Overview
Canareef Resort Maldives is in the equatorial Addu Atoll, which was recently designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. This tranquil island retreat is encircled by turquoise lagoons, freshwater lakes, mangroves, lush tropical greenery, untouched landscapes, and one of the Maldives' longest beaches. It's also the only resort in the country with a bridge offering direct access on foot to a nearby local island.
Divers can explore the historic WWII shipwreck, the "British Loyalty," along with over 25 unique dive spots in the Addu Atoll. Encounter dolphins, manta rays, and tiger sharks, which inhabit Addu Atoll year-round. Whether it’s an add-on to a liveaboard trip, a romantic escape, or an action-packed family adventure, Canareef has something for everyone.
Accommodation
The resort offers 271 spacious villas spanning a 4.5 kilometre coastline, each feature an open-air bathroom and private terrace with views of either the lagoon or the vast Indian Ocean. The Sunrise and Sunset Villas are the same in their design, it's only their views that differ. The Sunrise Villas overlook the east side pebbled beach and external reef, while the Sunset Beach Villa provides direct access to a soft, sandy beach and protected inner reef. The Premium Beach Villa overlook the island’s internal lagoon and have a private courtyard with hot tub, perfect for a daytime dip or a starlit soak at night.
Facilities
Indulge with two restaurants and three bars serving a variety of dishes and refreshing drinks. Enjoy international buffets at Kilhi Restaurant, snacks at Meera Bar, and drinks at Dhoni Bar and Beach Bar throughout the day. In-villa dining and private dining experiences are also available for a truly relaxing and unforgettable holiday.
Rejuvenate at the Dhunfini Spa or stay active with a range of facilities, including a fully-equipped gym, tennis court, swimming pools, kids club, beach volleyball, cycling, and a range of water sports. Embrace nature by visiting the country’s second-largest wetlands area with a guided tour of Hithadhoo Islands’ ‘Addu Nature Park,’ or stroll through Canareef’s own ‘Canareef Eco Park,’ featuring a serene freshwater lake and birdwatching spots for a deep connection with the wilderness.
Location
The resort is a 70–95-minute domestic flight south from Malé International Airport to Gan Airport, or accessible via direct international flights to Gan, Canareef is a quick 10-minute speedboat ride away. History enthusiasts can explore the remains of a former British Royal Air Force Base and the Royal Navy settlement at Gan.
Dive info
The Southern Atolls of the Maldives—famed for their remote beauty and world-class dive sites—are a top destination for more experienced divers. With fewer crowds and more untouched reefs, this region provides a unique and exhilarating experience.
Liveaboard trips dominate here, especially between January and March when the diving conditions are ideal for exploring the pristine waters of Huvadhoo, Addu, and Fuvahmulah atolls, however resort stays are also possible. For those seeking the ultimate Maldives diving adventure, the Deep South is an unmissable destination.
Liveaboard highlights
Liveaboard diving in the Maldives Deep South offer divers access to some of the country’s most challenging and rewarding dive sites, from thrilling drift dives through channels to encounters with hammerheads and oceanic mantas. Plenty of experience is required to join most liveaboard departures focusing on this region due to the nature of some of the dive sites. Resort stays are also possible, either combined with a liveaboard, or simply to enjoy for those who prefer to sleep on dry land.
Dive sites
The Southern Atolls offer a unique and remote diving experience, with world-class dive sites spread across Huvadhoo, Addu, Fuvahmulah, and Laamu. These regions are renowned for their dramatic underwater landscapes and thrilling encounters with large pelagics.
Fuvahmulah Atoll is a diver’s paradise for big pelagic encounters. Known for its open-ocean feel, this atoll is famous for sightings of silvertip sharks, tiger sharks, thresher sharks, and the elusive oceanic manta rays. It's also one of the few places in the Maldives where you could dive with schooling hammerhead sharks, albeit encounters are highly dependent on conditions.
Huvadhoo Atoll, with its wide channels and fast currents, is perfect for experienced divers seeking exhilarating drift dives. The atoll's deep channels attract large schools of grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and barracudas, offering breathtaking underwater action.
Addu Atoll, further south, is home to a range of exciting dive sites, including Maa Kandu, where divers can encounter mantas year-round. The atoll also boasts one of the few wreck dives in the Maldives, the British Loyalty, a WWII wreck festooned with coral and marine life, offering a combination of history and underwater exploration.
Laamu Atoll, though lesser-known, provides beautiful soft corals and a more relaxed dive experience. However, its channels still offer the chance to encounter reef sharks and large schools of fish, making it a great mix for divers looking for variety.
Many dive sites are typically accessible only by liveaboard, making the Southern Atolls the perfect destination for those seeking unspoiled and diverse diving environments.
Marine life
Scuba diving in the Southern Maldives is synonymous with close encounters with some of the ocean’s most magnificent species. The nutrient-rich waters flowing through the wide channels attract large pelagics, making the region a prime location for shark enthusiasts. Dives with grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and silvertip sharks cruising the currents are relatively common, while hammerhead sharks can be seen at dawn dives in the deeper waters around Fuvahmulah.
Fuvahmulah Atoll also stands out for its tiger shark population, with possible sightings of these apex predators throughout the year. The atoll’s deep waters and open-ocean location also attract rare species such as thresher sharks and oceanic mantas, creating unforgettable diving experiences.
Beyond sharks, the Maldives’ Southern Atolls are teeming with vibrant coral reefs, home to schools of fish species including snappers, trevallies, and barracudas. The nutrient influx supports a rich biodiversity, where hawksbill turtles, eagle rays, and reef manta rays thrive alongside countless colourful reef fish. Macro enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either, with an array of nudibranchs, moray eels, and frogfish hiding in the coral gardens.
Whale sharks are more commonly seen in the northern and central atolls, however have previously been seen here on occasion for the lucky diver.
Dive conditions
The Southern Maldives boasts some of the best diving conditions between January and March, during the northeast monsoon. This period brings calm seas, excellent visibility, and predictable currents, creating ideal conditions for liveaboard diving. Water temperatures during these months hover around a balmy 27°C to 30°C, ensuring comfortable diving throughout the day.
Best Time to Visit
The northeast monsoon (January to March) is widely considered the best time to dive the Southern Atolls. The relatively calm seas during these months make it easier for liveaboards to reach the more remote dive sites, where divers can experience the best of the pelagic action. Visibility often exceeds 30 metres, providing crystal-clear views of the underwater landscape and its inhabitants. The currents, although stronger in some channels, are perfect for thrilling drift dives and for attracting species like sharks, manta rays, and barracudas.
Currents & Conditions
The Southern Atolls are known for their strong currents, particularly in Huvadhoo and Fuvahmulah, making them ideal for experienced divers who enjoy fast-paced drift dives. Most liveaboard itineraries will insist divers have at least 50, or sometimes 100 dives in order to join boat dives. However, some of the more sheltered sites, such as coral gardens and lagoons, provide calmer conditions for more relaxed diving. Currents are generally more predictable during the northeast monsoon, but they can still be strong, making this area better suited to advanced divers or those comfortable with drift diving.
The southwest monsoon from May to October can bring rougher seas and less favourable conditions, though it still attracts divers looking to see plankton feeders like manta rays.
Dive prices
Werner Lau Canareef Dive Centre
Werner Lau are a professional and experienced team that have been operating in the Maldives for decades. Located in Addu Adu, the dive centre at Canareef is the newest member of the Werner Lau family, opening the Maldives deep south to divers of all abilities. There are over 20 dive sites, accessed in 5–40 minutes by dive boat. Each day two boats are launched; one to advanced sites with stronger currents and possible negative entries, and the other is more laid back, suitable for newer dives or those looking to take it easy. Sites include The British Loyalty Wreck, an oil tank from World War II, and Manta Point where manta rays can be seen all year round. The house reef is accessed by golf cart on the southern tip of the resort, with a few entry and exit points.
Nitrox is free of charge for qualified divers, and it's compulsory for every diver to have a computer and SMB, one can be rented if required.
Dive Packs
A variety of diving packs are available including 6 and 10 unguided house reef diving, boat diving is the star here and the supplement to join a departure starts from $15. Scuba dive packs are the best value when prebooked, contact us to discuss the best option for you.
Dive Courses
Werner Lau dive centres are SSI affiliates, at Canareef a range of courses can be offered from Advanced Open water upwards. Please enquire for further details.
Extras in Resort
Prices listed below are an indication only, and subject to change. All prices are in USD.
- Certification fees for courses: $205
- Boat trip - Single dive: €15
- Tank service fee: $1 per tank
- Guide: $7 per day dive
- Guide: $8 per night dive
Equipment rental per dive
- SMB:0 $7 (compulsory to carry)
- Full equipment hire: $20
- Mask, snorkel & fins (per day): $9
- Dive torch: $4
Local sales tax and resort charges to be paid locally:
- Sales tax: 16%
- Service charge: 10%
Resort info
Getting Around & Basic Information
Male airport is located on its own island. The airport island accommodates the main terminal, the seaplane port and the airport hotel (Hulhule Airport hotel). In the vast majority of cases, Male airport acts as the hub for all transfers between island resorts and atolls.
A narrow channel of water separates Male Airport Island from Male town, and a regular, inexpensive boat service operates between the two islands.
Once you're on your island resort, there's no ‘public’ transport to get around to other islands, you need to organise local excursions and join guided trips.
Twin-centre stays, in most cases, hub through the central point of Male to reach your next island.
Climate
This tropical climate has two monsoon seasons. November to May is the northwest monsoon season, which is dry and sunny. June to October is the southeast monsoon and brings the wet season. Having said this, the period crossover of the monsoon seasons fluctuates each year and even during the wet season, one may experience weeks of solid sunshine and just showers in short, sharp bursts.
Air temperature is stable around 28 - 30° C and the water temperature rarely drops below 25° C. Spectacular diving takes place all year round.
Currency
Local currency is the Maldives Rufiyaa (MVR).
Approximately £1 = 26 MVR
The tourist currency is US Dollar ($) or Euro (€). Island resorts charge in USD or Euros and bills can be settled with most internationally accepted credit cards at the end of your stay.
Time
The Maldives is +5 hours of GMT.
Travel info
The southern Maldives can be reached with a domestic flight from Malé, the capital and main international airport. There are also limited international flights to Gan in southern Maldives.
Prices
The price panel above provides an indication of a lead-in price for your holiday, based on the cheapest time to travel. Prices shown are per person, and based on two persons sharing.
As flight prices vary from day to day, Regaldive will prepare a quotation for you based on current flight prices available. This ensures that you receive the most competitive price for your chosen travel dates. Flights from regional UK airports may be available, depending on your destination and date of travel.
Please call 01353 659999 or e-mail Regaldive, using the link below, for a quotation.
Our Price Promise
At Regaldive we are committed to offering you the best possible value for money on all our diving holidays. That's why we offer you a price match promise. Learn more about our promise to you.
Offers
Last minute offer - save up to 40% on stays!
Appeal to your spontaneous side and guarantee winter sun all in one go with this incredible offer from Canareef Resort, Maldives. Situated in the Maldives' southernmost atoll, Addu, underwater adventure awaits!
- Last Minute Offer! Book by 29 November & SAVE 40%
- Valid for stays until 30 April 2025
- Valid for accommodation and meal plan basis
Valid on new bookings only and subject to avaibility.
Discount not applicable on transfers. Full T&Cs apply.
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