It offers one of the world's best night dives and a marvelous opportunity to swim with sharks. Iconic Maaya Thila, northwest of Ukulhas Island, is the most celebrated spot there. The dive sites in North Ari Atoll tend to be more technically demanding than South Ari Atoll. The atoll's topography features thilas rather than long stretches of coral barrier reef. It's a dream destination for divers and snorkelers, as it's both accessible and has a vast number of sites packed with big pelagic species. Scenic and central Ari Atoll (also known as Alif or Alifu Atoll) lies west of Male. It runs for almost two thirds the way around the island and has attractive coral and marine life, sharks and rays included. Guesthouses also organize snorkeling trips to places such as Maafushi Corner.Īlternatively, snorkelers will be impressed by the house reef at the value-for-money Fihalhohi Island Resort, on the last island in South Male Atoll. The accommodations are inexpensive, and numerous dive centers conduct trips to the various sites. Maafushi, a touristy local inhabited island, is an ideal base for scuba diving if you're traveling on a budget. Beginner divers can explore Kuda Giri shipwreck, between Maafushi and Dhigufinolhu islands. Guraidhoo Kandu South (sometimes called Guraidhoo Corner) is also famous for its mixed topography, while Vadhoo Caves houses an assembly of marine life that's sheltering from the strong current. The top dive spot is Cocoa Thila (also known as Cocoa Corner), a towering deep-water pinnacle with many ravines in the middle of the Kandooma channel. Sizeable marine life, including many types of sharks, thrives in the many caves and six main thilas (channels) there. Quieter South Male Atoll's challenging topography is exhilarating for divers. Called the Rannamaari, it's an obsolete sand-dredging ship that was deliberately submerged there in 1999 to facilitate wreck diving. The extraordinary house reef at Angsana Ihuru, north of Baros (which also has an excellent house reef for snorkeling), has its own wreck too. It lies on the southwestern side of Hulhule Airport Island between Male and Hulhumale. The Victory wreck is a cargo ship that sunk in 1981.
Prolific marine life also exists at Helengeli Thila, an underwater peak in the far northeast corner of North Male Atoll.Īlso, North Male Atoll has fascinating shipwrecks that you don't have to go far to reach.
#Maldives atoll skin
Lankan Manta Point is another notable dive site in the vicinity, where Manta rays come to get their skin cleaned by small fish from May to November. Nearby resort islands with superb house reefs for snorkeling and marine life are Kurumba and Bandos. The reef is easily accessible by boat from Hulhumale Island, and many companies, such as Dive Club Maldives, conduct day trips. The topography is dramatic with cliffs, caves, vivid coral, and an abundance of diverse marine life.
#Maldives atoll plus
Its shallow and deep zones are suited to divers of all levels, plus snorkelers. Curve-shaped Banana Reef (also known as Gaathugiri) was the first one to be discovered and remains very popular. North Male Atoll, which encompasses capital city Male, has the most extensive coral reefs and oldest scuba diving sites in the Maldives.
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