One of the best Maldives regions to dive, Ari Atoll features small thilas, rather than the longer barrier reefs most of the other islands are known for. With clear, blue water and a wealth of marine life in all shapes, sizes, and colors, this fantastic area is less known for its beauty, and more renowned for its abundance of larger pelagics. Here are just seven amazing dive sites on Ari Atoll.
Broken Rock
Located in the South Ari Atoll area, inside Dhigurashu Channel, Broken Rock is a thila which has split in two, creating a colorful canyon where the massive rock was once joined. Covered in blue, green and yellow soft coral, it is teeming with tropical fish, all along its massive walls.
Extending from 12 to 30 meters beneath the surface, this once monolithic rocky thila is a good place to encounter large napoleon wrasse, small reef sharks, lots of brilliant anthias, triggerfish, angelfish, butterflyfish, and jacks. You’ll find moray eels, crabs, and plenty of other creatures as you wait for the turtles and mantas that sometimes pass through the area.
Mushimasmigili
A wonderful reef which drops from 10 meters to 40 meters, Mushimasmigili is also known as Fish Head. With plenty of colorful reef inhabitants everywhere you look, this wonderful rocky reef is a great vantage point for watching the blue. Keep an eye out for some large reef sharks, as well as the occasional manta or group of eagle rays, and watch for turtles and big groups of jacks and barracuda, as well. This is a great multi-level dive site which is suitable for all divers, so whether you’re brand new to the sport or if you’ve been diving for decades, you’re certain to love it.
Hukuru Elhi Faru
Also known as Manta Point, Hukuru Elhi Faru is an inner reef that drops from 12 meters to 25 meters, affording all divers the opportunity to encounter manta rays as they visit the cleaning stations which wrasse, shrimp, and gobies have set up all along its rocky length. Recently added to the list of areas protected from fishing, it is at its best between January and April. Besides the mantas, some of which are enormous with 3 to 4 meter wingspans, you’ll encounter huge napoleon wrasse and countless other creatures. Remember, no matter how close they come to you, never touch the mantas as this removes their protective coating, subjecting them to the risk of infection.
Maamigili Beru
Best known for its whale sharks, Maamigili Beru is a fantastic outer reef located on Ari Atoll’s southern tip. Amazingly calm even when other sites are blown out, this lovely outer reef offers depths from 5 to 30 meters, and is excellent for all divers. Huge hard coral formations dominate the reef’s top, each acting as a magnet for all sorts of small creatures. Watch for lionfish and moray eels, along with countless tropicals and all sorts of intriguingly decorated nudibranchs, and don’t be surprised to see giant mantas or at least a few eagle rays as you wait for the whale sharks to arrive. Flights of mobulas can be seen here most of the time too, and it is not unusual to encounter at least a few small reef sharks along the reef’s deeper reaches.
Kudah Rah Thila
Swept by almost endless ocean currents, Kudah Rah Thila, which is also known as Kudarah Thila, is sometimes called Fish Soup. With a circular shape, and offering depths between 12 and 40 meters, it is situated within a splendid blue lagoon, directly in line with the ocean channel.
Suitable only for experienced divers, it is an excellent place to encounter swarms of jacks and snappers, as well as quite a few sharks and rays. Smaller inhabitants are here in abundance as well, and with huge gorgonians and black coral trees, yellow daisy corals, and pink and orange corals coating the interior edges of overhangs and grottoes where you can take shelter from the current, it is simply amazing.
All in all, this thila has four massive heads, each teeming with blue lined snappers, parrotfish and batfish, big groupers, colorful decorated gobies, and maori wrasse, and longnose dartfish. Watch for turtles, too!
Vakarufalhi Beru Thila
Measuring 300 meters long by about 40 meters wide, Vakarufalhi Beru Thila offers depths between 12 and 30 meters. A fantastic site for all divers, it is covered in lovely black, pink, and yellow coral formations, and is swarming with scorpionfish and batfish, butterfly fish, angelfish, and other tropicals. In addition, its many small grottoes act as a condominium for moray eels and groupers, lobsters, and octopus. Along the outer edges, you can find turtles nibbling on the sponges, black tip and white tip reef sharks, and the occasional group of rays or mobulas. Lovely anemones hold red anemonefish, and tiny crabs hide in cracks that shelter them from the light current which can sometimes be present.
Rasdoo Madivaru
At its best in the early morning hours, Rasdhoo Madivaru is shallow and sheltered on its north side, while its southern side drops away into the abyss below. This is one of the best places in the world to encounter schooling scalloped hammerheads, which rise up from the depths to feed on the many creatures which can be found here. Besides the hammerheads, you are likely to encounter turtles and reef sharks, rays, and other large pelagics. Be sure to bring a good wide-angle lens to capture the spectacular sight of these amazing animals!
With visibility that can sometimes reach as far as 60 meters, Ari Atoll is a mecca for underwater photographers, and is one of the most fantastic places you may ever visit. The many dive sites are scattered long distances from one another, which makes a liveaboard an excellent choice for accommodations. As this is a well-known fact and Ari Atoll is so popular, it is a good idea to book your trip several months in advance of your holiday.