A Protected Marine Area, this offers one of the best-known dives in the Maldives. There is a remarkable variety of marine life on the thila, including grey reef sharks, white tip sharks, turtles, stonefish, frogfish, zebra morays, batfish and many, many more species. At the edge of the thila, where there is a large coral overhang full of bright orange Tubastrea corals.The top of the rock, at 15m (50ft), is covered in colourful soft corals. The vertical side of the rock drops down to the atoll plate at 40m (130ft). In this channel between the satellite rock and the thila, grey reef sharks often patrol and we have seen guitar shark here on a number of occasions.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40m

Regularly an encounter with the giant manta rays is common on this reef, from December until April the big manta rays can be watched during there feeding and cleaning procedure in cleaning stations on the top reef. A close approach is possible, but don’t touch or chase them; otherwise they will disappear in the blue. The reef itself drops on the east side steep down to 25m where the sand bottom starts. The big overhangs at 20m are a good start of the dive before you go shallower and follow the reef edge on the 12m area where the mantas can be seen most of the time. The reef top has nice marine life, moray eels, octopuses, lion fish and a few napoleons make this place, even without manta rays a real adventure.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 25m

Located on outside reef of Emboodhoo Finolhlu, Emboodhoo Canyon is a section of the reef that collapsed and created a canyon-like area. This huge rock stands about 5 meters away from the main reef, creating overhangs by the side of the reef. A lot of sponges and soft coral are seen from depths as shallow as 12 meters.

Large red snappers and groupers are seen on the shallower part .As you descend you will find that on the rock there is a huge gap with soft coral; white tip sharks are seen gliding with the current at times. As you drift along the reef the overhangs which start from 10 meters of depth can drop to 25 meters and stretches out for about 40 meter across making it a magnificent sight.

The rest of the dive can be done with the drift along a long sloping reef which is rich in coral growth and fish life. Do expect to see turtles, moray eels and lion fishes along the drift. This dive site is most suitable with a small to medium current; it is suitable for advanced and open water divers.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Hafza Thila is in the middle of the Atoll, 35 minutes south from Velidhu. Normally there is not a lot of current. You can easily dive around the thila two times during one dive, but take your time. There are nice overhangs on each side, in which you can find stingrays, morays and scorpion fish. Don’t stay too long in the deep area, because the top reef is not very shallow (10 - 12m) and you might run out of time! Save some time for the top reef, there are very nice hard corals!

A huge variety of marine life can be expected here. Batfish, blue striped snapper and barracudas are schooling in the blue. Big sharks, jackfish and trevallys are hunting in the current. Watch out for turtles on the top reef and try to find some scorpion fish and stonefish! You may find octopus, slugs and shrimps in the beautiful hard corals of the top reef.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth:

Two hours of boat trip in the southwest of Velidhu is Maalhos Thila, otherwise known as "Blue Caves". This is really one of the best dive sites in the Maldives! Plenty of caves and overhangs in the south part (20-30m) and the soft corals are overgrowing all! It looks like a huge cake with white and pink whip! The ceilings are covered in soft corals in a mixture of colours, mostly white but also blue and violet - the decorated caves make a surreal back drop for underwater photographers. In the south there are a few big blocks 20m apart of the main reef.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth:

Those huge caverns are among the largest and the nicest of all the Maldives tourists’ atolls. 2 big caves close to one another are just 50m from the corner, one at 20m, and the other one at 16, the latest one is 70m long and has a curly overhang. Inside the pass you come to one cave at about 10m with a hole going all the way to the top reef at 5m. With a torch it is even better.

Inside the caves, we will see yellow sponges, seafans, blue soft coral, small tube corals and often giant morays, as well as squirrelfish, and many groupers. Along the reef we should see clown triggerfish, Napoleon, sweetlips, and angelfish, and this is a great site to spot many turtles, especially green turtles.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth:

This site is a little channel on the north side of Guraidhoo channel. This channel has a very shallow, narrow sandy canyon, separating the inside from the outside. The channel deepens inside to a sandy bottom at 30m, and the reef slopes from 6m to 30m on the outside.

Here divers can encounter plenty of fish life inside the channel and especially inside the canyon. School of pyjamas, lutjans, fusiliers, butterflies are very common. At the entrance of the canyon, with an in going or out going, white tips reef sharks are very often spotted as well as napoleon. The canyon is the high light due to the quantity and diversity of fish and also to the reflection of the light on the sandy bottom.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The Guraidhoo Corner lies on the east side of the South Male’ Atoll, outside of the reef. Nearby islands are Losfushi, Guraidhoo and Kandooma. On the edges of the channel, at depths ranging from 25 to 30 meters, you will have the best chances to observe great many grey reef sharks, local school of eagle rays, large hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and. Guraidhoo Corner is also home to large schools of oriental sweetlips, bannerfish and large black-and-white striped snappers.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The Felidhoo is a sloping wall with overhangs and divers can expect to see white tip reef sharks, banner fish, stingrays, boxfish, barracuda and fusiliers.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The square-shaped reef is about 80 metres wide and can be circled in one dive if divers wish, providing the current is not too strong. There are ledges and caves at different depths around much of the reef and for the most part, there is a big undercut from about 25 to 30 metres before the reef tapers to the bottom slopes. The north and north west sides have a particular interesting landscape at reasonably shallow depths, making it ideal for the less experienced diver, while at depth, are caves with all the usual features including sea fans and black coral bushes. Divers tend to stay shallower at Fish Head, hovering around the reef edge at about 15 metres as this gives the best all round view of a family of about 20 resident grey reef sharks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Bathalaa on the northern side of Vinaneiy Faru in the Raa Atoll is a brilliant site with the dive starting in the sandy area of Vinaneiyfaruhuraa and slowly slopping down to a cliff at 18 metres where it vertically drops to 25 metres. Along this beautiful wall you will find patches of pink and black coral making unique colour scenery.

• Dive Type:
• Diver Level:
• Max Depth:

This is considered one of the best night dives in the Maldives. Every night there is a show performed by a big number of nurse sharks, stingrays and massive jacks. Definitely not to be missed.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The most spectacular channel dive of the atoll. There are a few different ways to dive it but crossing the channel offers the most exciting encounters with big fish. Although it might seem very easy it is not recommended for not experienced divers due to washing machines created by the current. Staying close to the dive guide and same positioning will make crossing the channel easier. Negative entry is recommended.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Diving in North Ari Atoll is not famous for corals, and in fact, many dive spots may seem a little dull in terms of the coral splendor. However, the main attraction of this part of the atoll is the regular encounters with big marine life including reef and hammerhead sharks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Explore the captivating underwater world of North Male Atoll with its renowned dive sites like Lankan Manta Point and Fish Factory. Encounter vibrant coral reefs, diverse marine life including mantas, sharks, and colorful reef fish, making it a diver's paradise.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Dhigu in the Maldivian language means Long and Thila means pinnacle, and that is exactly what this dive site is, a long thin pinnacle in Baa Atoll, starting at 6m and descending down to 30m. Between 12 and 25m there are some interesting overhangs with some soft coral and Gorgonian Fan coral. Look out for Leaf Fish, Frog Fish and Stonefish, as well as nudibranchs, white tip reef sharks and perhaps the odd Manta passing in its way to it from Hanifaru Bay.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

A beautiful pinnacle just 10 minutes from Rahdhiga Island, Rahdhiga Thila is impressive from the second you swim down to 30m to look at some grey reef sharks, then moving up to the overhangs with their beautiful dripping blue, yellow and orange soft coral between 8m and 18m. Then finish the dive at 3m to 6m with some impressive table-top coral for a pleasantly relaxing safety stop.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Also known as 'Big Shark Channel', this is another top dive site and certainly lives up to its name. Dropping in at the south eastern corner you keep the reef on your left until you reach the drop off at the channel entrance which is approximately 30 metres deep. This site features small caves and numerous overhangs, and there is a sloping section on the left side of the channel covered in hard coral and some soft coral.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Vattaru Kandu is a protected marine area, located in the channel south of Vattaru Atoll. The outside corner declines very sharply to about 45 meters, then steadily slopes to a deep sandy bottom where you will often find big sea fans and leopard sharks. The entrance of the channel is at around 32 meters, around which there are several caves and overhangs, not to mention outside of which, where you will find even more caves, ledges and overhangs. Near this corner, most caves are between 10 and 20 meters. The fish life here is very rich, with tuna, barracudas, trevally, schools of fusilier, turtles, manta rays, parrotfish, napoleon and white-tip reef sharks. At around 30 meters outside the channel entrance you will find a series of caves covered in soft coral, and many of them house black coral trees and seafans.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Thaa Atoll (also known as Kolhumadulu) is among the least visited dive destinations in the Maldives. This round atoll has a combined landmass close to nine kilometres, with no single island larger than a square kilometre. The mesmerizingly beautiful series of 66 tiny islands that make up the atoll are surrounded by spectacularly clear water with underwater wonders and beauty yet to be discovered. Some dives have strong currents but this brings in the pelagic such as Hammerheads, Whale Sharks and dolphins especially at night. Expect large reefs, coral gardens, steep walls and overhangs plus action packed channels.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Laamu Atoll (also known as Haddhunmathi Atoll) is an oval shaped southern atoll. It measures 48 km in length and 35 km in width, and has some of the top dive sites in the world such as Guraidhoo and Gan; this Maldives Atoll is situated 32 southeast of Kolhumandulu Atoll and 95 km north of Huvadhoo Atoll. Laamu Atoll boasts numerous pristine dive sites with many different features like caves, steep drop offs, swim-throughs, not to mention the abundance of marine life and beautiful topography. Expect beautiful fish-filled channels with great shark encounters.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The high concentration of plankton present in these waters gathers a large number of filter feeders, including the large manta rays. Some swim alone, but most are in groups of three, five, eight, even fifteen, twenty advancing in single file forming long undulating ribbons. Plenty of colourful coral structures can be seen with clown fish swimming between the tectacles of orange anemones. The synchronous and harmonic movement of a school of hundreds of yellow snappers is a beautiful view and you may even spot a turtle.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Dhonfanu Thila is a topographically beautiful dive site that has a pinnacle surrounded by changing currents. There are many overhangs and drop-offs around it, but the narrow swim-through is the most exciting part. It leads to a pool with a lighter current that is full of various species. This dive site is well-known for manta rays and larger pelagic fish as well as being full of cleaner wrasses, fusiliers, triggerfish, parrotfish, butterflyfish, and lots of soldierfish.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 25

Christmas Tree Rock is a dive site that has a large pinnacle in a shape of a Christmas tree. It is composed of plateaus, ledges, an arrow-shaped rock, swim-throughs and magnificent coral reefs. This dive site shelters a variety of species living between various types of soft and hard corals, colorful sponges, gorgonians and purple fans. It is easy to spot whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, midnight parrotfish, grouper, and wrasses. Other fish include blennies, yellow-lined snapper, basslets, trumpetfish, and dottybacks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

A magnificent long thin pinnacle in the middle of a channel between Cocoa Corner and Kandooma Island Resort, this is one of the few channels in the Maldives where it doesn't matter which way the current is going - it will be a spectacular dive! Grey reef sharks and eagle rays are likely companions here. Magnificent overhangs with draping colourful soft coral and shark cleaning stations await those who dive this challenging but rewarding dive site.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

11km of reef stretches along the south of Ari Atoll, which is home to whalesharks coming up for a feed. Thought to be a 'nursery' for whalesharks, the South of Ari Atoll is a place where you can find juvenile whalesharks all year round.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This is a cleaning station which many Mantas are visiting. A lot of snappers and oriental sweet lips. Diver can keep on his knees to watch a huge mantas passing by or hook himself to a dead coral and float above the bottom.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 24

Grey reef sharks are common visitors at Guriadhoo Kandu when the currents are incoming, along with several pelagic species and eagle rays.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This is the perfect site for a night dive. Typically, Nurse Sharks, Black Tips, Marble Rays and Jacks are seen here.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 15

The best diving is on the outside corner of Dhiggaru Falhu, with lots of cavities and small swimthroughs, as well as lots of nice overhangs in the entrance to the channel. The area is covered in soft coral and hard coral groups grow up from the sandy patch, where white tip sharks and stingrays rest.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Expect to see Napoleons, turtles, moray eels and a lot of reef fish. In the blue water pegalics can often be seen passing by. There are caves and overhangs with walls packed full of yellow, blue, pink and white soft coral.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 32

The channel is narrow and features swim-throughs, small caves and large overhangs. The drop-off at the channel entrance is covered in colourful soft corals. Titan triggerfish are common here along with grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, tuna and barracuda. You might be lucky enough to get a glimpse of hammerhead sharks in the most outer side of the channel. This is also where eagle rays can be spotted, along with big groupers such as the potato grouper and the black saddle coral groupers. Look out for sting rays resting on the patch of sand and turtles on the channel walls.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The top of the wheelhouse is at 24 meters and the propeller is at about 27 meters. Coral is already well established on Fesdu Wreck, and a couple of good sized black coral bushes are growing off the stern. Among the superstructure are moray eels and in the engine room are big groupers. The wreck lies at the end of a small Thila that is about fifty meters out from Viligilee Falhu reef. There is extensive soft and hard coral growth all over the Thila and plenty of fish life, few caves and little coral rock formation.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 20

This site has a beautiful reef and gentle underwater slopes. The underwater landscape has crevices, cracks, walls, and interestingly shaped corals. As the name implies, this dive site features numerous huge manta rays that have a cleaning station here. Other large species around Lankan Manta Point include whitetip sharks, hawksbill turtles, barracudas, humphead wrasses, and moray eels. In addition, there are myriads of small colorful fish, shrimp, octopi, sweetlips, and blue tangs.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40

This dive site is a narrow and curved reef which is situated on the northern side of the island of Dharavandhoo. You can see Napoleons, stingrays and turtles. During the South West Monsoon, manta rays can also be spotted here.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Manta rays and sharks can be expected to be spotted here.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This site is located opposite the similarly named island & features a slope. There are a large number of cavern-like overhangs between 20 & 40m depth from which this site is named. These overhangs are densely covered in blue & yellow soft coral as well as black coral. Nurse sharks can often be found resting here. Stingrays can often be seen on the slopes & if one looks closely, there are numerous nudibranchs also to be found.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40

Feydhoo Caves (also known as Feydhoo Finolhu or Feydhoo Wall) is located north of Malé, Maldives. The reef is an upright wall with lots of holes, clefts, and swim-throughs. At some places, there is almost a 90-degree drop-off. There are swim-throughs and small overhangs at shallower depths, and prolonged overhangs at the deeper areas of the wall. The wall is covered with sponges and corals. This site gives the divers an opportunity to explore caves, walls, reefs, as well as lots of marine life such as fish, sharks, eagle rays, turtles, sponges and corals.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

At this site, you may be able to spot Bannerfish, Napoleon Wrasses, Turtles, Groupers, Eagle Rays, Moray Eels Baa Manta Rays and Sharks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

Lhaviyani Atoll, whose shape and particular position features oceanic channel dives either on the east and on the west side, giving us the chance to dive with “in-coming currents” in both monsoon seasons to spot any kind of pelagic fish including grey reef sharks.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 20m

Located on the southeast outer reef of Lankanfinolhu Island in North Male atoll in Maldives, Lankan Manta point is a dive site among the most famous Manta rays cleaning station. The large block of coral at a depth of 10 to 18meters is where the rays come during the southwest monsoon and outgoing currents to get cleaned by wrasses. Easy to access and adapted to beginners, this popular dive site is often visited by many cruise ships and divers, and can even become over-visited sometimes.
Even though Manta rays are the main reason divers come to Lanka Manta Point, you can also encounter whitetip sharks, lobsters and humphead wrasses.

It is recommended to enter the water ahead in the current to avoid disturbing the rays. A building on the coast will indicate the location of the cleaning station. When the current is strong, do not stay at the surface for too long.
Divers can drift with the current toward the rays’ cleaning station, but it is mandatory to remain away from the cleaning area without crossing it.
The North reef is made of a gentle slope, but the South reef gets steeper and hosts many humphead wrasses and turtles.

Outgoing currents can cause turbulence that may push divers offshore. It is recommended to remain close to the reef to avoid that.

As the most famous manta cleaning station, this site can also get too crowded sometimes. It may be interesting to consider going to other sites in the surroundings, where rays can also be spotted.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 20m

Gaafaru Atoll is a small island on the important shipping route, which is surrounded by numerous shipwrecks. The main dive sites around here are the SS Seagull (a giant sunken steamship with an anchor at 6m/20ft, boilers and stern at 30m/98ft), Lady Christine (a sunken iron vessel with a drop down at 50m/164ft, overhangs and caves) and Erlangen (almost intact shipwreck with the hull at 50m/164ft).

The best season for diving at Gaafaru Atoll (Maldives) is from January to May, while June is usually not recommended. The water temperature averages 27-28C/81-82F, and the air is generally 29-31C/84-88F.

The shipwrecks of the Gaafaru Atoll dive sites serve as home to nurse sharks, Napoleon wrasses, moray eels, rays, grouper, and lots of crustaceans. Sometimes divers may even spot a hawksbill turtle.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 55m

Fuvahmulah (also known as Fua Mulaku and Poue Molluque) is the second-largest one-island atoll in the southern part of the Maldives. Visitors can get to the island by air or by sea, using the local liveaboard’s itinerary. Pristine diverse nature is represented here by tropical woodlands and wetlands, with rare birds and dense vegetation, freshwater lakes, marshland areas with thick vegetation, white-sand and pebble beaches, the biggest on the Maldives fertile lands of humus, mango, pineapple and orange trees. There are also several shrines, such as the Muslim mosque Gemmiskiy and the Buddhism stupa ruin called the Havitta. The place is also famous for a natural phenomenon known as Bissaaveli, where part of the beach sand moves away from the shore towards the edge of the reef, creating a lagoon, enclosed by sand and the shore of the island. Fuvahmulah became open to foreigners not long ago. That means it offers opportunities to dive at the barely touched reefs and stay in quite new hotels (developed starting in 2013). The most popular dive sites include Raazwa Faru (Fuvahmulah South), Thoondu (Fuvahmulah North), Rasgefannu, and the best spot for both diving and snorkeling, Neregando Fannu.

Divers can dive at Fuvahmulah throughout the year, with an average water temperature of about 26-29C/79-84F. During the hot and dry period from December to May, the water temperature falls to 24C/75F in some places. Short, heavy rains may occur from June to July.

Thresher sharks, tiger sharks, manta rays, eagle rays, turtles, dolphins, and many other smaller fish can be seen here.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40m

You can find Outstanding Typically, visibility is Good ( 10 - 30 m)
The average depth is 20 m / 65.6 ft although the maximum depth you can reach is 32 m / 105 ft
To reach Machchafushi Wreck you have to do it By boat & from shore
This dive site is best suited for CMAS ** / AOW divers.

• Dive Type: Wreck Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 32m

During north-east monsoon is a good manta gathering point. Out of this season it can be a very nice drift dive with great outcrops and nice reef fishes. On the more southern part, the kandu cuts in weird ways the thila, creating nice cavities within the steep wall. In this side there use to be dog toothed tuna, napoleon and grey reef and white tip sharks.Currents can be very strong, and drifting the thila will be over in less than 30 minutes. Be prepared for an open water safety stop.

• Dive Type: Drift Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

This is a well-known drift diving site due to the very fast currents that flow through the area but it is also known for the many sea turtles that come to the area between January and May. The site has the normal features of a Maldives site with a good healthy reef, many overhangs, and even a large cave.

The dive site is a sloping reef with a maximum depth of 30 metres and with visibility reaching 25 metres, divers can nearly make out the bottom of the ocean from the surface. The dive averages out at around 15 metres. The reef is found on Kalhahandhi Huraa, which is an island. The name Kalhahandhi translates as trevally and so divers can expect to see these fish whilst visiting the site.

The many trevallies are accompanied by many grey reef sharks, barracuda, white tip reef sharks, and black tip reef sharks. In between February and March, it is also very common to spot many manta rays in the area. About one metre below the reef, there is a set of channels that provide shelter from the current. Divers can stop there to see the many basslets, dotty backs, and fusiliers that are also seeking respite from the fast moving currents. Out into the ocean, divers will be able to see many midnight snappers, rabbitfish, unicornfish, tuna, and schools of rainbow runners.

• Dive Type: Drift Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

You can find big fish, abundant fish life Typically, visibility is 20m+
The average depth is 20m although the maximum depth you can reach is 30m
To reach Faru Kolhu you have to do it Boat

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

This is a very interesting formation, with a wall of seafans on the outside of the main peak, and some pinncacles on the western side. There is a tunner to swimthrough cutting the reef at 16m where yellow sweepers stay. At the north side there are another two pinnacles starting at 20m, with a narrow canyon between them. The dive can be very deep and currents treacherous.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40m

Dive sites around Angaga Island provide some of the best diving in Maldives. Most divers associate Ari Atoll with pelagic species but the dive sites of South-Ari Atoll host creatures large and small. From the smallest nudibranch or frog fish to the largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark, these waters have something for all divers.

Often strong currents in Maldives, you will find drift dives are common and quick descents may be necessary. Once you are on the dive site though, currents are easily managed and the scenery is spectacular!

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

VILAMENDHOO THILA in Maldives is a dive site located east of Vilamendhoo Island that is a must dive in the atoll, where rays and sharks are present whatever the direction of the current is. This thila is made of a top reef at around 8 meters, gently sloping down to more than 30m on the east side, and sloping at 45° down to 20-25m on the west side. It extends in the middle of the channel on the south side, and the north part presents some detached blocks. The various species you can encounter here include schools of snappers, sweetlips, fusiliers and jacks. You will always be able to encounter sharks and eagle rays near the turbulence areas or in the northern part. It is also possible to encounter large stingrays on the sandy bottom.

The water entry is usually performed upstream in the current and at a sufficient distance, in order to stay protected at 15m and deeper. Divers will need to enter with no air in the BCD and staying as little time as possible at the surface.

The dive often starts on the side exposed to the current. During outgoing currents, sharks will be more present around the northern blocks. During incoming currents, the back of the thila on the northern section will often be more interesting because of the eagle rays gliding in the turbulence.

Both the ascent and safety stop can be performed in open water. The recovery by the dhoni takes place at the divers' exit point. During incoming currents, because of the two channels present in the area, divers will need to agree on an exit route (going north or south) prior to diving, in order to facilitate the recovery by the dhoni.

This site is accessible all year long and is suitable for divers with experience at 20-30m. During strong currents, it is sometimes possible to be surprised by the current and being dragged to the back of the thila. In this case, divers should not attempt to go back to the front otherwise they may take risks for themselves or damage the reef.

The northern section of the pinnacle is sometimes more interesting in the turbulence area generated by the cracks in the wall.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The main attraction of the site are manta rays coming to the cleaning station during the southwest monsoon. The dive site is relatively easy to access, with small currents and is very often considered as a good dive to start the week. The cleaning station itself is a large coral block covered with anemones and full of fish life. It is also very common to come across whitetip reef sharks, turtles and napoleons.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 24m