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

Beside Kudarah Thila this is most probably the most, well known dive site in south-Ari atoll. A 2m wide Canyon splits this small thila in two parts, from the west towards east side, which gives this reef its name. This Canyon is the main attraction, on this wonderful submerged reef, covered in soft corals. On the north side at a depth of around 25-30m are two big coral blocks with overhangs, and beautiful fan corals which (torchlight recommended!) are well worth a visit. The top reef has intact hard coral growth and with some luck, even a leaf fish can be spotted along with a variety of marine life. Depth and strong currents make this thila suitable for experienced divers only - watch your no-decompression limits!

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 35m

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

Kuda Giri is a pretty ten year old wreck that requires a short swim to reach it. Here you will have the opportunity to see lots of glassfish in the holds,titan triggerfish, shrimps inside a funnel and lobsters hiding in the wreck. This excellent wreck is situated at about 25 metres from a well established reef with lots of small caves and overhangs.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 31m

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

Kudhimaa Wreck is a medium sized steel wreck lying very close to the Machafushi house reef. The wreck was purposely sunk in 1998 to provide divers visiting the South Ari Atoll with a wreck. The wreck itself has easy access to the cargo holds on both sides. On and around the shipwreck you can find a school of bat fish, some puffer fish, box fish and the customary large lion fish. One interesting feature of the wreck is the competition for space that has sprung up on the surface itself. Algae, sponges, sea squirts and corals are all fighting for that valuable piece of metal to start their growth from.

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

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

The sandy bays here are sometimes known as 'Manta Road' as this is where they mostly gather for cleaning. On one point there is a lhuge cave at 17 meters that divers can look into. On many occasions, nurse sharks have been spotted in this cave and on the top reef underneath blocks. It is not uncommon to see 10 or more manta rays at a time.

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