The most famous dive site in south Ari-Atoll and has already, in 1995, become a “Protected Marine Area.” A wonderful small reef, with lot’s of soft corals and an abundant fish life makes all dives an unforgettable experience. There is an arch to dive through on the west side and the two big overhangs on the east side are typical marks on this unique dive site. Thousands of blue stripped snappers cover the reef like a yellow carpet and big blue fin jack fish can be watched while hunting the smaller fusiliers. Also white tip reef sharks can sometimes be seen. Definitely one of the best dive sites in south Ari-Atoll!

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

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

This is one of the 15 Protected Marine dive sites of the Maldives, located in North Male’ Atoll south of Girifushi Island. This reef about 100 meters across is an amazing reef with beautiful corals, overhangs, caves, outcrops, a swim through and loaded with the best fish life making it one of the most exciting dives in North Male’ Atoll. With out going currents divers may start the dive jumping in the blue and drifting with the current towards the Reef while keeping with the left hand shoulder to it. The top of the dive site can be a spectacular place to be as the pelagic tend to hunt here; It includes Tuna, giant trevellys with schooling big every travelly and also eagle rays.

As you drift in you will come across a butterfly shaped rock with overhangs reaching depths of 25-30 meters. Under the over hangs it is really beautiful with red soft corals on the ceiling. In this overhang you can see a chimney-like formation; while keeping on drifting you will come across more coral outcrops and overhangs at depths ranging from 18 to 25 meters. As you ascend shallower you will find the top reef colonized by many Sea Anemone clown fishes. Large coral and good fish life makes it ideal for divers to spend the end of the dive on the top reef. Care should be taken while diving on this site which is more recommended for advanced divers with good buoyancy as the coral is very fragile and with strong currents it can become a tricky dive site.

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

This thila is about 200m long and 50m wide. Its position is east-west in the middle of the Bathala Kandu .The top reef is 10-12m deep and on the sides the maximum depth is 40m. If there is no or only very small current, it is possible to surround the thila during one dive. But if there is some, try to stay on the point, where the current is meeting the reef and look what’s happening there. Later you can drift with the current along the thila to the west and watch the beautiful overhangs and caves full of gorgonians, black corals and many fishes. Take care if the current is strong, you might be pushed over the top reef!

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

The Muli Corner dive site is a sloping hard coral reef down to drop-off into the big blue. Here divers can dive the aquarium with a cleaner station for mantas, huge variety of species of large coral fish; trigger fish, surgeons, sweetlips, fusiliers, white tip reef sharks, and the whale shark.

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

The Coral Garden is the perfect place for novice divers with depths ranging from 5 to 25 meters. Here you will find a lot of colourful fish, enormous amounts of different sponges, swarms from glass and young fish.

On the sand bed you can often see reef sharks, skate and guitar skate. Dives starts from the external reef edge, making it possible for beginners to visit the site. Due to the fact this site is on a channel large fish is sighted all the time.

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

Finger Point is a little Thila also known as Saddle and it is a real shark magnet in the North West. It is connected via a small and narrow sandy bridge to the Himmiya Faru and has a slightly oval shape with around 50 metres in length. It extends into Makunudu Channel and provides breathtaking close encounters to different kinds of sharks. So divers are reporting more than often to have seen up to 20 grey reef and frequently silver tips, or sometimes even hammerheads.

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

One of the channel dives that you don’t want to miss. With strong incoming current the list of possible encounters is impressive. Mainly grey reef sharks but also whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleons and tunas are quite common and with the visibility reaching 120 feet during the northeast monsoon it can be the highlight of the trip.

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

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

This channel comparing to other channels in this area offers more technical conditions to observe big schools of grey reef sharks. The center of the channel is the place to be.

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

This place offers one of the most incredible drift dives in the the archipelago. Unlike other atolls in the Maldives this one has no lagoon. Surrounded by depths in the middle of the Indian Ocean the site offers unique conditions to encounter species like tiger sharks, oceanic mantas, mola mola, thresher sharks, hammerheads, grey reef sharks and other big fish.

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

Scuba diving the Maldives' Baa Atoll is to scuba dive in one of the greatest biospheres on Earth. The region harbors significant biodiversity of reef animals, hard and soft corals, reef fish species, turtles, manta rays and any number of shark species. Baa Atoll scuba diving is also famous for offering one of the largest gathering of manta rays worldwide.

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

The famous Hanifaru Bay, which is known locally as Vandhumaafaru Adi, is thought to be one the few places in the world where whale sharks congregate in to mate, although recent research suggests otherwise with the vast majority of the whale sharks seen there being young males. The bay also regularly sees some of the largest gatherings of Manta rays worldwide with up to one hundred individuals in the small inlet when the tide pushes plankton into the bay.

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

With high chances of spotting Manta rays, especially during rising tides. The Thila (pinnacle) has several overhangs, with the most interesting parts are the west, east and south sides where you may encounter ghost pipefish, stingrays and Manta rays.

• 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

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

Two storage vessels caught fire while being towed in the process of being deposited in the 1980s. Both ships were almost vertical on the reef of a channel, resting on a sandy bottom at about 30m. One of them remains in its initial position, but the second one fell on the bottom during a violent storm. It is very easy to spot the site due to one boat's bow, which is visible from the surface. The wrecks are still in a good condition and now host a rich fauna. Tinny blennies nesting throughout the ends of shattered pipes, damsels, butterfly fish, emperor angelfish and anthias are normally found all over the wreckages. A large number of glassfish as well as few well-camouflaged scorpion fish can certainly be spotted. You will sometimes find stingrays having a good sleep beneath the wreckage.

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

The island’s House Reef is a vibrant ecosystem and invites exploration both in the lagoon and outside on the reef. The top of the Kurumba House Reef is approximately 1-2 metres deep and slopes down to 10 – 40m from the edge to the sandy bottom below. Progressing a little at a time, you will discover the wonders of the coral reef: millions of years of coral growth forming an island that teems with life both above and below the waters contributing to an enchanting Maldives scuba diving adventure.

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

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

The northern part of the reef has many overhangs, caves, and cracks with an abundance of critters inside. Diverse marine fauna can be spotted at the Rangali Madivaru dive site, such as manta rays, shoals of cleaner wrasses, scorpionfish, leaf fish, and lionfish.Moray eels, firefish, basslets, Napoleon wrasses, and midnight snapper are also frequent guests. Beautiful sea plants can be found at Rangali Madivaru as well, including subtle sea fans and exotic table corals.

• 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

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

Grey Reef Sharks and large pelagics can be seen at this site as well as manta rays, Napoleon Wrasse Eagle Rays and Sailfish.

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

You can expect to see many big fish and sharks at this site.

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

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

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 site is known as one of the most thrilling sites anywhere in the world. With more than 100 stingrays who are hospitable and friendly as well as multiple species of gorgeous tropical fish!

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

North of Olhahali there are two small caves at 15 and 20m, and another one at 25m. This one has lots of blue and white soft coral on the ceiling and huge seafans and sponges.

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

Eagle Rays Soldier fish, Blue-Lined Snapper, Nurse Shark, White tip Shark Leopard, Guitar Shark and Stingrays can be expected to be seen here.

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

You can expect to see Bannerfish, Napoleon Wrasses, Turtles, Groupers, Eagle Rays, Turtles and Moray Eels at this site.

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

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

You can expect to spot both sharks and manta rays when diving at this site.

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

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

A very shallow channel with several cleaning stations for Manta Rays. Sharks and Napoleons are also usual sightings as an almost unbelievably large field of sand eels.

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

Large schools of fusiliers and jacks, whitetip reef sharks, napoleons, big groups of snappers and sweet lips can be seen along the thila.

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

The top of the reef starts from 3 – 5 meters with the outer reef edge lining a wide channel. The reef crest drops into a vertical wall from 8 meters onwards. There are a few small over hangs around 8 – 10 meters deep on the outside of the reef with an amazing structure.

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

While crossing this dive site from one corner to the other, look in the sandy areas for stingrays and check above you for eagle rays flying in formation. The occasional white-tip and grey reef shark can be spotted swimming along the channel edge. As you approach the corners of the channel you have the chance to see schools of snappers and brightly coloured triggerfish.

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

The top of the reef is 10-15 feet (3-5 meters) deep. Expect nudibranchs, and redtoothed triggerfish with their distinctive red teeth that look like incisors. As you navigate the reef’s long crack, you might see a nocturnal nurse shark having a snooze.

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

Divers can expect to spot both Manta rays and sharks at this dive site.

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

Many species can be spotted at this site, including Napoleon Wrasses, Turtles, Groupers, Eagle rays and Moray eels.

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

The thila, with lovely soft corals, sits in the centre of a broad channel and attracts mantas, eagle rays, sharks, grouper, sweetlips and turtles. Cleaner wrasse abound on the thila, which is a Protected Marine Area.

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

This dive site has a strong ingoing current with reefs and caves on the outside on the wall. Around the entrance there are grey reef sharks, eagle rays and other pelagics.

• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 45m

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

Located north of Kandooma Island, this beautiful pinnacle lies at the bottom of a channel, with its top reef at 12m descending to around 40 meters deep on all sides. The eastern and northern sides are the most interesting with many overhangs and colourful soft corals. The many species you can spot there include big schools of fish, eagle rays, whitetip sharks, green turtles and grey reef sharks. During incoming currents, this fauna is mostly found on the plateau between the thila and the ocean. During outgoing currents, most sharks will be found around their cleaning station.

During outgoing currents, it is recommended for divers to place themselves at the Jack Corner, which is located in front of the thila at a wide overhang. The grey reef sharks’ cleaning station is marked by a distant block in the last part of the dive. Divers can end their exploration around the top reef where eagle rays and green turtles can be spotted. This dive site is accessible throughout the year but conditions can be very difficult. During outgoing currents, divers tend to be pulled to the bottom. They should not explore the cleaning station without at least 80 bars in the tank and being closed to the non-decompression limit.

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

Fushi Kandu has a fantastic channel with a relatively shallow entrance at 15m allowing for an extended channel dive, which permits crossing the channel to maximise the sightings. This dive site is commonly described as Fish Soup, and it rarely disappoints with its resident grey reef sharks, barracuda, big eye jacks, and abundant fish life.

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