Diving and snorkeling for kids in the Maldives: what age to start, prices, tips

Diving and snorkeling for kids in the Maldives what you need to know about water activities when going to the paradise islands.

The Maldives has long been considered a destination exclusively for romantics and honeymooners. But now more and more often families with children go to the paradise islands. Snorkeling and diving are some of the must-have activities in the Maldives. Even kids can master them! We have prepared a complete guide on how to make water activities safe and what parents should look out for.

Kuredu Island Resort & Spa

Snorkeling is it safe for children to swim in the Maldives

Snorkeling in the Maldives is an incredible adventure for a child. He will be able to see that very Nemo fish live and feel like in a tropical aquarium. The Maldives is ideal for kids' snorkeling. It is enough to leave the villa to immediately start exploring the rich underwater world of the Indian Ocean. This is facilitated by the weather fantastic visibility and warm water reaching temperatures of + 32 ° in the lagoons all year round.

Every child will make friends with snorkeling. Swimming with a mask, snorkel and fins is possible without special training. But it is worth choosing the right place for swimming to help the beginner get used to it.

We select a reef for children's snorkeling

For a child to have the opportunity to appreciate snorkeling, choose hotels with a beautiful house reef. It can be of two types

Located close to the beach. In this case, it is easy to swim to the edge of the reef on your own.
A reef surrounded by a huge lagoon. We'll have to order a boat to take it to the edge of the reef. But on the other hand, the large shallow lagoon is ideal for toddlers.

Choose a house reef based on how well your child swims. Are you on vacation with a teenager It is interesting for a 15-year-old guy to swim with you to the edge of the reef to the depth. Do you have little kids You will feel safer if there is a large sandy lagoon next to the villa.

Advice. To choose a hotel with a suitable lagoon, just look at the Google Earth program. The length of the sandbank and where the edge of the reef is located is clearly visible.

Some of the best home reefs in the Maldives at these resorts:

Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa

Benefits of snorkeling in the Maldives with children

It is not necessary to swim far and deep to see the underwater inhabitants. The world of bright fish begins at the very shore.
The shallow sandy approach makes snorkeling safe even for the smallest.
Often the house reef is located near the bungalow. And in the safe shallow lagoons, the child will be able to observe schools of vibrant tropical fish.
Wave protection. It is better to choose a house reef that hugs the island, curving in the shape of a crescent. So the resort is protected from the turbulence in the Indian Ocean. And the quiet coves are ideal for children.
Most of the Maldives are atolls, so there are often shoals that are convenient for swimming with children.

Innahura Maldives Resort

Swimming at the edge of the reef

The Maldives has offshore reefs. As a rule, a transfer is organized to them, most often free of charge.

With a confident swimmer, you can take a sea garden excursion to more distant reefs. Hotels organize safaris to the most beautiful coral reefs. They last about 3 hours. The journey begins with a little briefing and ends with a look at the beautiful exotic fish in the best corners of the reef.

If you went with your child to look into the blue abyss, to the edge of the reef, do not forget about the safety rules

Warn children to be careful with rocks and corals while swimming. They can be overlooked and injured. The child should definitely wear coral slippers.
Caution if during snorkeling you decide to swim with your child along the edge of the reef without an instructor, you should consider the possible currents. They can be moderate to strong, depending on the island and the season. It is better to ask the diving center right away about the features of the reef in order to understand how safe snorkeling on the edge is.
Check out the currents and follow the weather reports.
Remember to wear a lifejacket or armbands on your child.

How to help your child get comfortable with snorkeling

For children, snorkeling may seem a little difficult they do not immediately get used to breathing through a snorkel. Therefore, we begin to study in shallow water, trying on a window to a new world.

Choose a hypoallergenic silicone base. The mask should fit snugly to the face. To do this, bend the strap of the mask, remove the hair from the face and apply the mask to the face. After that, inhale through your nose and do not exhale for a while. During this time, the mask should remain adhered to the face and be held without hands. Otherwise, water will flow under it all the time. Ask your child if the mask is pressing on the bridge of the nose.
A tube. It can be with a wave cutter and an open top. For the first samples, it is best to choose an open tube. There are no waves in the lagoon that will flow inside. And so it will be easier for the child to learn to breathe: he will not experience a shortage of air. For the advanced user, it is best to choose a tube with a wave cutter so that you can try yourself at the edge of the reef. An additional plus of a tube with a cut-off tube is that if a child accidentally scoops water into the tube, the cut-off device will prevent it from getting inside.
It is worth focusing on adjustable fins, because the child's leg is constantly growing. They can be worn over coral slippers and removed at any time in the water. In this case, the child remains in the shoe. This way he will definitely not get hurt by coral or rock. If you can't swim with fins, then at first you can try to take the child in "tow": let him learn to work with his feet. Find something interesting in the water to motivate your child to snorkel.
Don't forget your life jacket. Sleeves will also work.

Advice. Bring your snorkeling supplies with you. The cost of renting a kit in the Maldives is about $ 8-10 and it is not always easy to choose equipment that will be as convenient as possible.

Innahura Maldives Resort

Children's diving in the Maldives

The Maldives is one of the best kiddiving destinations in the world thanks to its incredible underwater scenery. Calm shallow lagoons are suitable for diving training.

The climate of the Maldives allows diving all year round. Ocean temperature: + 28-32 degrees. The Indian Ocean is generally calm. Only in October do the monsoons come, which cause small storms. At this time, underwater currents beat plankton to the western part of the atolls. Therefore, from December to March, it is there an incredible amount of marine life, which makes this part of the Maldives popular. Then western winds come to the Maldives and the situation changes: whale sharks and the so-called "sea devils" swim to the eastern shores. And children who have mastered diving can see a lot.

Age of young divers, dive depths and types

The minimum diving age is 10 years. But most hotels offer the PADI Bubblemaker program, which allows kids ages 8 and up to experience diving. This is more a game than a real immersion.

At the age of 8 years, the maximum immersion depth is up to 2 m.
From 10 to 12 years old, you can already descend 5 m.
From 12 to 14 years old - at 10 m. The optimal duration of diving in the warm waters of the Maldives for children is up to 25 minutes.

Each hotel has its own diving center, which offers several diving options. In particular, a dive for children. Depending on the child's age and background, this can be a reef dive near an island or near an atoll. Group tours are also organized. Resot hotels select only highly professional diving instructors.

Hotels with the best diving centers in the Maldives:

Kurumba Maldives

Prepare a diver: popular programs

Children, depending on their age, can try several programs. According to PADI rules, depending on the chosen course, diving for children is allowed from 8 or 10 years old. Parental consent is required to complete the course. And already from the age of 10 you can already receive certificates:

PADI Bubblemaker. Suitable for children over 8 years old. Parents don't need to worry: the special program is more like fun and adventure for the child. Classes are held individually: maximum two children. The child dives, learns to breathe properly under water, to use equipment, to clean the mask. Classes are held in shallow water: diving no deeper than 2 meters. Often the PADI Bubblemaker is given to a child as an adventure birthday present.
PADI Discover Scuba Diving. For children over 10 years old. But the whole family can also take up this program. They teach the basics of breathing underwater, the correct use of equipment, signaling to the instructor and other divers underwater. They also reveal the secrets of proper immersion.
Junior PADI Scuba Diver (JPSD). The age of children is from 10 years. Ideal for kids looking to take their first diving course. Includes three sessions in shallow lagoons and two exits on the high seas to put everything into practice. After successful completion, you can receive a certificate that allows you to swim with an instructor. In the future, you can upgrade and get a Junior Open Water diver.
PADI Junior Open Water Diver. Age 10+. Children take a course similar to the previous one, but two additional theoretical sessions and two open water dives are also added.

Children and teenagers who have already tried themselves in diving and received certificates can improve their skills upon arrival in the Maldives. And take the Junior Advanced Open Water Course.

Angsana Velavaru

How to prepare your child for diving: tips

Not all children are ready to try themselves as a diver. How do you know if this water activity is right for your child?

First, step by step: the child must first feel confident in snorkeling, swimming with a regular mask and snorkel. In the future, this will help him breathe with tanks, and also removes the psychological barrier.

Immersion in water: he learned to control his breathing, learned to swim with fins.

How ready a child is for diving can be assessed by a professional instructor, because this is not only sufficient physical training, but also the ability to listen and understand the coach, not to panic in an unusual environment.

The child must clearly understand how to behave on the surface of the water. Because in the future he will have to learn how to ascend and dive correctly, get comfortable with the equipment, and navigate with the readings of the instruments.

And if your child has a fear of immersion, try to work with him. Get Interest: Show off your diving photos and amazing underwater world. One of the advantages of diving early is that the earlier kids start, the less they fear the underwater world and feel confident.

Angsana Velavaru

How much does kids diving cost in the Maldives

The cost of children's diving in the Maldives depends on the location and class of the hotel. One-time dive - from $ 45. Equipment rental is paid additionally. Total at least $ 80. Discounts are provided when ordering a package of services.

For example, on the popular local island of Maafushi, the cost of the program for the youngest divers is $ 90. It includes games in the pool or shallow lagoon with an instructor, as well as an introduction to diving and equipment.
The cost of a similar offer in a resort hotel can start at $ 120 per dive.

The Maldives is the perfect place to start a kid's introduction to the underwater world. And not only because of its diversity, but also because of its safety. Calm quiet bays will protect you from possible waves, and professional instructors will help your child take his first steps in the underwater kingdom.

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