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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 40m

Madi means ‘ray’ in Dhivehi. In the northeast season this is a superb manta ray cleaning station. As with many good manta points, the reef slopes down gently from its top at 8m (25ft) to the atoll floor at 30m (100ft). Although there are many cleaning stations along this 1km reef, the area where the mantas are most active is midway along the northern side. This site attacts mantas, which hover like great spaceships in the current. To the east of the basin the reef forms a wall which drops steeply down to the sand floor at 30m (100ft). At a depth of 25m (80ft) there is a large cave running along the reef for 200m (220yd).

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

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!

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 35m

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!

• Min Dives: 4
• 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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 25m

Banana Reef, named after the C-shape of the reef is around 100 meters in length. The reef is in front of the channel where fresh current enriches the reef with plankton it carries attracting also pelagic.The most exciting part of the reef is at the north-eastern side of the reef where big spectacular rocks starting from a depth of 30 meters rising up to 12 meters below the surface. Schools of Banner fish can be seen just at the start of the dive, the dog-toothed tuna and several species of Jackfish can be seen chasing their next pray. As you drift, the reef slopes down and after few minutes you will drift in the biggest overhang in Banana Reef where the top starts at 10m and drops to 20m. This overhang is fully covered with soft coral on its ceiling, huge schools of Blue line snappers is always inside letting you approach them very closely. It is both suitable for beginners and the most experienced divers and is a photographers’ heaven.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Gangehi Kandu is a channel in the north-west outrim reef of the North Ari Atoll. The boat trip is around 50 minutes. Divers will go down to a depth of 25-30m on the northwest edge of the channel and watch the sharks resting in the sand. Then swim along the reef on the left shoulder direction east and there we find an 80m long crack in the wall at 25-20m. In this crack you see soft corals in different colours, stingrays, groupers, and glassfish. Be careful with your buoyancy if you swim under the overhang and watch the computer for the Nodecolimit! After this crack: sometimes leopard sharks on the sandy bottom. Usually divers can spot white tip sharks, grey reef sharks, and stingrays on the sandy bottom in the middle of the channel. Sometimes there are lying leopard sharks on the sand. On the reef you may find turtles, mantis shrimps, slugs, different groupers, trigger fish, cleaner shrimps and boxer shrimps. There are glassfish, stingrays, moray eels and lobster in the caves.

• Min Dives: 9
• 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.

• Min Dives: 9
• 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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth:

Cocoa Corner is located on the north side of the Biyadoo channel. The wall of the channel is steep and we can find many caves and overhangs, whereas the outside reef slopes more gently. Inside the channel 200m from the corner, is a large outcrop of reef 20m long at the depth of 30m.

The best conditions are with an in-going current even if it is also possible with an out-going. Watch out with an out-going to go down before the large outcrop. We might also witness “washing machine” with an in-going current knowing that they will not be as strong as other dive sites.

The outside corner offers a great diversity of fish life. School of pyjamas, snappers, fusiliers, many groupers are very often seen. We can even spot on the corner at 30m some white tips reef sharks, eagle rays, grey reef sharks. There is also a great quantity of colourful soft coral after the corner in-between 10 and 20m. Some beautiful caves and overhangs finishing the dive with an in-going current or start it with an out-going.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth:

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.

• Min Dives: 9
• 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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The south side of Medhu Faru will offer you impressive features making it one of the most scenic drift dives in the Atoll. Visibility is usually excellent with an ingoing current and with wavering sea fans springing out from the ledge, soft coral in abundance and big fish in the open ocean. Medhu Faru will offer you opportunities to see sharks, trevally, tuna and fusilier congregate.

Note: Strong outgoing currents can be dangerous at Medhu Faru due to currents sweeping through both Guraidhoo and Lhosfushi Kandu.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 35m

Fotteyo is one of the best dive sites in the Maldives and a photographer’s paradise. Around bend near the entrance to the channel is a special place with many caves and overhangs. These caves have a thick covering of wavering soft corals in all colours. They look like blooming cherry, blossoms in spring time. Most of the cherry caves are found between 25 and 45 metres and there are few arches covered in soft coral, one of which divers can swim through.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The wreck of the Maldives Victory lies on the western side of Hulule. The wreck lies parallel to the reef on the sandy sea bed at a depth of 35 metres, upright and with the bowsprit pointing north.

Victory Wreck has been the home for large school of batfish, barracudas, humphead wrasses, large schools of fusiliers and all of the animal species that can normally be found on reefs, grottoes and underwater caverns.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 35m

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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 31m

The Ukulhas Thila is a pinnacle facing the open ocean and is considered to be the best site for manta ray encounters.

This pinnacle is in fact set quite deep with a tip at around 16 metres, with steep, deep drop-offs which will give you the opportunity to see white-tips, grey reef sharks and tuna that lurk in the deeper sections.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 35m

The Orimas Thila is sometimes called Maagaa Thila after the island to the north. The northern side of the site is 100 metre long reef and has a superb landscape with a number of distinctive features that make it stand out from many other sites.
The reef face is steep and rough and has a long cave that meanders along the reef between the depths of 15 to 18 metres. The cave is covered in fine soft coral, seafans and black coral bushes. At the eastern end are large coral rocks with crevices and canyons. Further to the east, the reef descends gradually to 30 metres.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

The Maamigili Faru is located South Ari Atoll on the outer corner of Maamigili. This shallow platform extends from the corner to the outer atoll rim giving you the opportunity to see sharks, groupers, pelagics, stingrays and turtles.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

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.

• Min Dives: 9
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Turtle Bay is the closest reef to Medhufushi Resort just 20 minutes away.

The diving spot is just at the beginning of the inside atoll and the navigation there is very easy. The reef goes down from 5 to 40 metres and has a lot of overhangs. As the name says, a lot of turtles live here, as well as lionfish, glassfish and white tip reef sharks.

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

The Great Astrolabe Reef surrounding the north and north eastern half of Kadavu Island is rated one of the world’s premier diving locations. The reef is about 100 kilometres long, making it the fourth largest barrier reef in the world. Here you will get to dive some of the world famous dive sites including Naiqoro Passage, Vessi Passage with Waisomo Reserve. The reef boasts a variety of stunning hard coral, colourful outer reef slopes and steep coral drop offs that will keep you busy exploring the surrounding waters.

• Min Dives: 15
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

A group of dive spots located in the area of Kadavu known as Alacrity Rocks at the east end of the Great Astrolabe Reef. You will see everything from swim throughs, caverns, tunnels, arches, canyons and much more to explore.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Offers the very best area of The Great Astrolabe Reef including passages, beautiful rock formations, abundant and healthy corals, multitude of fish life, pelagics and rays.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Part of The Great Astrolabe Reef and is in the marine sanctuary just off the southeast coast of Kadavu Island. This is known as some of the finest diving in Fiji with lots of reef fish, coral gardens exploding with color and pelagics.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

In 1994, this tanker was sunk in a depth of 90 feet on the northern side of Kadavu as an artificial reef. This area is also known to have beautiful coral reefs with lots of coral growth so the wreck is not the only attraction here.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Located at the western end of Kadavu. It is a gentle slope with a beautiful reef full of coral, sponges and fish life. As the dive descends deeper there are crevices. Often see are green turtles, seafans, angelfish, triggerfish, schools of barracuda and hammerhead sharks.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Yellow Wall has half a dozen large pinnacles that look like a mini mountain range full of colorful yellow soft corals and fishlife. Guests can dive part of the wreck in the wheelhouse where large grouper are seen.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

Large and shallow plateaus (10 - 20 ft) on the west side of the atoll, right next to the wide lagoon of Rasfari. It is covered with hard corals and hosts a cleaning station during the northeast monsoon. The most common way to do the dive here is to start on top of the reef, which is protected from the currents and after spending some time with the mantas continue the dive towards the wall that drops down to about 75 feet. The wall is nicely covered with hard corals, rich with fish life and popular with turtles.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

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.

• Min Dives: 6
• 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.

• Min Dives: 6
• 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.

• Min Dives: 6
• 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.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This 420 ft tanker is the biggest wreck in the Maldives, torpedoed twice during WW II and eventually sunk by the British in 1946. The vessel rests on its starboard side at around 100 ft depth.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

The place is known for its cleaning station hosting manta rays all year long. There are a few coral reefs a bit shallower, which are also considered cleaning stations and mantas can be seen there quite often.

• Min Dives: 6
• 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.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Advanced Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This site has earned the nickname Pannettone from the many Italian divers who believe it resembles the traditional Italian fruitcake. There are some spectacular coral formations here, featuring a variety of soft and hard coral species, which attract a wide selection of fish including angelfish, basslets, butterfly fish, scorpion fish, trigger fish and puffer fish. The corals here are in good condition and weather conditions at Pannettone mean the dive site can be explored year-round.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

This site is a dramatic pinnacle, or thila, dive, which is widely considered one of the highlights of diving in the Maldives. Diving at Kuda Haa is at its best when the currents are not strong, when it is easy to navigate between the two parts of the pinnacle. Marine life to be expected at Kuda Haa is diverse and plentiful, including many macro species, including nudibranchs, flatworms, leaf fish and frogfish.

• Min Dives: 6
• 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.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 18

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.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

This site is a cleaning station located on the rays' migration route. The site is accessible throughtout the year and is an active site. The main cleaning station is at the bottom of the sloping reef. You will be able to spot rays around the main pinnacle but also at depths farther north or south.

• Min Dives: 6
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30

MAAREHA KANDU is a west-east oriented channel, located farthest east of the atoll Gaafu Alifu, offers impressive diving conditions, with dozens of grey reef sharks, eagle rays and many species of fish swimming here during incoming current. This site is particularly interesting during the northeast monsoon, and is accessible to divers of all levels.

Divers can enter the water at the mouth of the channel or on the north corner, spending minimal time at the surface during strong currents.

The best way to spot as many species as possible is by crossing the channel at the edge. Divers usually start at the north of the channel entry, then drift along towards the south reef, making stops in the middle if sharks and eagle rays can be seen. After reaching the south reef, divers get carried away by the current towards the atoll and try to enter a narrow sandy channel where rays of different species can be seen.

Both the ascent and safety stop can be performed in open water or along the reef.

This channel is not as deep as other channels, but can be tricky due to the strong currents, even for experienced divers.

• Min Dives: 10
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Huvadhoo atoll is known for being home to the biggest fish in the world. Just like in Thaa atoll there is now specific place where diving would guarantee an encounter with a whale shark but the common practice is to use a strong light in the evening at the back platform of the boat to attract the zooplanktons which will further attract the whale sharks. Scuba diving while having the shark at the back of the boat is rather discouraged as the bubbles may disperse the mass of the plankton. Sometimes the whale sharks will stay for hours.

• Min Dives: 10
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m

Another top ranking site and definitely a must dive spot. As most channel dives it offers the best conditions during incoming current in the northeast monsoon. It is possible to observe grey reef sharks, leopard sharks, nurse sharks, big barracudas, tunas, eagle rays and napoleons. Tiger sharks have also been seen in this place.

• Min Dives: 10
• Dive Type: Boat Dive
• Diver Level: Open Water Diver
• Max Depth: 30m