Most Popular Dive Sites in Maldives

Maldives is among the best dive destinations in the world. We have rare but popular fishes such as NEMO the clownfish, sea turtles, sharks and many more sea creatures in our waters.

Our dive sites are among the best dive sites in the world, we have great wreck dive sites and colourful coral reefs with beautiful corals and fish life.

We have listed some of our popular dive sites below;

Aquarium, North Malé Atoll

The favourite spot on this site is a coral rock at 18m that extends to a sandbank at 28m. On top of this outcrop are hundreds of Racoon Butterfly fishes, squirrel fishes and oriental Sweet Lips. They hang around this rock as if confined in an invisible aquarium.

Banana Reef, North Malé Atoll

Banana Reef was one of the first dive sites discovered in the Maldives and still among the best. It is the most northern of the two reefs west of Paradise Island Resort.

The plate corals (Acropora) on the reef slope are some of the most pristine in the Maldives . The best diving on this banana-shaped reef is at the north-eastern end where there are caves, gutters and precipitous overhangs filled with ornamental fishes and soft corals.

Fish Head, Ari Atoll

Fish Head fits the classic definition of a thila, begin a large isolated flat top reef rising sharply from the inner atoll floor at 40 to 50 metres to around 10 metres from the surface.

The presence of a large school of grey reef sharks, combined with the favorable underwater scenery and the wide variety of marine life, have given this reef the reputation as being among the 10 Best Dive Sites in the WORLD.

Fushifaru Thila, Lhaviyani Atoll

The area within a 100 meter radius of the center of fushifaru thila has been declared a protected marine area. The thila lies near the edge of the Atoll in the middle of a 500 meter wide channel that separates the reefs of Fushifaru and Madhiriguraidhoo Faru. The thila is about 150 meters long and 50 meters wide and rises to about 10 meters at its highest point.

The thila can be dived in two ways. The deeper outside part is the entrance to the atoll at 30 meters. The entrance and the thila can be dived separately or by one dive. Along the cliff edge, grey reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, barracuda and eagle rays can be seen, depending on current.

On the top of the thila is an unspoiled reef with brilliant table coral. This layered coral formation offers plenty of protection for morays and shy reef fish. There are cleaner wrasse stations all over and reef fish and mantas take advantages of this cleaning service whenever they are in the area. Big school of black snapper, deep-fusilier, blue-fusilier, yellow-back fusilier and aggregations of oriental sweet lip are common.

Hans Haas Place, North Malé Atoll

This is a spectacular wall dive 100 meters long overlooking the depths of Vaadhoo Kandu. It is set back into a large cavity in the reef and starts at either end with jagged overhangs cutting through the reef between 5 and 30 meters. The best diving is between 5 and 15 meters where there are many caves and ledges. Small delicate purple sea fans cover the ceilings of the overhangs and in the caves are many species of groupers. The caves are also full of immaculate soldier fish and shadow-fin soldier fish. Commonly seen on this reef are the scribbled filefish, trumpet fish and the freckled hawk fish.

If divers look care fully on the reef they may see well camouflaged leaf fish, and in the caves are white-banded possum wrasse and cheeked pipe fish. This reef is covered in invertebrates and is a marvel for the variety of reef fish it houses.

Kuda Haa, North Malé Atoll

There are two peaks over a length of about 100 metres and although the thila does not have as many spectacular rock features as many others, the fish life is as prolific and diverse as any reef in the Maldives. The twin peaks rise from the atoll floor to 14 meters and 6 meters and among the delicate coral on the reef top are numerous species of damselfish.

Lions Head, North Malé Atoll

Circling above the reef are large schools of flame baslet and blue stripped snapper. There are also many freckled hawk fish, long-nose filefish, and scorpion fish, including the common lionfish on the reef top. Feather stars have also found this a good site to spread their arms and catch the zooplankton that flows freely through the Atoll.

This protrusion of rock juts ominously towards the 4.5 km wide Vaadhoo Kandu. The site is flushed with clear water from the 500 meter deep channel making it ideal for viewing the territorial grey reef sharks that patrol the area. A gently sloping ledge on the east side of the rock at 10 meters is a suitable place to sit and wait for the show to begin. When shark feeding was practiced in the Maldives, this was the theatre, nowadays, shark feeding is not encouraged and sharks can usually be found in their natural state without being harassed into a feeding frenzy.

Maaya Thila, Ari Atoll

In terms of fish life, the sheer abundance on this reef is incredible. One might name Maaya Thila as the White-Tip Reef Shark capital in the Maldives. Although grey reef sharks are common here, the smaller white-tips are the centre of attention, with dozens of them circling the reef.

The thila is about 80m in diameter and can be easily circumnavigated in one dive; that is if you can resist all the distractions. The top of the reef starts at six meters, sloping to 12m, before dropping to beyond 30m.

Madivaru Manta Point, Ari Atoll (Alifu Atoll)

Staging area is the outer reef, south side of Rangali Kandu. During the northeast monsoon, this is the best manta point in the Maldives. During outgoing current, the Manta's, big mantas are found swimming up and down the reef slope to feed on nutrient rich water from within the atoll.

Makunudhoo Kandu, North Malé Atoll

This is a good spot for beginners. Experienced divers will relish the great diversity of marine life here. A recess in the reef has created a long sheltered inlet with a sand bottom about 17 meters deep. White-tip reef sharks are seen resting on the sand bottom.

On the outside of this 20 meter wide sand street is a long reef with the top at 14 meters, descending to more than 30 meters on the outside into Makunudhoo Kandu. On the reef are a range of invertebrates: feather stars of all colours, spider shells, sponges, lobster and sea stars. Healthy hard coral covers the reef and sea fans are patchy. Lionfish and Napoleon are everywhere. Turtles are frequently seen along the entire reef of Makunudhoo Kandu. This dive is a refreshing change and full of fascinating features.

Nassimo Thila, North Malé Atoll

This oval shaped submerged reef rises up to about 10m from the surface. The main attraction of this thila is the series of large pinnacles scattered just off the reef on the northeastern side.

Okobe Thila, North Malé Atoll

The site compromises of 3 coral heads, the largest an oxbow shape is 265ft (80m) in length, separated from the two smaller mounts by a 100ft (30m) wide and 80ft (25m) deep canyon. A family of 3 Napoleon Wasses is resident on this reef. Apparently divers seeking soul mates in a most unlikely place befriended this family.

Orimas Thila, Ari Atoll

This thila is sometimes called Maagaa Thila after the island to the north. The northern side of this 100 meter long reef has a superb landscape with a number of distinctive features that make it stand out from many other sites. It has a long narrow crack in the reef top at six meters which is overloaded with smaller marine life. The reef face is steep and jagged and has a long cave that meanders along the reef between the depths of 15 to 18 meters. The cave is covered in fine weed-like soft coral, sea fans 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 meters. Sea anemones are pr