Centre de plongée Dive and Sail - Le centre

Located on the island of Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, Dive & Sail is a long-established centre with a presence in the archipelago dating back to 1989. The centre is built around a foundation of safety and local knowledge, providing access to some of the most renowned dive sites in the Ari Atoll.

The location is highly accessible, situated just a 25-minute transfer from Malé via speedboat or seaplane. Whether you are staying in the water bungalows or the beach bungalows on the island, the dive centre serves as a central hub for exploring the surrounding reefs and thilas.

The centre is managed by Alfons Straub and employs a team of well-trained international instructors. This professional team ensures that divers of all levels receive competent guidance, whether you are working through your first certification or exploring deeper sites.

To accommodate an international clientele, the team speaks English, German, French, Italian, Russian, and Japanese. This multilingual approach makes the centre a convenient choice for divers travelling from various parts of the world.

The centre provides a comprehensive range of training programmes through recognized certification bodies. Beginners can start with the Junior programs or work towards their Open Water Diver certification.

For those looking to advance their skills, the centre offers training for more experienced divers, including the Assistant Instructor course. The focus remains on providing a safe and structured learning environment for every student.

The centre operates using a traditional dhoni to take you out to the surrounding dive sites. These trips are well-provisioned, with water, snacks, breakfast, and lunch provided on board to keep you fuelled throughout the day. The boats are used for various excursion types, including night dives and trips to the various thilas in the area.

The shore-based facilities are designed for comfort and efficiency, featuring two air-conditioned classrooms, showers, toilets, and a dedicated equipment workshop. There is also a ventilated equipment room to ensure your kit is well-maintained and ready for use.

For those who prefer not to carry their own heavy gear, the centre offers full equipment hire. This includes SeaQuest BCDs, Aqualung regulators equipped with an octopus and a console (showing both pressure and depth), and Suunto dive computers. You can also hire 3 mm shorty wetsuits, masks, snorkels, fins, weight belts, and underwater torches for night dives. For underwater photographers, digital camera equipment is also available.

The reefs are teeming with life, ranging from large pelagics to colourful reef fish. You will regularly encounter grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and various rays. Large schools of blue-striped snappers, barracuda, and Napoleon wrasse are common sights, alongside eagle rays and tuna.

For those interested in the smaller details, the area is excellent for macro life. Keep an eye out for sea slugs, octopus, and various species of frogfish. You may also spot reticulate moray eels and various crustaceans like spiny lobster.

The hard and soft coral structures provide a vibrant backdrop for the resident fauna, including many species of reef fish, sea cucumbers, and various types of corals. The presence of turtles and large groupers adds to the biodiversity of the reef flat and walls.

Large pelagics are a significant draw for the region. Manta rays, whale sharks, and hammerhead sharks can be observed year-round.

Diving in the area involves exploring various topographies, from shallow reef flats to deeper thilas and walls. While the centre offers night dives, the specific current conditions can vary depending on the site and the tide.