Top Ten Places to Learn to Dive in the Maldives

1. Six Senses Laamu

Set on its own island within the Laamu Atoll, Six Senses Laamu is remote, relaxed and overflowing with dive appeal. The resort is home to some of the best diving in the Maldives, offering the perfect blend of onshore luxury and offshore adventure. Six Senses boasts a five-star PADI dive centre and one of the best dive teams in the Maldives, meaning that beginners are in safe hands. With eco-adventure and junior marine-biologist programmes, world-class instructors and the guarantee of having the dive site to yourself while you learn, what more could a budding diver need?

2. Constance Moofushi

Where better to learn to dive than the seven-time winner of the Indian Ocean's Leading Dive Resort award? Set on the South Ari Atoll, Constance Moofushi is a postcard-perfect island paradise, punctuated with traditional thatched villas and sparkling blue waters. This all-inclusive resort houses a five-star PADI dive centre, offering dive courses ranging from beginner to advanced, meaning that newbies can learn from the best. Once you're ready to dip your toes in, crystalline water and slow currents combine to create the perfect beginner conditions. To top it all off, the resort hosts a wealth of wildlife: guests can spot cute baby reef sharks from the shores, and the house reef is home to shining mantas, tropical reef fish and colourful coral.

3. Soneva Fushi

Soneva Fushi is an eco-chic jungle hideaway, complete with Robinson-Crusoe-style villas and a stellar dive centre. Located on its own island within Baa Atoll, the resort boasts white-sand beaches, crystal clear waters and waterslides that run straight from your bedroom into the sparkling ocean. Head straight to Soleni Dive Centre for the best introduction to the underwater world - here, you can learn the basics on the sandy seafloor (in just a few feet of water), before heading to the house reef to dive with the colourful reef fish. The resort is also great for families, and the PADI Bubblemaker course means that children as young as eight can dip their toes into the diving world. Did we mention that you can dive with a marine biologist too? Race you there...

4. OBLU Helengeli

One of the largest resorts in the Maldives, OBLU Helengeli combines contemporary style with a laid-back island atmosphere. The resort's on-site dive centre was voted one of the best in the world, so beginners needn't worry: OBLU has got you covered. Helmed by a passionate and experienced team of guides, the dive centre is the ideal place for beginners to find their 'scuba-legs'. Once you've grasped the basics in the shallows, head slightly further out, where gin-clear waters lead onto a stunning house reef with boatloads of marine life. We can think of worse ways to start your diving career.

5. Huvafen Fushi

Set on North Male Atoll, Huvafen Fushi is the epitome of desert island luxury. Alongside its emerald trees and pearl-white sands, this resort boasts one of the best house reefs in the Maldives, just steps from the resort's comfortable beachside villas, and a five-Star PADI dive centre, making it the perfect place to begin your diving career. Newbies can head out with a guide and watch as mesmerising reef fish weave through kaleidoscope coral, and if you're keen on conservation, Huvafen's resident marine biologist is on hand to show you the ropes. And, as if that wasn't enough, Huvafen Fushi is home to the world's first underwater spa, so you can wind down with a massage while watching colourful clownfish glide through the water.

6. Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru

The Four Seasons resort at Landaa Giraavaru is a remote island paradise, paving the way towards sustainable luxury living - and it just so happens to also be an excellent place to get started with scuba diving. With its bath-warm waters, superb visibility and magnificent marine life, the resort caters to novice and experienced divers alike. If you're looking to learn to dive, the resort's sheltered lagoon is the perfect place to get started, and the experienced Four Seasons dive team is there to teach you everything you need to know. The resort's Marine Discovery Centre offers guests the chance to join their Maldivian Manta Ray and Coral Reefscaping Projects - and, on top of all that, there is a fun-filled Fish Lab perfect for any youngsters in your party.

7. COMO Maalifushi

Located in the remote south-western Thaa Atoll, COMO Maalifushi is a delightful mix of luxurious villas and suites, which either stand on stilts over the clear lagoon or sit throughout the island's lush foliage. The resort is the only one standing in the Thaa Atoll, and the island happens to be home to some of the best diving in the Maldives. COMO Maalifushi's remote location means that newbies often have dive sites to themselves, so no one will disturb your first lesson. The hotel's dive team and facilities are second to none, so you'll be in excellent hands for your first few dives.

8. Mirihi

A tiny tropical paradise, Mirihi Island Resort promises palm-fringed beaches, charming villas and a spectacular house reef. The reef encircles the island, making it easily accessible for novice divers, and promises amazing marine encounters with sea turtles, reef sharks, eagle rays and myriad rainbow-coloured fish. Thanks to the resort's small size, there are very few guests, so you'll get the wonders of the house reef to yourself when diving, and incredibly intimate service from the hotel's friendly staff on land. For even more marine fun, a short boat ride will take you to the South Ari Atoll Marine Protected Area, where whale sharks and manta rays are regularly spotted throughout the year.

9. Milaidhoo

Sustainability and conservation are pretty close to our hearts here at Original Diving, so Milaidhoo has to feature on our list of best places to learn to dive in the Maldives. This pristine resort is set within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and boasts incredible marine diversity, warm waters and lush greenery. The resort's private five-Star PADI Dive Centre is run by an experienced dive team with an infectious love for diving, so beginners will quickly be whisked into the world of masks and mantas. Alongside their passion for diving, the team take part in a number of vital conservation projects, including rescuing sea turtles, and has two resident marine biologists to ensure the safety of both the reef and the diver. Fancy getting involved yourself? Take part in Milaidhoo's 'Be a Marine Biologist' programme and learn what goes into preserving such incredible biodiversity.

10. Komandoo

Located in the northern Maldives, this adults-only island resort is set beside a stunning lagoon home and surrounded by epic dive sites. Excellent for novice and solo divers, head to the fab dive centre for your introduction to the world of scuba diving. Take your time learning in the shallow waters of the sheltered lagoon before venturing to the amazing house reef. The lack of other resorts in the atoll means that Komandoo's guests get the waters to themselves. If you fancy a day on dry land, the resort is also home to some of the finest beaches around.