Shark Island Dive Center Fuvahmulah

Know Before You Go: Essential Travel & Diving Info for Fuvahmulah

Essential details before arriving in Fuvahmulah to dive with Shark Island.

Know Before You Go · Shark Island Dive Center
Plan · Prepare · Dive

Essential Tips for a Smooth Diving Trip in Fuvahmulah

Everything you need before arrival: visas & IMUGA, baggage & flights, meeting the team, dive rules, schedule, equipment & insurance, stays, food, activities, FAQs, and contact.

Passports & Visas

Please ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond arrival. Travelers of all nationalities receive a free 30‑day tourist visa upon arrival at Velana International Airport (Malé). A confirmed return or onward ticket is required.

  • Carry your hotel booking confirmation.
  • Keep passport details consistent with all tickets and bookings.

Maldives Immigration (IMUGA)

All visitors must complete the online IMUGA health declaration both before arrival and before departure. You may be asked to present a valid hotel booking confirmation at immigration. Hotels must be registered with the Ministry of Tourism.

Tip: Screenshot your IMUGA QR codes in case airport Wi‑Fi is slow.

Domestic Check‑In & Baggage

Check‑In Time

Opens 2 hours before departure and closes 1 hour prior. Arrive early to avoid delays.

Baggage Allowance

20 kg checked + small hand luggage (daypack size; smaller than most international allowances).

Excess Baggage

Extra at USD 1/kg. Tell us in advance if you expect excess so we can assist.

Travel Documents

Name on e‑ticket must exactly match your passport, otherwise boarding may be denied.

Meeting with Shark Island Dive Team

On arrival at Fuvahmulah Domestic Airport (FVM), our team will pick you up and take you to your accommodation. After check‑in, your guide will confirm dive arrangements and complete a safety briefing for the following day.

Our Location in Fuvahmulah

Use the island map to get oriented, then the close‑up map to find our exact pickup point.

Fuvahmulah (Island View)
View on Google Maps: Open Map
Shark Island Dive Center
View on Google Maps: Open Map

Diving in Fuvahmulah

  • Maximum depth: 30 m (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 year‑round; thresher sharks, hammerheads, and oceanic mantas vary seasonally.

Dive Schedule & Experience

  • Daily Dives: Up to 3 per day, including one guaranteed tiger shark dive ; other sites are confirmed a day in advance.
  • Typical Times: 08:00, 10:00, 14:00 (exact timings shared the evening before).
  • Flexibility: Choose 2 or 3 dives/day depending on your energy and plans.
  • Guide Ratio: Max 4 guests per dedicated guide for safety and personal attention.

Certification Requirements

  • Minimum: Advanced Open Water (or equivalent).
  • Many sites are deeper than 18 m — Deep Diver training recommended.
  • Experienced divers may dive in buddy pairs; beginners may be asked to skip sites unsuited to their level for safety.

Check Dive & Refresher

  • A check dive is scheduled on arrival.
  • If you haven’t dived in 6+ months, a refresher is strongly advised.
  • Divers are grouped by skill level for safety.

Dive Equipment & Dive Insurance

Equipment

  • Rental equipment available — pre‑book with sizes.
  • Required gear: dive computer, SMB, reef hook, torch (night dives).
  • Tanks: 12L standard; 15L on request (surcharge).
  • Nitrox is not required — Fuvahmulah can be dived safely on air.

Insurance

  • Dive Injury Insurance — chamber, evacuation, equipment
  • Medical Insurance — accidents, illness, evacuation, hospital
  • Travel Insurance — cancellations, delays, lost baggage

⚠️ Policies must cover scuba diving to 30 m as required in the Maldives.

Where to Stay in Fuvahmulah

From cozy guesthouses and homestays to modern high‑rise hotels with ocean views, Fuvahmulah offers licensed stays across budgets — all with genuine Maldivian warmth and easy access to dive centers, beaches, and local attractions.

Exclusive offers: Shark Island divers enjoy partnered rates when booking stay + dive packages together.

Fuvahmulah Hotels
Ataraxis — modern rooms with ocean views in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis — a favorite stay for divers, close to the action.

Dining in Fuvahmulah & Local Delicacies

Hotel restaurants, cafés near the harbour, beach dinners at Thoondu, and scenic spots like Bandharu Kilhi. Don’t miss Mas Huni with Roshi for breakfast and Kattelhi at sunset.

Lonu — An Ordinary Fuvahmulah Man

Lonu at Shark Island Dive Center in Fuvahmulah
Lonu — founder of Shark Island Dive Center, Fuvahmulah.

Lonu is an ordinary man from Fuvahmulah — not ambitious, never planned to operate a dive center. Yet he became one of the first locals involved in diving, and registered the island’s very first center focused purely on the art of diving.

His story mirrors the island’s evolution — from fishing and free‑diving traditions to a global hub for shark encounters. Lonu’s passion, patience, and deep respect for the ocean made Shark Island Dive Center what it is today. Learn more about Lonu and Shark Island Dive from the early stages of Fuvahmulah’s pioneering divers.

Make the Most of Your Trip

Plan off‑dive time, beach walks, lake visits, viewpoints, and culture.

FAQs

Do I need Nitrox for Fuvahmulah?
No — you can safely dive Fuvahmulah on air. Nitrox is not required.
What certification is recommended?
Advanced Open Water (or equivalent). Deep Diver training is recommended for sites deeper than 18 m.
How many dives per day?
Up to three — typically 08:00, 10:00, and 14:00, depending on conditions.

Contact Page

Hotline: +960 778 6655 (WhatsApp / Viber available)

Email: hello@sharkislanddive.com

For urgent matters, family or friends may also contact us via the same number or email.