Scuba diving in Noonu Atoll
Noonu Atoll is an island in the north of the Maldives that has a few exciting dive sites with exciting topography for divers of all levels. These include Orimas Thilaat (a drop-down that leads to a sandy channel at 30m/98ft and then to a shark cleaning station) and Christmas Tree Rock (a pinnacle with an interesting shape with swim-throughs and coral gardens, depth of 2-15m/7-49ft). The waters at this site can get choppy during the rainy season with currents of over 2 knots.
When to go
The best time to dive at Noonu Atoll is during the dry season, from January to May. The rainy season is from June to November. The average sea temperature is 27-28C/81-82F, while the air ranges between 29-31C/84-88F.
What to see
Gray reef sharks and eagle rays are typical inhabitants of Noonu Atoll. Other species at dive sites around here include orange basslets, dottybacks, snapper, and trevallies.