The Maldives are a great destination for anyone who loves water sports, such as scuba diving, snorkeling, fishing, windsurfing and sailing.
The Maldives
The Republic of Maldives is the official name and it is an archipelago of almost 1,200 islands, which are spread in the Indian Ocean, southwest of India. The islands are spread over an area of almost 90,000 square kilometers, but 88 of those Maldives islands are tourist resorts. Most of the islands are also fairly small: the biggest island is 5 km2, while there only another nine islands that are larger than 2 km2. You could safely say that The Maldives are more water than land.
This popular group of islands has only small seasonal variations, which means it is almost always good weather. During most months, the average temperature is approximately 30 degrees Celsius, which is 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Per day, the Maldives have at least seven hours of sunshine and the temperature of the water around the islands is approximately 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit). The months with the most rainfall are June, July and August.
Water Sports on The Maldives
Most islands that are tourist resorts have their own diving bases and diving schools, where you can get a diving certificate that is valid all over the world. At several dive shops you can rent or purchase diving accessories, such as flippers, masks and snorkels.
Windsurfing is also a popular sport in this archipelago in the Indian Ocean. On most tourist islands you will find surf instructors, who can teach you the finer points if windsurfing at The Maldives.
On a regular basis, there are also sailing trips to nearby islands organized.
It is not allowed to enter the Republic of the Maldives with fishing gear, but it is possible to fish with a hand line, which usually yields a successful catch. In addition, at various islands there are fishing trips that you can book, where enthusiastic anglers go to sea with a boat to go fishing.
Other popular water sports on The Maldives are wake boarding, water skiing, kayaking and kite surfing.
Other Sports on The Maldives
Not only water sports are popular on The Maldives: on the islands of Gan and Rangali-finolhu, you can play golf, while most islands have also soccer pitches or tennis courts. Some of the hotels also organize sporting activities for their guests, such as beach volleyball tournaments.
