Banana Reef

Maldives

#11 Among Things To Do in Maldives

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Banana Reef, Maldives Overview

Banana Reef is one of the world's most popular dive sites which is located in Maldives. It is also one of the oldest reefs discovered in the Maldives and is adorned with stunning caves, majestic cliffs, beautiful coral growths and powerful overhangs. Banana Reef is also populated by sharks, barracudas, and groupers. The calm and friendly currents coupled with great visibility prove to work really well for first-time divers, learners and novices to get their feet wet with. It is also quite a convenient option for expert and experienced divers because it allows them to go deeper and explore the vivid world beneath the surface of the waters better.

The range of the dive at Banana Reef is quite wide - starts at 5 meters underwater and goes as deep as 30 meters underwater! Visibility remains immaculate in these clear waters up to 30 meters, and the water is quite accommodating too, ranging between a warm and comforting 24 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. You can go scuba diving in these magical waters or even try snorkelling by the northern end of the reef. It is best to get here early in the morning, by 9:00 AM to avoid the heat. The session is about 30 mins long- a 30-minute window to experience paradise. You should take about 3-4 hours to finish the whole activity, including travel time. The Banana Reef is accessible by speed boats which can be hired from the coast.

1. Diving at Banana Reef

Beginner: The southern part of the reef is actually quite dense, trees and greenery flock the dive site from all around. The current is quite strong, and this affects visibility too, (Read More)in shallow and deep waters both. So, if you're a novice, best avoid the south of the reef. Diving in from the east is the more attractive option for both - newbies and experts. The east dive side allows you to explore shallow caves along the southeast wall and gives you the best access to the soft corals of the reef.
Advanced: Drift diving from the east point is recommended for the experts because this will multiply the chances of spotting eagle rays, anemone city and even turtles! The northwest dive point is also a good option and will introduce you to one of the most stunning ergs you will have ever seen.

2. Coral & Underwater World at Banana Reef

The coral growth at Banana Reef is mainly soft corals, anemones and gorgonians. While the anemones themselves house thousands of tiny anemone fish, there are also the emperor angelfish, the (Read More)puffers and the unicorns. You can also anticipate seeing hunting lionfish, barracudas and groupers. Bannerfish have beautiful vertical black and white striped patterns on their bodies along with long, dorsal fins. The mass of these fish together is so overpowering that you will feel the current of the water move as they do! Grouper fish can be found in the caves and deep corals and will be accompanied by wrasse and other different kinds of fusilier, which include the blue dash and its striped versions. Don't forget the black snapper fish, barracudas, giant squirrelfish, oriental sweetlips, soldierfish and grub fish and many other mesmerisingly beautiful yet strongly fierce fish that call this reef their home.