belonging accommodation and restaurant were developed. Everything looked brand new. I think staying this way on a local island in the Maldives can be considered flashpacking rather than backpacking. There is a big team of staff available who all were super friendly and helpful.

The clean room contributed to a positive experience for a female solo traveler on a diving holiday

After I checked into a very clean, spacious, and comfortable room, I was shown around at the local dive center on this Maldivian island. Comparing this to previous budget accommodations on my solo travels, the air-conditioned room with coffee and tea facilities felt like a luxury treat to me. I was island hopping in the Andaman Sea before and sleeping in a jungle hut on Koh Mook island in Thailand. So, very pleasant! It contributed to a positive experience for a woman traveling alone or on a diving holiday!

A nice place to meet other scuba divers during solo traveling

The comfortable seating areas outside were nice for enjoying social time with fellow divers or the dive staff. I think it’s a nice place to meet other divers as a solo traveler. On the roof terrace is a restaurant to be found where nice and freshly prepared meals are on the menu.

To book your scuba diving with a local dive center and stay on a local island in the Maldives, click here for booking.com (ad), or here for Agoda (ad).

Click here to find your flight deal to the Maldives with booking.com (ad) or check this link for 12go.com (ad)

Preparing my scuba dives with the local dive center in the Maldives

The dive center looked clean and very well organized. After filling out the required paperwork, the dive equipment was put together in my box and I was ready to go diving the next day. The next morning I enjoyed my breakfast which was served in a buffet style.

The experience of meeting other scuba divers as a female solo traveler in the Maldives

I joined the table with other divers and some of the other dive staff and enjoyed my breakfast whilst having a nice chat. At 08.30 am we left the local dive center in the Maldives and walked a few hundred meters to the shore where our big dive boat was waiting for us.

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Scuba Diving Madivaru Corner on Rasdhoo Atoll

The first dive we did was at the dive site ´Madivaru Corner´ and the current was a right-hand shoulder one, which is good. Even though the dive site is also amazing with a left-hand current, if the current comes from the right a shark show can be guaranteed.

Upon descending we saw some white tips sharks and grey reef sharks in the blue while we followed the reef at about 18 meters. A stonefish was hiding between the rocks just before the big part of the wall ended. We started to follow the reef.

So much marine life at this dive site in the Maldives

The dive was continued whilst leaving the small remaining reef wall to our left. We found some smaller marine creatures like another stonefish, nudibranch, and morays on the reef. An eagle ray was spotted and a white-tip shark was swimming by over the sandy patch to our right. Meanwhile, in the big blue to our left, the shark show was just starting.

My experience of scuba diving at the shark show at Madivaru Corner

During the dive, we could feel the current becoming a bit stronger. With it, more sharks appeared. We hovered above the smaller reef wall not knowing where to watch. The blue was full of white tips sharks and some grey reef sharks. But on the other side, some bigger fsh were also showing themselves to us in the sandy part. Click here to book a liveaboard in the Maldives (ad).

In my experience, marine life has increased in the Maldives

‘Do I want to take a photo of that Napoleon fish, or shall I continue watching the sharks? Oh, there’s a group of 12 eagle rays above us too.’ This is exactly how I remember diving at Madivaru Corner and the reason I came back to dive here.

In my personal experience of comparing this dive spot to 7 years ago, when I worked as a diving instructor at Veligandu Island Resort in the Maldives, the marine life here has only increased. This is very unusual in other places in the world.

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Professional dive guide with the local dive center in the Maldives

We continued our scuba dive over the reef plateau where more moray eels were to be spotted. Sharks kept appearing in the blue and we also spotted another ray. The staff and dive team of this local dive center in the Maldives was very professional. Our local dive guide was also very good at spotting smaller stuff and showed us a leaf fish and a nudibranch.

The dive site Madivaru Corner is located close to this local island in the Maldives

Big groups of batfish were hanging above the reef. We were just surrounded by them because they were not scared or considering moving out of the way for us. At the same time, the surgeonfish were happily playing with our bubbles, while we were making our way up to do our safety stop. Click here for my blog post about the Madivaru dive site and scuba diving with the sharks in the Maldives.

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The experience of feeling alone as a solo traveler on a diving holiday with a local dive center in the Maldives

During the surface interval, I was having a nice chat with the staff of the local dive center in the Maldives, and my dive buddy. In my experience, I have never felt alone while diving with a local dive school in the Maldives.

Plastic garbage collection during our surface interval with the local scuba dive center in the Maldives

At first, my buddy booked only one dive and was going to be brought back to the dive center during the surface interval. However, he changed his mind when he was so impressed by the scuba diving in this part of the Maldives. When we saw a few plastic water bottles floating in the ocean, the local dive crew and I jumped into the water to collect them.

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The second dive: from Madivaru Corner to Madivaru channel

For our second dive, we first jumped at Madivaru Corner where the shark show was still going on. After watching more of these amazing creatures, we decided to follow the reef in the direction of the Madivaru Channel. Sometimes interesting sharks like silvertip, blacktip reef sharks, or even hammerheads are seen here.

Big Blue dive site to spot the hammerhead sharks in the Maldives

But to see the hammerhead sharks, you can sign up for the early morning dive. The deep dive is called ‘Big Blue’ and is specially organized to see these ocean friends. Coming back to the dive, we  spotted a stingray laying in the sand and a turtle was having a little rest on the reef. When it was time for our safety stop, I again realized how amazing this dive spot was.

Such good news that you can now scuba dive with a local dive center in the Maldives

You can see so many things in one place, I think it´s a dream for many scuba divers. It’s such good news that you can now scuba dive at this dive site with a local dive center in the Maldives. You don’t necessarily have to choose a luxury island resort in Rasdhoo Atoll if you prefer to keep the costs of your diving holiday to the Maldives lower.


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Video about scuba diving at Big Blue dive site in the Maldives

Above is a short video about the early morning dive at the Big Blue dive site, which I also did with this local dive center in the Maldives. In my experience, we didn’t see any hammerhead sharks this time. But other sharks were seen at the end of the dive. The glowing plankton when the sun was rising was pretty cool too! I once again realized how amazing scuba diving in the Maldives is (ad).

Other dive sites you can scuba dive with this local dive center in the Maldives

Rasdhoo Atoll offers more than 19 dive sites, giving home to a variety of marine life. Each dive spot is unique. Other dive sites that you can do with a local dive center on Rasdhoo island include tiles, wall dives, reef dives, and a wreck dive. Things to see on a regular base (and other than what I already mentioned above) include ghost pipefish, shrimps, lobsters, different species of sharks, a variety of rays, and much more.

Video about scuba diving with the manta rays at Manta Point in the Maldives

The above video was filmed at Manta Point, another dive site in Rasdhoo Atoll. The local dive center can also take you scuba diving there during a diving holiday in the Maldives. There’s a manta cleaning station at Manta Point,  and the best time to see manta’s there is from November to April.

Other marine life to be seen in this part of the Maldives

There is a ribbon eel to be seen at the dive site Kuramati Tila. I also heard from other scuba diving instructors that the thresher shark, the guitar shark, and even the whale shark have been seen during scuba diving at Rasdhoo Atoll. Working as an instructor myself on this atoll, I also have seen a dolphin and the ornate eagle ray during scuba diving here.

Liveaboards are now also possible with local dive centers in the Maldives

It’s now also possible to do a liveaboard with a local dive center in the Maldives. I don’t have any experience with doing a liveaboard with a local dive center in the Maldives. But it’s definitely still on my bucket list. Some dive centers on a local island in the Maldives can offer it to you.

Sometimes it’s even possible to do a liveaboard for a few days only and combine it with a local island stay in the Maldives. The availability might be dependent on a minimum number of scuba divers. Click here to book your liveaboard in the Maldives with Get Your Guide (ad).

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It’s my experience that the locals of the Maldives are very eco-conscious and help with ocean conservation

Local dive instructors, divemasters, or the owners of local dive centers and guesthouses in the Maldives are often very environmentally conscious. Mostly they have chosen a job in the diving industry because their heart lies here.

In general, the locals of the Maldives are very environmentally conscious and aware of the importance of ocean conservation. They often show a great passion for keeping oceans clean and live with good ethics of saving marine life. Click here for an overview of my posts about environmentally friendly dive centers around the world.

You contribute to sustainable tourism if you support a guesthouse or local dive center in the Maldives

Even though the island resorts in the Maldives often offer good jobs to the locals, you support the local population of the Maldives even more by staying in local guesthouses (ad) and diving with the local dive centers. The resorts, and the dive centers of the resorts in the Maldives, are often part of a large hotel chain and dive center chain, sometimes with (partly) international ownership.

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Besides environmentally conscious travel, sustainable tourism also means helping the local population

If you book your diving holiday with accommodation on a local island (ad) with a local dive center in the Maldives, you are supporting the local, smaller business. This contributes to sustainable tourism because sustainable travel means more than environmentally conscious travel. Click here for a good deal on a local island stay in the Maldives with Get Your Guide (ad).

The local dive centers in the Maldives are very professional in my experience

Besides scuba diving in Rasdhoo Island, I also stayed and dived with a local dive center and guesthouse on Ukulhas in the Maldives. In my experiences of diving with a local dive center in the Maldives, the level of service and professionalism are similar to the ones in the expensive resorts in the Maldives. They usually provide high-quality rental equipment, fill the tanks with modern and well-maintained compressors, and follow the standard safety guidelines. Often Nitrox is available too.


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Can you also go Pro or do your Divemaster with a local dive center in the Maldives?

These questions came in through the Splashpacker website: Yes, now it is possible to do your divemaster course in the Maldives! Staying in a resort for a couple of months is not likely to be affordable.

However, staying on a local island makes it possible to do your divemaster course in the Maldives. Sometimes IDC’s (Instructor Development Courses) are also organized in the Maldives. Click here for more information about becoming a divemaster or scuba dive instructor and to go pro in scuba diving. I sometimes share my experience of working as a dive instructor abroad.

2024 Update about the local dive center Rasdhoo Dive Centre in the Maldives

My experience with the local dive center in the Maldives, Rasdhoo Dive Centre, was very positive. But as I understand this local dive center in the Maldives is closed, and I couldn’t find out whether it is temporary or permanent. The website is out of order, but you can always check here on booking.com (ad) or Agoda (ad) where I link to the Rasdhoo Dive Lodge, to see if you can book them again.

My experience as a woman traveling alone to a local island in the Maldives (and living there for several months)

Besides Rasdhoo Dive Center, there are many other accommodation options (ad) and some other local dive centers on Rasdhoo Island in the Maldives. Rasdhoo is a very nice island, and I had a super nice time when I lived there for a few months. The local people are very friendly, helpful, and happy to welcome tourists. I felt incredibly comfortable as a woman traveling alone to this local island in the Maldives.

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Would you like to go on a diving holiday to a local island in the Maldives too?

I have written a full blog post with travel information for  Rasdhoo Island in the Maldives. The post can help you if you are also planning to go on a diving holiday to Rasdhoo. But there are also many other islands with local guesthouses and dive centers in the Maldives. Click here for a complete package trip to a Dhangeti island in the South Ari Atoll with Get Your Guide (ad).

In conclusion: my experience as a solo female traveler with a local dive center in the Maldives

As a conclusion about staying and diving with a local dive center in the Maldives, I can say this: do it! It is a much more unique experience to stay on a local island in the Maldives (ad) than in a resort because you also get to experience the local Divehi culture. My expectations were exceeded by the standards of quality and luxury. Plus you travel more sustainably and support the local population of the Maldives.

Travel tips for female solo travel to a local island in the Maldives

As a piece of advice, I would like to say, always respect the local culture. The local people of the Maldives are all Muslim, the country is 100% Islam by law. There are different times throughout the day when the locals pray. Respect this by not disturbing them during their prayer times. Drinking alcohol is not allowed on local islands in the Maldives.

I always felt safe in my experience as a female solo traveler on local islands in the Maldives

Don’t walk around the island in a bikini or swimwear, but dress yourself appropriately. You don’t have to cover everything, and you can also lie on the beach in your bikini. But just wear normal clothes when you walk through the streets or into the village. The people are very friendly. As a woman traveling alone, I always felt safe on local islands in the Maldives.

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Tip for your international flight deal to the Maldives!

You can now book your international flight to the Maldives with booking.com (ad). Or you can use 12go.com (ad) to find your best flight deal no matter where you are in the world. They scan all direct flights and flights with stopovers. So you can find the best deal for your diving holiday to the Maldives.

More diving information & travel information for the Maldives will follow…

As you have probably already realized, I am very enthusiastic about the concept of going on a diving vacation to the Maldives while staying in local accommodations and scuba dive centers. For us, it is a way to travel to the Maldives more affordably, while also getting to know the local Divehi culture. For the local population of the Maldives, this concept offers a better income.

Island hopping in the Maldives: visit multiple islands during your trip

I have also visited another island called Ukulhas, and an island closer to Malé. There are budget accommodations and local dive centers on many islands in the Maldives now. This way it is also possible to do some island hopping in the Maldives. You can visit more Maldivian islands during your diving holiday in this beautiful country. Read more practical travel information about Rasdhoo Island in the Maldives here.


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Would you like to dive in Rasdhoo Atoll but still prefer to stay on a resort island? Click here for my post about staying on the neighboring resort island, called Veligandu Island Resort. Or you can click here for an overview of all my posts about the Maldives so far!

More about Splashpacker and my experience as a solo female traveler and working abroad

Splashpacker likes to focus on sustainable dive travel. In addition to traveling as environmentally consciously as possible, sustainable tourism also means supporting the local population. The website is set up by a former diving instructor who has been living and working abroad, and solo traveling as a woman since 2006. You can read more about me here.

You can also subscribe to the Splashpacker YouTube channel, or scroll down to follow me on social media or to subscribe to my mailing list.

Thank you, Rasdhoo Dive Centre!

A big thanks to Rasdhoo Dive Centre for making diving holidays with a local dive center in the Maldives now available to all of us. Now those on a lower budget can also enjoy the scuba diving of the Maldives without needing to stay in a luxury resort.

Rasdhoo Dive Centre has also provided me with most of the photos in this article and invited me to stay and dive with them. So I could write this post about my experience of scuba diving with a local dive center in the Maldives with you.

Very happy bubbles from the Maldives!

*As an associate from Booking, Agoda, 12go.co and Get your Guide, I earn from qualifying purchases