Maldives Diving Safety & Standards
Your comprehensive guide to safe diving practices, emergency procedures, and certification requirements in the Maldives
🚨 Emergency Contacts - Save These Numbers
Diving Safety Standards in the Maldives
Important: All diving activities in the Maldives must comply with international safety standards and local regulations. This guide covers essential safety protocols for recreational diving.
🏥 Medical Requirements
- Valid medical certificate (within 12 months)
- No recent surgeries or medical conditions
- Fitness declaration form
- Travel insurance with diving coverage
- Pregnancy restrictions apply
📋 Certification Requirements
- Valid diving certification (PADI, SSI, NAUI, etc.)
- Minimum Open Water Diver level
- Advanced certification for deeper dives
- Specialty certifications for specific activities
- Logbook with recent diving experience
⚠️ Environmental Conditions
- Strong currents in channel dives
- Monsoon season considerations
- Visibility variations (15-40m)
- Water temperature: 26-30°C
- Marine life interaction guidelines
🚨 Emergency Procedures
- Immediate surface support available
- Oxygen administration protocols
- Evacuation procedures to hyperbaric chamber
- Communication with emergency services
- First aid and CPR certified guides
Standard Diving Protocols
Pre-Dive Safety Briefing: Every dive must begin with a comprehensive safety briefing covering dive site conditions, emergency procedures, and communication signals.
🗺️ Dive Site Briefing
- Entry and exit points
- Maximum depth and time limits
- Current conditions and direction
- Marine life expectations
- Potential hazards
- Emergency ascent procedures
🤝 Buddy System
- Mandatory buddy assignments
- Pre-dive buddy checks
- Communication signals review
- Emergency procedures
- Air consumption monitoring
- Stay within visual contact
📊 Dive Limits
- No-decompression limits
- Safety stop requirements
- Minimum air reserves
- Ascent rate: 9m/minute
- Surface interval calculations
- Repetitive dive planning
⚠️ Risk Management
- Weather condition assessment
- Diver experience evaluation
- Equipment functionality checks
- Medical fitness verification
- Emergency action plans
- Abort dive criteria
Marine Life Interaction Guidelines
Look but don't touch: Maintain respectful distance from all marine life. Many species can be dangerous if approached or threatened.
🦈 Shark Encounters
- Remain calm and avoid sudden movements
- Maintain eye contact
- Back away slowly
- Never corner or chase sharks
- Use reef as barrier if needed
- Signal other divers calmly
🐠 Manta Ray Guidelines
- Approach from the side, never head-on
- Stay below the manta ray
- No touching or riding
- Avoid flash photography
- Maintain 3-meter distance
- Let mantas approach you
⚠️ Dangerous Marine Life
- Stonefish: Watch where you place hands
- Lionfish: Admire from distance
- Moray eels: Don't reach into crevices
- Sea urchins: Avoid contact
- Jellyfish: Maintain safe distance
- Triggerfish: Avoid during nesting season
🐢 Conservation Ethics
- No touching or harassment
- Maintain buoyancy control
- Don't chase marine life
- No feeding of fish
- Respect nesting areas
- Take only photos, leave only bubbles