Maldives · South (Addu / Laamu)
Best Time to Dive in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives
0.62°S 73.17°E
The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go January to April.
- Best time
- Jan–Apr
- Water
- 29–30 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Dived from
- liveaboard and day boat
- Tidal range
- 0.4–1.1 m
- Species logged
- 3
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Good |
| Water temp (°C) | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Visibility (m) | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 | 15–25 |
| Marine life | Peak | Peak | Peak | Quiet | Peak | Steady | Steady | Quiet | Busy | Busy | Busy | Peak |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Jan–Apr
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives diving season
April to September · Off season
6 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–30 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 16 days a month
Diving conditionsSwell is common, and crossings can be rough. Rain is frequent topside.
Marine lifeTiger shark (likely) peaks at South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives in these months.
October to November · Shoulder season
2 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–29 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 17 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind is up.
December to March · Peak season
4 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 29–30 °C
- Visibility
- 15–25 m
- Rain
- 14 days a month
Diving conditionsThe wind eases. The sea is calmer.
Marine lifeTiger shark (likely), Reef manta (likely) peak at South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives in these months.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Maldives water temperature and weather
74 underwater observation records · 12 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
Rarely
rough enough to cancel
Seas top 2.5 m on 1% of days. Enough to cancel a liveaboard crossing
0
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
15
wet days a month
5 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.4 m | 0% | 15 | 4 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
| February | 1.3 m | 0% | 12 | 3 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| March | 1.4 m | 1% | 11 | 2 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| April | 1.6 m | 0% | 15 | 5 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| May | 2.0 m | 4% | 20 | 9 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| June | 2.0 m | 0% | 11 | 2 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| July | 2.4 m | 0% | 18 | 5 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| August | 2.3 m | 0% | 16 | 4 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| September | 2.0 m | 1% | 13 | 4 | 29 °C | 12.0 h |
| October | 2.2 m | 4% | 16 | 5 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
| November | 1.6 m | 3% | 19 | 6 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
| December | 1.7 m | 2% | 20 | 6 | 28 °C | 12.0 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Good | February week 1: Excellent | March week 1: Excellent | April week 1: Good | May week 1: Poor | June week 1: Good | July week 1: Poor | August week 1: Poor | September week 1: Moderate | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Good | December week 1: Moderate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Good | February week 2: Excellent | March week 2: Excellent | April week 2: Good | May week 2: Poor | June week 2: Good | July week 2: Poor | August week 2: Poor | September week 2: Moderate | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Moderate | December week 2: Good |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Excellent | February week 3: Good | March week 3: Excellent | April week 3: Moderate | May week 3: Poor | June week 3: Good | July week 3: Poor | August week 3: Poor | September week 3: Moderate | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Moderate | December week 3: Good |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Excellent | February week 4: Good | March week 4: Good | April week 4: Poor | May week 4: Poor | June week 4: Moderate | July week 4: Poor | August week 4: Poor | September week 4: Poor | October week 4: Moderate | November week 4: Moderate | December week 4: Moderate |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: second of March
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 21 km/h | 67% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 21 km/h | 53% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 22 km/h | 41% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 22 km/h | 38% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 21 km/h | 30% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 21 km/h | 35% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.3 m | 20 km/h | 46% |
| Week 4 | Good | 29 °C | 1.4 m | 20 km/h | 47% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 18 km/h | 33% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 17 km/h | 28% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 30 °C | 1.4 m | 16 km/h | 39% |
| Week 4 | Good | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 45% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 17 km/h | 42% |
| Week 2 | Good | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 18 km/h | 43% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 30 °C | 1.5 m | 20 km/h | 51% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 1.8 m | 21 km/h | 63% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 23 km/h | 75% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 25 km/h | 74% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 23 km/h | 57% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 21 km/h | 46% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 20 km/h | 38% |
| Week 2 | Good | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 18 km/h | 35% |
| Week 3 | Good | 30 °C | 1.9 m | 18 km/h | 43% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 30 °C | 2.0 m | 17 km/h | 41% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.3 m | 17 km/h | 45% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.4 m | 20 km/h | 55% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 30 °C | 2.5 m | 20 km/h | 64% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.4 m | 20 km/h | 62% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.3 m | 19 km/h | 50% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.3 m | 20 km/h | 50% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.2 m | 20 km/h | 57% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.1 m | 20 km/h | 54% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 21 km/h | 44% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 21 km/h | 39% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 21 km/h | 44% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 22 km/h | 48% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.0 m | 24 km/h | 54% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.3 m | 26 km/h | 58% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 29 °C | 2.4 m | 24 km/h | 45% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.9 m | 22 km/h | 48% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 24 km/h | 62% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 64% |
| Week 3 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 26 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.6 m | 25 km/h | 60% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 24 km/h | 61% |
| Week 2 | Good | 29 °C | 1.5 m | 23 km/h | 67% |
| Week 3 | Good | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 21 km/h | 59% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 29 °C | 1.7 m | 20 km/h | 60% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: skin | February: skin | March: skin | April: skin | May: skin | June: skin | July: skin | August: skin | September: skin | October: skin | November: skin | December: skin |
One suit covers the whole year: a skin or 3 mm shorty.
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 2.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
1 of the last 30 Mays saw a tropical storm pass within 250 km. May is the only month with a recorded pass.
Share of the last 30 years with a storm that month.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives marine life — what you'll see diving
Only 74 records have been logged within 60 km. A thin record is not an empty reef.
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger shark | Feb–Mar, May, Dec | Likely | 18 | ||
| Reef manta | Dec–Feb | Likely | 8 | ||
| Hawksbill turtle | May, Sep–Dec | Likely | 10 |
Peak Present No survey data
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives — common questions
- When is the best time to dive South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- The wildlife shows no season worth planning around, so it comes down to the weather: go January to April.
- When is the diving season in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- The diving season in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives runs January to April.
- Is the diving in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives good for beginners?
- It is better with some experience. It suits Advanced Open Water divers or equivalent, so newer divers should ask the local operator which sites fit their level.
- How warm is the water in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- Between 29 and 30 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in November and warmest in April. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- A skin or 3 mm shorty covers the coldest water of the year. The same suit works all year.
- What is the visibility like in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- Roughly 15 to 25 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- The most consistently recorded species are Tiger shark (likely), Reef manta (likely) and Hawksbill turtle (likely), from 74 records within 60 km.
- Does South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives get tropical storms?
- Yes. Over 30 years of records a storm passed within 250 km in May, most often in May at 1 of 30 years.
- Is there current in South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- The tide rises and falls 1.1 m around the full and new moon, against 0.4 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- May, July–August are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive South (Addu / Laamu), Maldives?
- Mostly from liveaboards and day boats. Trips run through the season, Jan–Apr.