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

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).

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

The topography here is quite complex. The thila is divided into four large coral heads, of varying sizes, that sit on a plateau rising from 40m (130ft) to 12m (40ft). The thila is no more than 100m (110yd) in diameter, and you can swim around the whole site in a single dive. Each of the blocks is undercut from 15m (50ft) to 25m (80ft) with superb caves jammed full of soft corals, gorgonians and whip corals.

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

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

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

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.

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

This site is towards the southern part of the main reef of the Island Lankan Finolhlu.

The top of the reef is at an average of 12 meters of depth where it slopes down to the bottom to a depth of 25-30 meters. With an ingoing current you could start the dive while keeping the reef to the right hand shoulder. You have the possibilities to see white tip sharks and hawks bill turtles. Towards the south corner the dive site become exciting as there are a lot of red snappers and giant travelly. But this is during the months of May until November that the dive site will offer you its best: a lot of zoo plankton gets carried to the reef due to the reef configuration there is a “cleaning station” where the Manta Rays are often present.

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

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.

• 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:

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 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

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.

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

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 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.

• 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.

• 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 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.

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

The Huvadhoo Atoll is located in the far south of the Maldives just above the equator. It’s the region’s second largest atoll and is divided into two separate administrative regions – the northern Gaafu Alifu and the southern Gaafu Dhaalu.

Huvadhoo provides an escape from the developed north, and its diving is less chartered. You’ll need to use local knowledge to explore the atoll’s 1,864 square miles (3000 km²) of ocean. Due to its distance from the country’s capital, the locals speak a different form of the Dhivehi language called Huvadu Bas. After a day spent diving, you can admire the red-hued sunset from the beach.

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

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

Hammerhead Point - Popular dive site for Maldives liveaboards. Its proximity to deep waters lends the location the best chances of getting close to these magnificent creatures. Often considered to be the highlight of many Maldives liveaboard trips.

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

Cocoa Corner is a dive site that can be explored in several different ways and with the right current and conditions, it's is the best shark show around Male Atoll. Many dive guides consider crossing from Cocoa Corner to Kandooma Thila. With the right current, divers begin the dive from Cocoa Corner and while maintaining a depth of 25 to 29 metres, they swim across the current while parallel to the edge at 40 metres. This gives a natural reference that divers are maintaining the correct position while crossing to the Thila and divers are not taken too far inside the channel. The Thila lies in the middle of the channel about 15 metres from the channel edge. Here, divers will see heaps of Grey Reef Sharks from big mother sharks to newborn babies patrolling the edge of the channel together. Eagle Rays and schooling Jack Fish are also common at the beginning of the Thila. By the time divers reach the Thila, their bottom time should be running out and the best thing to do is to swim to the top of the Thila and continue diving in shallower waters. A safety balloon is a must at Cocoa Corner and divers should be prepared to make an open water safety stop.

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

Kuda Haa 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.

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

Kurali Kandu is a sandy channel with a maximum depth of 12-16m. Here you can find some smaller coral blocks, which appear to be cleaning stations for manta and other rays coming in for some cleaning.

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

Raadbandhihuraa Kandu, a channel in the west of the atoll with an incoming current you will be swimming in fish soup with shoals of fusiliers, surgeon fish and snappers to name but a few. The reef slopes downwards in terraces with very healthy coral life mimicking a Japanese garden! Don't forget to glance out to the blue every once in a while, to check for sharks, tunas and jacks.

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