The Dive Squad

The Dive Squad is a PADI Dive Center situated on Maafushi Island in the South Malé Atoll. Established in 2023, the facility is positioned a 30-minute speedboat ride from Velana International Airport, providing straightforward access to the atoll's diverse marine environments.

The centre operates with a focus on modern equipment and structured learning. Divers can choose from a variety of environments, ranging from calm lagoon-side reefs to more challenging channel drift dives and submerged pinnacles.

The centre is run by a local PADI-certified team, ensuring that the instruction and guiding are rooted in regional expertise. The diving is organised into small groups, with a maximum of five divers per guide to maintain safety and personal attention.

For those looking to progress their skills, the centre provides a dedicated classroom equipped with a 50-inch Full HD Smart WiFi TV and on-site instructors to support the study material. This provides a comfortable environment for the theoretical components of PADI courses.

The Dive Squad offers the complete PADI course catalogue. Beginners can start with the Scuba Diver or Open Water Diver courses, while those looking to advance can enrol in Advanced Open Water or Rescue Diver training.

Professional progression is also supported, with Dive Master courses available for those aiming to join the industry. The centre also provides Emergency First Responder (EFR) training to ensure divers have the necessary safety foundations.

The centre provides a full range of rental kit, including wetsuits, masks, fins, and weights. Because the facility is relatively new, the regulators and BCDs are brand-new, ensuring reliability for every dive.

For those interested in underwater photography or night diving, GoPros and torches are available for hire. The centre also provides dive computers, subject to availability, to assist with depth and deco monitoring.

The atoll is home to a wide array of pelagic species. You will regularly encounter various sharks, including Grey Reef, Whitetip, Blacktip, and Lemon sharks, as well as Nurse sharks and the occasional Hammerhead or Bull shark. Large rays, such as Eagle rays and Stingrays, are also common across the channels and pinnacles.

The reef walls and thilas are populated by a diverse range of fish. Look for Napoleon wrasse, large schools of Snapper, Trevally, and Tuna. You will also find various reef fish such as Butterflyfish, Parrotfish, and Blue Surgeon fish navigating the hard and soft corals.

In the calmer areas and lagoon-side reefs, you can find sea turtles, Moray eels, and Octopus. The reef flats and coral gardens are often home to anemonefish, Triggerfish, and various species of Lionfish.

Manta rays are a seasonal highlight in the area, appearing at specific points like Manta Point depending on the time of year.

Diving in the South Malé Atoll involves a variety of conditions depending on the site. Some locations, such as Dhigu Thila, are subject to strong currents that attract schooling pelagics, while others like Maafushi Corner offer more gentle drifts.

The topography includes everything from shallow, calm coral gardens suitable for skill workshops to deep channels and submerged thilas. Divers should be prepared for steady currents when visiting reef walls and cleaning stations.