not scuba divers. For most divers, spotting a shark in the ocean calls for celebration. For those who know, sharks are shy creatures and rarely cause harm to humans. Fuvahmulah, also known as the Galapagos of the Maldives is one of the best places in the world to swim with unique species of sharks including tiger sharks, hammerheads and thresher sharks.

 

 

Why dive with sharks
Scuba diving is educational and makes us aware of unique species inhabiting the planet. Education is also the first step towards conserving species since it makes people aware of the threats to biodiversity. Around 32-37% of shark species are endangered, threatened or close to extinction.

 

Tiger sharks are close to threatened, hammerheads are threatened with extinction, angel sharks are critically endangered and whale sharks are endangered as well. Scuba diving with sharks is a great way to know about the wonder of these unique marine creatures, understand their lives, biological processes they contribute and the necessity to protect them. Coexisting with sharks in the same environment can spark empathy and encourage us to gain awareness about marine environments.

 

More than anything, scuba diving with sharks also leads to wonder and leaves you in absolute awe about the unique species that exist on our planet.

 

 

Best time to go
Maldives is one of the best places to scuba dive with sharks. Besides being a premium luxury holiday destination, Maldives is also home to a wide biodiversity of marine life. Most species of sharks are found in Fuvahmulah, located in Deep South in Maldives. Though tiger sharks are found here all year round, tiger sharks are mostly here during the months of February and April. Most shark sightings depend on luck just like any other wildlife sightings.

 

During February and March, tiger sharks get attracted to the calm waters and slow currents. They also find this to be the best season the reproduce and find abundant food from the shore. Fuvahmulah is a unique atoll in the Maldives which rises from the deep ocean creating a hotspot for huge predators.

 

 

How to find ethical diving companies
Some scuba diving organizations in Maldives are engaging in shark feeding to attract more sharks and guarantee sightings to their guests. However, these activities change the normal behavior and instinct of sharks and interfere with their long term hunting practices in the ocean. Though guaranteed shark sightings boost tourism, they are in fact harmful for marine life in the oceans. A great way to know if a company is ethical is if they don’t promise shark sightings and encourage you to be one with nature.

 

One such company in the Maldives is Top Class Cruising led by the young Martina Zimmitti. They vowed to stop shark feeding in 2020 and also don’t conduct whale shark searches in South Ari Atoll in the Maldives. Various whale sharks have been hit by propellers of boats trying to chase them for sightings.

 

When scuba diving guests start prioritizing nature over sightings and natural behavior over manipulated shark behavior due to feeding, organizations will be forced to be more ethical. Shark species are increasingly dwindling and it’s on all of humanity to protect them as a species. Organizations might exploit the ocean for private profits, but we must learn that oceans exist as a shared commodity with marine life.

 

 

Safety tips to keep in mind
Shark diving is safe but shark attacks do happen if one is scuba diving with an organizer engaging in shark feeding. While scuba diving ensure the equipment is aligned and nothing is dangling. Avoid quick or sudden movements, ensure you are always maintaining eye contact with the sharks. Never touch the sharks and always follow what the guide is saying. Though shark diving is safe, their behavior highly depends on our behavior and instinct.

 

 

How to get to Fuvahmulah
To get to Fuvahmulah, you can take a flight to Male, the international airport in Maldives followed by a domestic flight to GAN – the southernmost airport in Maldives where Fuvahmulah is located. Most live-aboards will pick you up from GAN. While opting for a organization, you can pick a live-aboard which allows you to stay on board and dive thrice a day. Since the live-aboard is a moving boat, it takes you to unique dive spots which island dive centers might miss. The entire experience is more authentic and fulfilling in a live-aboard.

 

 

My personal experience
Scuba diving in Fuvahmulah was on my bucket list from the longest time. As a scuba diver, I have watched numerous videos of people scuba diving with tiger sharks and I always wanted to try it in a safe environment. Some of the most unique dive sites in Fuvahmulah include Tiger Zoo, one of the most promising sites to see a tiger shark because of its proximity to the harbour and natural food available. Farikede is a popular cleaning station where sharks go to the reef for cleaning. Misiky reef is a popular spot for shark diving to explore unique marine species and colorful corals.

 

 

Other destinations for tiger shark diving
Other destinations for tiger shark diving includes Bahamas, Fiji, Australia, Costa Rica, South Africa, Egypt and Hawaii. However, globally Maldives is the key destination for tiger shark diving and leads in the number of tiger shark sightings annually. Tiger sharks are migratory animals and their movement is not controlled, each sighting and experience varies and largely depends on luck.

 

For more information on Maldives tourism visit: https://visitmaldives.com