GOOD TO KNOW

Language: Dhivehi

Currency: Maldivian rufiyaa

Signature Dish: Garudhiya, a fish broth served with rice, lime, chili and onions.

Signature Topside Activity: Visit Hulhumale Mosque in Male, but please do not interrupt prayer time.

Main Airport: Velana International Airport

Water Temp/Visibility: Low to mid-80s/100 feet, except when plankton blooms are present.

Travel Tip: If your international flight arrives after 4 p.m., you might need to spend the first night in Male. You’ll transfer to your resort or liveaboard the following day.

You’ve read it before in travel stories — islands strung across the ocean like pearls on a necklace. Blah, blah, blah, you’re thinking, except when you’re writing about the Maldives, the cliché isn’t even close to being adequate. That is, until you consider how pearls are produced. The only gems on earth that come from living creatures, wild pearls are rare and exquisite. Now you’re closer to describing the beauty of this locale. And underwater? Like oysters yielding perfect pearls, the gifts of the sea are extraordinary — whale sharks, mantas, reef sharks, turtles, schooling jacks and clownfish. As for that travel-guide description: After diving here, words will fail you too.

BIG ANIMALS

Mr. Big Stuff

It’s whale sharks and manta rays that have put this island country on the map for divers, so it’s no surprise that in our 2019 Readers Choice Awards, the country was named one of the best in the world for big‑animal encounters.

The Allure of Atolls

There’s a reason why Baa, Ari and North Male are renowned for their whale shark and manta encounters. During the southwest monsoon, plankton is herded into the atolls’ bays, and the filter-feeders come to feast on their favorite meal. “This high localized productivity supports the world’s largest population of reef manta rays and several hundred sub-adult whale sharks,” says Guy Stevens, chief executive and founder of Manta Trust. Both the Four Seasons Explorer and Maldives Aggressor II liveaboards get you to the prime spots, including Baa Atoll’s Hanifaru Bay.

Treasured Resources

Baa Atoll is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, but for many years, it was primarily known only to conservationists like Stevens. He first began studying mantas in 2005 in the Maldives; eventually, his work became a global initiative. Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru resort has an on-island Marine Discovery Center that’s dedicated to conservation and guest education. If you’re visiting between June and October — when plankton levels peak — be sure to sign up for the manta-on-call service. You’ll be alerted when manta rays are sighted near the resort so that you can get into the water with them. Four Seasons Explorer also offers Manta Trust expeditions. “These trips are a way for divers to not only experience the stunning underwater wildlife but to actively contribute to its protections with a main focus on manta rays,” says Niv Froman, the Manta Trust’s project leader.

SHORE DIVING

No Boat Needed

The reefs on many of the atolls are only a few fin kicks away from the beach and are home to turtles, sharks and rays and an insane amount of reef fish. Ellaidhoo Atoll and Kuredu Island in the Lhaviyani Atoll have popular house reefs.

Location, Location, Location

Not all atolls are alike, and not all resorts have house reefs. In general, the northern atolls feature smaller islands and are encircled by “ring” reefs, while southern atolls have deeper lagoons.

MARINE LIFE GALORE

More than Mantas and Sharks

On most dives, you’ll find yourself swiveling your head to take in all the action. Coral pinnacles — known locally as thilas — are home to huge schools of fish such as snapper, jacks and triggerfish.

LUXURY VACATION

Idyllic Getaways

Long known by jet-setting ­travelers for its sugar-white-sand beaches and idyllic lagoons, the Maldives is paradise. Why not indulge in a little “me” time? Many resorts offer on-site spas, such as the one at Landaa Giraavaru, where you can make holistic poultices and get a therapeutic massage or pedicure.

2019 Readers Choice Awards

• 4th Place: Big Animals
• 5th Place: Shore Diving
• Top 10, Best Night Dive: Manta Ray Encounters
• Top 10, Best Big Animal Encounter: Whale Sharks