LIVEABOARD DIVING IN Port of Gan Atoll

The island of Gan is the southernmost island in Addu Atoll and also the southernmost island in the Maldives, lying south of the equator. The closest airport is in Male, that is connected by ferry to Gan. The name Gan originates from the Sanskrit word ‘grama’, which means ‘village’. Gan has a non-standard size compared to other Maldivian islands: it is about 5km/3mi long and 3km/2mi wide. It is the second-largest island in Addu Atoll, after Hithadhoo, and is connected to 4 other islands on the western side of the atoll, such as Feydu, Maradu and Hithadhoo. Because of this connection, Gan is different from the typical isolated Maldivian islands because tourists can freely explore its territory on cycling tours. Another attraction for Gan's visitors is the opportunity to make a deep acquaintance with the culture and customs of locals. Rich, well-maintained gardens, abundant vegetation, and beaches with pure white sand are highly valued by tourists to the island. There is a full range of water sports available on Gan, including sailing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding, although diving and snorkeling are the central attractions of the island. Healthy, remarkably vibrant corals lie at shallow depths and are known to not have been affected by the global coral bleaching event in 1998. The exceptional diversity of big fish and the biggest shipwreck in the Maldives' waters conquer divers' hearts year after year, especially beginners. Gan has a diving base that provides PADI courses, including special introductory courses for new divers, and is known to be one of the best destinations for beginners to start diving. The dive sites closest to Gan are the Gan Insider (small, easy-to-access colorful reef where lots of stingrays can be spotted), Gan Kandu (mild currents and sharks are often seen), Turtle Point, and the British Loyalty wreck (largest wreck in the Maldives). Other great dive sites in Addu Atoll, such as Shark Point and the Kandu Huraa area can also be reached from Gan.