DIVE SITES
With Dive Butler International at Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences
“Our primary intention is to make a positive impact on the
world around us: on individuals and/or the environment. We do
this by providing Life-Enriching Experiences”
CHECK IN
CHECK IN
Our dive centre is open from 8 am to 5 pm daily. The dive team from Dive Butler International is highly professional and happy to answer any questions you have.
If you’re already a certified diver, please bring your diving certification with you to check-in. But don’t sweat it if you forget it - we can check PADI’s online database.
Our multilingual team speaks the following languages: English, Japanese, Dhivehi, German,
French, Chinese, Portuguese and Russian.
ENTRY LEVEL DIVING COURSES
Why not learn to dive in the clear waters of our lagoon. We offer entry-level PADI scuba diving courses in several languages, so you can be blowing bubbles in no time at all. Please check availability with the team before you book if you want to secure an instructor who speaks a specific language.
It typically takes just three days to go from zero to hero with a PADI Open Water qualification, which involves a mix of classroom learning, multiple-choice tests, confined water dives and finally an open water dive.
Before you begin, you’ll be asked to sign a medical statement, confirming you’re in general good health. If you do have any significant medical conditions, please bring a medical certificate stating you are fit to dive.
We can teach anyone from as young as eight years old to scuba. The littlest divers begin with a special PADI Bubblemaker course. But we also offer the PADI SASY programme for kids as young as five.
You can learn as part of a group or book private sessions.
DISCOVER SCUBA DIVING (APPROX. 2HRS)
+This is the perfect introductory session for those who have never tried scuba diving before. This discovery
session includes a basic theory session with an instructor, followed by a shallow dive in the lagoon. For
those that are confident and complete the requirements in the lagoon, we will follow up with a dive on
the spectacular house reef. If you find that you’ve taken to diving like a ‘fish to water’, subsequent dives
can be arranged. The maximum depth for the house reef and subsequent dives is 12metres.
When? Every morning, and afternoon (24hrs pre-booking required)
PADI SCUBA DIVER (2 DIVES, APPROX. 2-3 DAYS)
+This course represents the first internationally recognised diving certification from PADI. The course is
split across 3 acadmeic sessions, an associated 3 confined water dives and 2 open water dives. Upon
completion of the course you will be issued with a certification that allows you dive alongside a dive
professional to a maximum depth of 12metres.
When? Upon Request
PADI OPEN WATER (4 DIVES, APPROX 3-4 DAYS)
+The full Open Water course consists of 5 academic sessions, an associated 5 confined water dives and 4
open water dives. This builds the fundamentals of scuba diving. The goal of the dives and academic study
is to ensure you learn to dive in a safe and controlled environment. Upon completion of the course, you
will be issued with a certification that allows you to dive to a maximum depth of 18metres.
When? Upon Request
CONTINUING EDUCATION
+PADI offers a wide range of options for divers seeking to pursue specialist interests in diving. Advanced
courses that we offer include Advanced/Adventure, Nitrox 32, Rescue, Emergency First Response among
other specialties such as Night, Deep, Navigation, Underwater Photography/Videography, Naturalist, Fish
Identification, Boat, Drift and more. If you have a specific interest, please come and speak to our qualified
team at the Dive Centre.
When? Upon Request
CERTIFIED DIVERS
Baa Atoll UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve offers an amazing diversity of marine life and coral formations. With over 40 incredible dive sites available in close proximity to Amilla, and another 50 slightly further away but accessible by private boat, you’ll never run out of new experiences.
You can join a scheduled excursion as part of a small group of certified divers or book a private dive trip.
ORIENTATION DIVE
+Following check-in, our qualified team of instructors will schedule your Orientation Dive, which is
compulsory in the Maldives. This dive gives us the chance to help you ease back into the water,
particularly if it has been some time since your last dive. This dive will cover a few essential safety skills,
such as mask cleaning, regulator recovery and clearing, buoyancy control and a review of emergency
handling skills.
When? Upon Request
DIVE BOAT TRIPS
+Our daily dive schedule consists of a two-tank dive trip in the morning, offering you the chance to visit
two dive sites before lunch. In the afternoon, we run a single dive boat excursion.
Our custom-builst dive boats (Dhoni) are fitted with a toilet, shower and a sundeck for your comfort and
convenience. For your personal safety, all of our boats are equipped with a radio, mobile phone, life
jackets, first aid kits and emergency oxygen.
PRIVATE INSTRUCTOR/BOAT CHARTERS
+In addition to the regular schedule of activities, you may personalise your experience with us by
requesting a private guide. If you would prefer the added luxury of being the only divers on a dive site, we
can also arrange for a private charter of one of our dive Dhonis or speedboats.
When? Upon Request
NIGHT DIVES
+Night dives are conducted at various dive sites around Amilla Maldives Resort and Residences, giving you the opportunity to
experience the reef under different conditions. As night falls, an array of nocturnal flora and fauna
emerges, transforming the landscape of the reef. Please enquire at the Dive Centre if you are interested in
doing a night dive with us.
When? Upon Request
NITROX DIVING
+Dive Butler Amilla offers Nitrox diving for those who are certified.
When? Upon Request
Enchance your experience: Every course and dive are available on a private basis. Additional fees apply
DIVE SITES
DIVE SITES
We access Baa Atoll’s amazing dive sites by dhoni (traditional boat) but speedboats are also available for private trips further afield.
The following dive sites are our favourites but this list is by no means exhaustive as there are many more, including some ‘secret’ spots we love. Times given below relate to how many minutes it takes to reach them by dhoni.
DIVE SITES NEAR AMILLA MALDIVES RESORT AND RESIDENCES
BLUE HOLE
- Distance: 2-5mins
- Certification Level: DSD (entry level) and above
- Highlights: This coral and rock formation is part of our very own house reef. You can swim right through it whilst admiring stingrays, blacktip reef sharks, moray eels and lionfish in the area. The surrounding reef starts at around 1m, while the top of the Blue Hole lies at around 6m. There’s a small exit at 12m, but the bottom exit of this ‘underwater chimney’ is at around 22m
MILAIDHOO CAVES
- Distance: 5-10mins
- Certification Level: DSD and above
- Highlights: Check out interesting rock formations, soft corals, Napoleon wrasse and turtles. The top of the reef is at just 3m and it slopes down 40m to a sandy bottom. The site consists of several small caves and overhangs scattered along the reef wall.
DHEGA THILA
- Distance: 8-20mins
- Certification Level: Advanced and above
- Highlights: A ‘thila’ is the Maldivian word for an underwater column of rock or coral. This site yields interesting rock formations, fan corals, nurse sharks, stingrays and schooling fish. With the top of this thila at 13m and a canyon at 24m, this Advanced-level dive site slopes down to 30m.
DHIGU THILA
- Distance: 7-20mins
- Certification Level: DSD to Advanced and above
- Highlights: This long, thin thila starts at 9m and extends down to 30m. Along the edge of the site you can discover many caves and overhangs. Healthy corals, groupers, eagle rays, and even manta rays (during Manta Season) are found here, as well as grey reef sharks and stingrays.
DHONFANU THILA
- Distance: 7-15mins
- Certification Level: OW to Advanced and above
- Highlights: Dhonfanu is another exciting submerged column of rock and coral, known as a thila in Dhivehi. Here, you can spot grey reef sharks, Napoleon wrasse, stingrays and eagle rays. The site includes a swimthrough which starts at 25m. The top of the thila sits at 9m, descending down to 35m, with some caves to explore along the way.
DHARAVANDHOO THILA
- Distance: 10-25mins
- Certification Level: OW to Advanced and above
- Highlights: This underwater column features hard coral formations, soft corals, nurse sharks, stingrays, eagle rays, tuna and jack fish. During Manta Season (April/May-October/November) you may also see mantas here. The shallowest part of the thila is 6m deep. It goes down to 30m, with various caves at different depths and an abundance of vibrant marine life.
NELIVARU THILA
- Distance: 15-40mins
- Certification Level: OW and above
- Highlights: This thila is a hotspot for manta rays during Manta Season, but throughout the year there is a vast assortment of marine life to see. They include nurse sharks, stingrays and schooling fish. The site starts at 5m, with many interesting fan corals and rock formations to discover.
DHIGALI THILA
- Distance: 15-40mins
- Certification Level: OW and above
- Highlights: An exciting site to explore featuring canyons and caves. Rare black coral, stingrays, eagle rays and schooling fish congregate here. The top of this thila is at 10m, and the site extends down to 30m.
AIDHOO CORNER
- Distance: 8-20mins
- Certification Level: DSD to Advanced and above
- Highlights: This dive site, lying just off a corner of Aidhoo island, features soft coral, shoals of snapper, groupers, eagle rays and several overhangs adorned with soft corals. The shallow top reef sits at only 3-5m, and the site slopes down to over 40m, although we obviously only explore the areas safely within our diving depth limits.