Dive Maldives: A Guide to the Maldives Archipelago

Dive Maldives is a detailed guide to diving and travelling the Maldives Archipelago. It is packed with information on over 350 dive sites based on the author's personal research over 20 years. It includes 135 topographical maps of atolls, protected marine areas and major dive sites that graphically illustrate the features and marine life of the reef through the use of symbols and text. The book gives a comprehensive overview of island history, Indian Ocean maritime history and famous shipwrecks of the Maldives. The dive site maps are useful references for divers and show the topography and scale of the reef. Through the use of symbols for features such as caves, overhangs, saddles and canyons, as well as commonly seen fish and marine life, divers get a predive glimpse of what they can expect to see during the dive.

Scattered throughout the book are 191 photographs with informative captions. All fish mentioned are listed in a separate index at the back and are grouped by class and family, with both their common and scientific name reported for easy identification. For those divers who have never been to this remote nation of 1190 islands, there is a useful section with practical information for travelers and divers, and an up to date index of resorts and liveaboard vessels.

Besides the diving related material, Dive Maldives covers other important aspects of this wonderful archipelago, including island history, Indian Ocean maritime history and shipwrecks, coral reef ecosystem and environmental problems. Although non divers would find it extremely pleasant and interesting to read, this is indeed a book dedicated to divers, particularly those seeking a deeper knowledge and understanding of this top class dive destination.

Dive Maldives is a useful reference for discerning divers and travellers with a need to know more about the Maldives Archipelago. Now in its third edition, Dive Maldives was written and researched by Tim Godfrey and printed by Atoll Editions in Cairns, Australia. It is also available in English, French, German and Italian.

Atoll Editions started its business in 1996 with three products: Dive Maldives, a Guide to the Maldives Archipelago', Malways, Maldives Island Directory', and Divers and Travellers map of the Maldives'. In response to continuing resort developments and additional information, the second edition of these three products was released in 1998. Dive Maldives' was also translated into German by Claus-Peter Stoll and into Italian by Cinzia Mariolini. Both these translators are diving experts and spent a number of months working on the text and checking terms and fish names for consistency. The atoll maps in these three products are very detailed and extremely well presented thanks to Chris Crook of Country Cartographics in Australia. Dive Maldives' has quickly established a reputation for accuracy and become the standard reference for both divers and instructors. Previously there was little reference material available and it is pleasing to note some of the positive feedback that has come from them. The Ministry of Tourism has acknowledged the usefulness of Dive Maldives' by using many of the stories, information and maps in its official Website and CD-Rom. Malways', is the first detailed island directory, or atlas, available on the Maldives and is used not only by travellers but by expatriate workers, local fishermen and boat captains. It is even used by the sea-plane pilots as a quick reference for flying tourists and government officials around the atolls. The Divers and Travellers Map' was designed for divers to show all the major features, including the main dive site locations, on the one map. A major development for Atoll Editions was the release in April, 1998 of Photo Guide to Fishes of the Maldives' by Rudie. H. Kuiter. Atoll Editions is just over a year old but it has been in the pipeline for some years. New publications are planned and existing ones have to be updated. We look forward to a solid future and hope that it will not be too long before another product hits the market.