No.1 Activity in the Maldives: Nothing!.
There is probably no better place on earth to chill out: recharge your batteries, read a couple of books, stroll around landscaped gardens and enjoy cocktails at sunset. What more does anyone need? For many, nothing more. For others, the Maldives' justifiably famous water activities – snorkelling, diving, swimming, reef exploring, fishing and more -- are in a class all their own.

No.2 Activity in the Maldives: Amazing water activities!
Start with swimming in some of the world's cleanest, clearest, calmest, warmest and safest lagoons. Then go on to snorkelling and diving over astonishing coral reefs, teeming with beautiful fish and marine life.

Most - if not all - of the resorts we feature include a fully equipped and certified dive centre. From first-timers to advanced, all types of PADI international certificates are accepted. You'll find  professional, English-speaking diving instructors and rental shops. Dive centres also operate daily dive trips. Safety first is the byword: all boats are equipped with radio, life jackets, flag, oxygen and medical kits.

So much for the dive facilities. What about the experience? Photographs only touch the surface of one of the world's most - if not - acclaimed dive destinations. Sure, as you might expect, chances are excellent that you'll swim with magnificent manta rays, harmless reef sharks - and if your incredibly lucky - giant  whale sharks - see dolphins and come close enough to touch wise and old giant turtles.

The sheer scale of the living coral reefs is almost impossible to imagine. You can swim from one reef to another; dive into canyons, caves and channels; see how many of the Maldives' over 1,000 species of fish you can spot, and be left totally speechless by the sensational colours of marine life and beautiful  coral formations. In word: sensational - no -make that amazing - no make that .. phenomenal!

If diving is too much hard work or you want something more sedate you can still enjoy the Maldives' underwater world with easy snorkelling to your heart's content over coral reefs in the protected lagoons around your resort or on escorted snorkelling trips to nearby islands and coral cays. Snorkelling actually in many cases can be as good as diving, as most of the fish and coral is located approximately 8-30 feet beneath the surface, with the crystal clear water providing astonishing visibility.

Want to partake in one of the Maldives most popular leisure activities: night fishing. Enjoy cocktails at sunset while motoring out to the captain's choice of reef before dropping lines overboard. What to expect? Red snapper and grouper are usually plentiful. And to complete the evening, the captain and crew often turn the after-dark catch into a memorable beach barbecue ashore.

Or what about some REALLY exciting fishing - Big Game Fishing! (tag and release) The coral atolls of the Maldives boast one of the greatest concentrations and diversities of sea life found on earth - big billfish are caught within metres of the tourist resorts!

More evidence that the Maldives is far more than a 'do nothing' destination: in recent years, wind-surfing, catamaran sailing, parasailing, and particularly world class surfing have all come into their own.

No.3 Activity in the Maldives: Shore Activities. Out of the water, variety includes tennis, volleyball, beachcombing at low tide, hiking, lazing on the beach, hanging out around the pool or on your own private balcony/terrace, or perhaps an optional island-hopping day trip. And that's about it. Hmmmmm... not a hard life - but it sure is a good one!.