Pre-Trip Guide: Essential Travel & Diving Information
Essential details before arriving in Fuvahmulah to dive with Shark Island
Essential Travel & Diving Information for Fuvahmulah
This guide provides all the essential information you need before arriving in Fuvahmulah, including insurance, transfers, check-in details, dive safety, and local island guidelines. Please read carefully to ensure a smooth and safe diving holiday.
Contacting Shark Island Dive Center
Hotline:
+960 7786655 (WhatsApp / Viber available)
Email: hello@sharkislanddive.com
For urgent matters, your family or friends may also contact us directly on the above numbers.
Passports & Visas
Please ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date. Travelers of all nationalities receive a free 30-day tourist visa upon arrival at Velana International Airport in Malé. To enter, you’ll also need to carry a confirmed return or onward flight ticket.
Dive Insurance
All guests must have valid insurance covering:
Dive Injury Insurance – recompression chamber, evacuation, and equipment.
Medical Insurance – accidents, illness, evacuation, and hospitalization.
Travel Insurance – cancellations, delays, and lost baggage.
⚠️
Please ensure your policy covers scuba diving up to 30 metres, as required in the Maldives.
Dive Equipment
- Rental equipment available (must pre-book with sizes).
- Required gear: dive computer, SMB, reef hook, torch for night dives.
- Tanks: 12L standard; 15L available on request (surcharge).
- Nitrox is not required – you can dive Fuvahmulah safely with air.
Arrival and Departure Airports
Airport Assistance & Transfers
We do not have a dedicated counter or airport representative at Velana International Airport. However, if you require assistance—especially for groups—we can arrange this upon request.
For your domestic flight to Fuvahmulah, please proceed directly to the domestic check-in counters and present your passport to complete the check-in process.
If you have to wait for your transfer or a connecting domestic flight, the airport offers a comfortable environment with useful facilities, including:
- A shop for local SIM cards
- A money changer
- Several coffee shops and restaurants (Thai Express, Burger King, etc.)
Domestic Flight Check-In & Baggage
- Check-In Time: Domestic flight check-in opens 2 hours before departure and closes 1 hour before departure. Please ensure you arrive on time to avoid delays.
- Baggage Allowance: Each passenger is allowed 20 kg of checked luggage plus a small piece of hand luggage (approx. the size of a standard rucksack, smaller than on most international airlines).
- Excess Baggage: Extra baggage can be purchased at USD 1 per kg. Please let us know in advance if you expect to have excess luggage so we can make the necessary arrangements.
- Travel Documents: The name on your e-ticket must exactly match your passport. If the details do not match, the airline will not allow you to board.
Meeting with Shark Island Dive Team
Once you arrive at Fuvahmulah Domestic Airport, our team will be there to pick you up and escort you to your accommodation. After check-in, you will be greeted by one of our professional dive guides, who will walk you through the dive arrangements, schedules, and safety briefing for the following day.
This ensures you are fully prepared and comfortable before beginning your diving experience with Shark Island Dive Center.
Diving in Fuvahmulah
Maximum Depth: 30 metres (Maldives regulation).
Recommended Certification: Advanced Open Water or equivalent.
Conditions: Strong currents and drift dives are common.
Not permitted: Solo, decompression, or technical diving.
⚠️ Tiger sharks are seen all year; thresher sharks, hammerheads, and oceanic mantas vary seasonally.
Check Dive & Refresher
A check dive is scheduled on arrival.
If you have not dived in 6+ months, a refresher course is strongly advised.
Divers are grouped according to skill level for safety.
Dive Experience with Shark Island Dive
Every dive is designed to give you the safest and most memorable experience in Fuvahmulah’s legendary waters.
- Daily Dives: Up to 3 dives per day, including one guaranteed tiger shark dive. The other dives take place at Fuvahmulah’s top sites, confirmed a day in advance.
- Typical Schedule: 08:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 02:00 PM. Exact timings are shared the evening before.
- Flexibility: Guests staying longer can choose to join all 3 dives daily or just 2, depending on preference.
- Private Guide Ratio: Each dive is led by a dedicated guide with a maximum of 4 guests per group, ensuring personal attention, safety, and the best possible experience underwater.
Certification Requirements:
- Minimum Advanced Open Water Diver (or equivalent) certification is required.
- Many sites go deeper than 18 m, so Deep Diver training is recommended.
- Experienced divers may dive in buddy pairs, while beginners or less experienced divers may be asked to skip dives not suited to their level for safety.
