Welcome to Euro-Divers Vilamendhoo! Diving With Friends….

Day of arrival between 1000 - 1200 or 1700 - 1800.
Or, the following morning at 1000, to join the Orientation Dive at 1030.
At check in, bring your voucher (if diving is pre booked), your certification card and log book; and medical certificate, if required. If not yet a certified diver, visit the Dive Center from 1700 to 1800 to sign up for Discover Scuba, a great experience and the 1st step to the Scuba Diver and Open Water Course.

The Maldives are beautiful coral islands surrounded by living reef, 26 Atolls in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Water temperature is warm (26 - 30 degrees Celsius) and varies with depth (0 - 30 meters).
Coral is fragile and grows very slowly, about 2.5 cm per year, so to avoid damage, do not touch or step on it.

We also see an abundance and variety of other marine creatures found on the living reef, including 150 species of tropical fish such as sweet lips, trigger fish, butterfly fish, porcupine fish and many more. Most marine life that we encounter is harmless, however some, such as stonefish, scorpion fish and lion fish may give a dangerous sting. These fish are rarely found in a sandy lagoon but to be safe, always watch where you place your bare feet.

The lagoon is a safe nursery in which juvenile sharks and rays grow and learn to survive. Eventually, they move outside the lagoon into the reef zone. It is interesting and fun to watch the baby sharks herd baitfish trying to catch the weak ones for a meal. Also, to watch the rays burrow into the sand looking for crabs to eat. In the Maldives, these marine creatures are considered harmless when treated in the proper manner. Diving with reef sharks and manta rays is a popular attraction.

From June through October, it is the season to dive with Mantas at Manta Point.
you may also see blotched fantail, porcupine, mangrove whip, torpedo and eagle rays all year. The waters around Vilamendhoo are well known for seeing whale sharks. Full day trips are frequently scheduled to nearby Maamigili, the 1st Whale Shark National Park.
You may also see white tip, grey, silvertip, nurse, guitar and zebra sharks. Hawksbill and green turtles may also be seen from time to time.

Spinner dolphins are commonly seen, usually from aboard a boat because the dolphins are shy creatures.

The reef around Vilamendhoo is spectacular and very close to the beach.
It is a wonderful experience to see the reef and its marine life while diving or snorkeling.
To identify what you see, it is helpful to have a reef guide, which is a waterproof plastic card which you can read while in the water. These are sold in the Gift Shop and in the Dive Center. [Remember to follow the safety rules found in the Guest Services Directory in your room.
A copy of the rules is posted on the bulletin board outside the Dive Center].
To go to the reef, simply walk into the water and snorkel to the inside of the reef.
Snorkel through any of the 10 “channels” through the reef to reach the outside of the reef, along the “wall”. Snorkel along the reef, in the direction against the current, as there is always some current, sometimes strong. If the current is too strong for your experience or comfort, then return inside the reef and return to the beach. When done snorkeling, return through any of the 10 “channels” through the reef to reach the beach.

1 introductory dive in the lagoon with your Instructor.
Learn a few beginner skills so that you feel comfortable with your equipment and explore the house reef to a maximum depth of 12 meters together with your Instructor. You can continue with more such dives during your holiday.

Our Instructors are trained by PADI and certifications are recognized worldwide. Courses are structured to be safe, enjoyable and easy to learn. Beginner classes are held in small groups up to 4 students.

The following PADI courses are available:
Scuba Diver
Open Water Diver

Adventure Diver
Advanced Open Water
Rescue Diver

Fish ID, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Underwater Digital Photographer, Night, Enriched Air, Emergency First Response, Shark, Manta, Drift and Wreck

Day of arrival between 1000 - 1200 or 1700 - 1800.

FREE for a certified diver. Every day at 1030. Check in the evening before.
Your Instructor goes with you in the Lagoon to review a few skills including practicing buoyancy control.

Dive Center Hours:
0845 - 1230 and 1345 - 1800
Enjoy more than 45 nearby dive sites

Morning Dive:
Meeting Time: 0845 Departure: 0900

Afternoon Dive :
Meeting Time: 1400 Departure: 1415

Whale Shark and Manta Dive Excursions (several times/week) :
Meeting Time: 0800 Departure Time: 0810

Full Day Dive Excursions (2 - 3 dives):
Meeting Time: 0800 Departure Time: 0810 Return to Resort: 1630 - 1700

Morning or Afternoon/Night 2 Tank Dive Excursions
Meeting Time: 0800

Night Dives
Available every night
Guided House Reef Night Dive (several times/week)

Euro-Divers reserves the right to change dive sites based on the ability of the diver and diving conditions, which can change very quickly and are sometimes unpredictable.

Maldives Law established a maximum diving depth:
Level 1 divers - 20 meters
Level 2 divers - 30 meters
All Levels :
easy, possible to dive shallow, less current
divers with Level 1 or higher can join

Advanced 1:
Dive sites more exposed to currents require quick descent and experienced divers. Interesting points are often deeper than 20 meters. Divers with Level 2 or higher can join.

Advanced 2:
Dive sites probably with strong currents require quick descent and experienced divers to dive in independent buddy teams. The Instructor acts as a “guide” only and will not “help you down”.
Interesting points are often deeper than 20 meters and divers with Level 2 or higher can join

REMEMBER:
We carry surface marker buoys and deploy them during a safety stop at 5 meters for 3 minutes.
Decompression dives are not allowed.
Maximum bottom time is 60 minutes

Drink plenty of fluids, 2 - 3 liters of water and/or juice, especially during daytime. Soft drinks, coffee, tea and alcoholic beverage are dehydrating. Never drink alcoholic beverage then go swimming, snorkeling or diving. Know yourself… objectively evaluate your physical condition, and participate only within your limits.
Maldives is near the equator, so use sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
Wash your ears with fresh water after being in the sea because the moistness and heat make a good environment for bacteria to grow and cause an ear infection.
Ideally, softly rinse each ear under the shower for 10 - 15 seconds.

Dive training teaches us that the following conditions may make us more susceptible to Decompression illness:

Fatigue and/or vigorous exercise during a dive
Dehydration
Cold water temperature
Older age
Illness
Seasickness
Injury and/or a history of prior injury
Consumption of alcoholic beverage
Overweight
Certain medications
Women taking a contraceptive pill or other hormones
You should not dive a minimum of 18 hours before flying
Therefore, if any of these conditions apply to you, then:
Consult your Instructor for further information
Plan your dive to give yourself a margin of safety of 5 minutes re: No Decompression Limit
Plan your repetitive dive no deeper than 20 meters
Ascend no faster than 18 meters/minute
Make a safety stop at 5 meters for 3 minutes

2 recompression chambers located within a 25 minute seaplane flight from Vilamendhoo.

Euro-Divers offers Nitrox for Nitrox certified divers.
Nitrox reduces nitrogen intake thereby making diving safer vs. the same dive profile using Air.
Nitrox may also increase bottom time.

Excursions available every day to different reefs…sign up at the Dive Center.

The Euro-Divers Team presents a popular video each week showing the beautiful underwater world that you see around Vilamendhoo, its diving and snorkeling activities.
Guests who complete their dive course are presented with their Diploma.
The Dive Center staff looks forward to being of assistance and to answer your questions.

Diving and snorkeling equipment, dive accessories, Euro-Divers logo sportswear, DVDs, dive books and more are available.

Euro-Divers has 4 dhonis, each with fresh water shower, toilet and sundeck.
Each dhoni has 3 - 4 crew and 1 - 3 Instructors depending on what is required.
The average number of divers per boat is between 10 – 20.