Diving Malekula & Maskelyne Islands

About Malekula & Maskelyne Islands (Central Islands)

Malekula and the Maskelyne Islands sit in central Vanuatu and offer some of the country's most pristine, least-dived walls and reefs. The Maskelyne Islands Outer Reefs are untouched drop-offs smothered in gorgonians and soft corals, with grey reef sharks, dogtooth tuna and massive trevally schools, while the Malekula Wall is a black-coral face with giant groupers, napoleon wrasse and occasional mantas. The Aquarium is a calm lagoon perfect for training and macro, and Lembinwen Passage is a thrilling drift with jacks, barracuda and eagle rays. Uripiv Island Reefs round things out with turtle- and stingray-friendly gardens and great night dives. This region is a frontier for divers who want healthy coral and few other bubbles.

Highlights

• ✓Maskelyne Islands Outer Reefs: untouched gorgonian walls with huge trevally schools
• ✓Malekula Wall: a black-coral drop-off with groupers and napoleon wrasse
• ✓The Aquarium: a calm lagoon for training and macro
• ✓Lembinwen Passage: a strong-current drift with jacks and eagle rays
• ✓Uripiv Island Reefs: turtle and stingray gardens with excellent night dives

Getting There

Fly into Norsup (CCV) on Malekula from Port Vila or Santo, then transfer to a coastal lodge. The Maskelyne Islands are reached by boat to the south-east, and most sites are 20 to 30 minutes from the lodges. Some operators run liveaboard-style trips along the coast.