North Male Atoll:
Kiki Reef / Old Shark point / Lions head / Kuda Haa / Fedhufinolhu House Reef / Galhu Falhi / Banana Reef / Back Faru / Furana South / Furana Thila / Manta Point / Maagiri Caves / Paradise Rock / Okobe Thila /  Sunlite Thila / Wreck

South Malé

Kiki Reef
Located 20 minutes sailing from Male’ Harbor, to the west past Villingilli. This is a dive site for every diver, beginner or advanced. At about 9 meters depth there is a large over hang with a good coral cover and a lot of small fish. On the east side of the overhang at 27 meters is a cave with a swim through. Turtles, eagle rays and napoleon wrasses are frequently seen.

Old Shark point
Located west of Male’, 30minutes by boat. On the south east corner of the reef there are large broken rocks that obstruct the current and attract a lot of marine life. At the corner at about 13meters depth there is a small canyon/swim through with lots of soft corals, sponges and small fish. Lobsters are often seen hiding here.

This dive is best with an ocean current flowing east to west. Large pelagic fish can be seen here as well as sharks and eagle rays. Explore the broken rocks and swim thoroughs and flow with the current along the reef to the west past big trees of black coral and sea fans. It is possible to find nurse sharks resting in the shallow overhangs.

Lions Head
Located south of Thila Fushi Reef past Old Shark Point about 45 minutes sail from Male. The reef top is at about 3 meters and drops down to 45 meters. An overhang shaped like a lions head gave this point its name. A large cave is here with lots of soft corals and many small fish to be seen. A good macro site: look for the false stone fish and leaf fish. The current will determine the direction of travel but any direction is an interesting dive. There is a nice wall with caverns and holes to explore plus keep a look out in to the blue for the big tunas cruising by.

Kuda Haa
Kuda Haa is a thila west of Male’ and north of Giraavaru about 60 minutes sailing. This small thila looks like a camel’s humps. The larger of the two humps is about 30 meters in diameter with steep slopes. Its top is about 8 meters. To the north connected by a ridge is the second hump. This has its top at about 15 meters.

The Thila provides protection to many species of reef fish: snappers, fusiliers, groupers and lion fish. Also jack fish and bat fish are common. On the top of the reef are many anemones with their clown fish.
This site is a protected marine area.

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Fedhufinolhu house reef
Located north of Male 20 minutes by boat. This island is used by the education ministry. The reef is a straight wall down to about 35 meters with lots of crevices and holes and some swim throughs as well. The wall is completely covered with soft corals and sponges as well as abundant small creatures. In the holes you can find the small silver fish used as bait by the fisherman as well as turtles resting. Eagle rays are common as are schools of bat fish and flutemouths. The dive is an easy one for novice and advanced divers alike and is an ideal site for macro photography.

Galhu Falhi
This site is located north of Male’, about 20 minutes sailing. It is a circular reef inside the Atoll. Its sheltered position makes it ideal in poor weather and rough sea conditions. The site has some nice coral formations and a large variety of fish life. Marvelously camouflaged scorpion fish are commonly seen as well as octopus and colorful shrimps. The bottom is at about 25 meters.

Banana reef
Located inside the atoll, north of Male’, past the airport and west of Farukulafushi. The reef is shaped like a banana: hence its name. This is a spectacular dive for beginners and advanced divers alike. If the current is slight all divers can enjoy this beautiful reef with lots of soft coral, small canyons and overhangs. At the north east corner you can swim around some large boulders separate from the reef which are fully grown with brilliantly coloured soft corals. There are big schools of fusiliers, oriental sweet lips and snappers.

 The middle of the reef has a huge overhang created by the currents. From here to the west the reef is a vertical wall and is home to many red tooth trigger fish. The whole site is a fabulous dive. The southern site is a wall with some small caves and again many red tooth trigger fish. The top of the reef is shallow so it is ideal for snorkellers. However if there is an incoming current through the channel only experienced divers should dive the site as the strong currents produce a washing machine effect that can make buoyancy control difficult.
This site is a protected marine area.

Back Faru
Located north east of Furakulho Fushi (previously known as Club Med) on the outside reef, 1 hrs sailing from Male. The site is an easy dive and also good for snorkellers. The reef top is very shallow and slopes gradually into the ocean. Large coral blocks are scattered around on the reef and we often find nurse sharks resting beneath. Large tuna and other ocean going fish are commonly seen passing in the blue. Keep the reef on your left shoulder and swim back to the channel entrance. With an incoming current white tip reef sharks can be seen patrolling here, we have also encountered blue marlin swimming, as well as barracuda and rays. Float in to the channel and explore the overhangs and small caves. About 150 meters into the channel there is an interesting area with big parts broken off the reef with a lot of smaller fish and soft coral.

Furana South
Located on the south eastern corner of the reef about 1 hrs sail from Male. A dive for all divers. It is best dived with an ingoing current when we begin the dive on the outside and float in to the channel with the reef on our right shoulder, slowly following the bottom into the channel to about 25 meters. If the current is not too strong you can stay there and see the white tip reef sharks cruising around. The bottom has some sandy patches where you can see sting rays. The red tooth trigger fish are in abundance as are the fusilier fish. Swim back to the reef and follow the reef on the right shoulder, about 300 meters into the channel there is a cave with a swim through. If the current is strong be aware of the "washing machine" effect that can drag you down.

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Furana Thila
Located 300 meters north of Furana (Full Moon resort), 45 minutes from Male'.
This is a long thin thila with the reef top at 10 meters. Its eastern point faces the ocean and slopes down. With an ingoing current you can spot a lot of pelagic fish in the narrow channel. The top of the thila gets the brunt of the ocean waves meaning coral life is not as abundant but there are some big boulders scattered on the top that provide protection and here there are many fish to be seen. On the eastern part of the thila when the current is not too strong you can find green turtles resting or eating.  During manta season the boulders are the place to wait and see them circling around. Currents at this dive site can be strong, making it more suitable for experienced divers.

Manta point
Located south east of Lankanfinolhu (Paradise Resort) it is 1 hours sailing from Male. In the south west monsoon when the plankton blooms there are many mantas found on this reef, where they feed and get cleaned by the smaller fish at the ‘cleaning stations’.

To make sure you have the best experience, remain neutrally buoyant, stay in one place and let the mantas come to you. The depth is about 15 meters allowing plenty of bottom time. The mantas will circle around in clear view of all the divers. A unique and exciting dive for novice and experienced divers.

Maagiri Caves
Located on the north side of Maagiri reef about 50 minutes sailing from Male'; this reef sits inside the channel between Chicken Island and Lankanfinolhu. The best part is the north eastern side where there is a large overhang and some caves with a very colourful reef. The fish are concentrated here and you can see the tawny nurse shark and stingrays. When there is an incoming current large schools of fish can be seen in the channel.

On the south west side of the reef is a shallow area that is ideal for beginners. The lagoon slopes from 2 meters depth down to about 11 meters. There are large patches of sand dotted with coral blocks providing a safe, easy dive with plenty to see. Often the Nobiless manta can be seen feeding in small schools on the sand.

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Paradise rock
In the centre of the channel to the south west of Lankanfinolhu 1hr sail from Male’.
This is an advanced dive. The top of the reef is at 9 meters and the best point is on the eastern side of the reef facing the ocean current. Here a large section of the reef about 100meters long has broken away, depositing a series of large boulders at about 45 meters deep. Where the corals have fallen away, a long series of caverns and overhangs remain. The whole area is constantly washed with ocean currents and the overhangs are packed with colorful soft corals and sponges. The rocks are overgrown with sea fans and black coral and are full of fish life. Schools of snappers, fusiliers and sweet lips can be seen

Okobe Thila
Inside the Bodhu Kalhi kandu east of Bandos. About 1 hr sailing from Male'.
This is a dive for experienced divers due to the frequent strong currents. The dive site consists of two thilas that lie off the main reef. There is a permanent mooring line attached to one of the thilas along which you can make your descent and ascent. Due to the small size of the thilas, part of this dive will be spent swimming against the current.

Sunlite Thila
Located North of Male on the Line Thulagiri Hemafushi, near Aanugandu Faru, 1 hr sailing from Male. It was at this site that the world record dive was successfully conducted on 25th February 2006.

It is a long reef running north-south. Between the reef and the thila it is quite shallow with a sandy bottom starting at about 6 meters sloping southwards to 25 meters. If you look around you can spot stone fish and scorpion fish. On the east side the reef drops down to about 30 meters.

The reef top starts at 3 meters and is grown with branching and table corals, surrounded by numerous fish. Blue tangs are commonly seen here. At the south part in between the thila and the reef at about 18 meters are some free standing coral blocks where mantas can be seen in season.

This dive site is good for beginners because of the sandy bottom where you can complete your diving skills and practice your buoyancy.

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Wreck
The wreck of the MV Maldives Victory lies 10 minutes from Male’, south west of the airport. This ship ran aground on Friday the 13th February 1981. It sank the next day and it sits up straight on the bottom parallel to the reef. There is a descent line from the mast to the surface where the dive boats moor. The mast top is at 12 meters and the hull sits on a sandy bottom at 35 meters.

When there is not much current this is an excellent introduction to wreck diving. The wreck is easy to dive and you can swim around the deck and explore one of the 3 cargo holds. You can still find lot of the cargo aboard; sacs of cement, paper, bottles, etc.

The hull has attracted many fish and a lot of coral and sponges are growing on it. For the more daring divers the wreck is great to go into and explore the different decks, be neutrally buoyant and move slowly and you will have a thrilling experience. Visit the captain’s cabin and swim up to the bridge and exit on to the fly bridge. From the top of the bridge you will find a line back to the mast you started from. Be sure you do your safety stop on the way up.

South Male Atoll:

Emboodhu Express / Emboodhu Cathedral / Emboodhu Canyon / Vaadoo Caves / Vadoo Coral Garden / Velasaru Caves / Back to Top

Emboodhu Express
Located in the southern channel of Emboodhu Finolhu about 1hr 10 minutes sailing from Male’. Emboodhu Express is named for its famous currents which can be up to 5 knots that attract large pelagics such as sharks and rays. The whole channel is a marine protected area. The southern corner is the shark point.

This dive is ideal for advanced divers as the sharks are more likely encountered at greater depths. The dive starts outside the channel: go down to about 15 meters and follow the reef on the right shoulder until you reach the corner then descend to the channel bottom. If the current is running in there is no need to go to far into the channel: stay at about 30 meters and wait; the sharks will come closer and closer. White tip reef shark and grey reef shark are the most common. An occasional hammerhead might cruise by as well as eagle rays, sting rays, napoleon, groupers and barracudas. Watch you dive time and air consumption.

Return to the reef and drift into the channel with the reef on the right shoulder. The reef has crevices and small overhangs; among the coral blocks you can find lobsters and the oriental sweet lips. About 200 meters into the channel at 12 meters depth there is a hole in the reef where you can swim through into a large over hang filled with black coral. This is the ideal place to finish your dive and do a safety stop protected from the current.

Emboodhu Cathedral
Located at the Northern reef of Male south Atoll to the east. 45 minutes sailing from Male'.

This dive is a dive for novice as well as experienced divers. The reef is a vertical wall which starts at 3 meters and falls down to about 35 meters. The name Cathedral comes from the huge overhang that extends in to the reef like a celestial dome, densely grown with sponges and soft corals.

Within the overhang in the reef are two smaller niches where large lion fish and moray eels live, large tiger cowry shells are often seen here as well. The walls at shallower depths have many small crevices full with life. Keep looking to the deep as well as large fish swim by. This is a very colorful dive with lots of marine life.

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Emboodhu Canyon
Located in the middle of the northern reef of Male South Atoll. 45 minutes sailing of Male'.
This is a magnificent dive with imposing topography, fish life and corals. A large boulder, the size of an apartment block stands apart from the reef forming a canyon about 100 meters long, 13 meters deep and about 15 meters wide. Many different species of fish can be seen here, notably large schools of sweetlips and red snappers, napoleon wrasse, thousand of anthias and huge groupers hiding among the rocks. The corals on the outer side of the canyon are magnificent. Further along from the canyon the reef becomes a vertical wall with lobsters, eels and shrimp amid the colourful coral coverage. White tip reef sharks are often seen cruising in the current.

Vadoo Caves
On the north side of Vadoo Resort about 50 minutes from Male'.
Here the reef drops off into the depths of Vadoo Channel. This dive is best with a current from east to west. A very large overhang starts at 15 meters and drops to about 30 meters. Inside the overhang are different plateaus, which are grown over with whip coral. The ceiling is fully covered with blue and yellow soft corals. Schools of sweetlips and snappers shelter within the overhang. Turtles are common on this site. Keep the reef on the left and you will find another overhang at about 8 meters. Out on the reef top with a slight current you will be surrounded by fusilier fish.

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Vaadoo Coral Garden
This reef is located west of Vadoo, about 60 minutes from Male’. This is a good dive for novices.
The best place to begin the dive is in the atoll opposite the water bungalows where the reef is protected from the wave actions. The corals here are beautiful. The reef slopes to a sandy bottom at a maximum of 30 meters. Fish life is abundant with many varieties; colourful basslets and damsels surround the corals with schools of trigger fish and banner fish hovering above. Swimming to the North the reef slowly changes more to a wall. Closer to the Vadoo channel the current might change, it is time to go to the top of the reef and finish the dive.

Velesaru Caves
Located on the northern reef in the Vaadoo Channel about 60 minutes sailing from Male'.
The reef top is at 3 meters and falls away into the deep. Start the dive at the eastern point of the island and follow the current. The corals are abundant, as is the fish life. The reef is pock marked with small and large caves where you may find stingrays and turtles resting on the sandy bottom. Large schools of the red tooth trigger fish and anthias are seen here.
If the current is from west to east follow the reef to the corner where the lagoon bottom meets the deep of the Vaadoo channel. The bottom is sand and at 30 meters drops in to the deep. The plateau forms a barrier for the current and the water wells upward, bringing colder water from the deep. Large fish can be seen cruising around here as well as sharks.
 

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