Dive Sites you may see

MADIVARU CORNER

Madivaru is THE dive site. Is known to be one of the most impressive dives in the whole Maldives.
Incredible both for the formation of the reef and the spectacular marine life it holds, this horseshoe shaped reef is close to Madivaru Island and only 5min by boat from Rasdhoo.
Making this dive site one of the most visited by Family Divers Maldives, as it is perfect for the 3rd dive of the day!

We reach the top of the reef at around 16-20 meters and we will find the ledges and overhangs where you can find turtles and sharks resting.

If the conditions are right this is one of the best shark dive in the Maldives.

Here you can encounter big schools of grey reef shark, eagle and mobula rays, barracudas, grey and white tip sharks, turtles, even mantas in the right season.

If you are really lucky, you may even see a guitar shark hanging around.

Even on days of poor visibility you will find this to be an amazing dive.

RASDHOO CHANNEL

This impressive channel is one of the atoll’s doors to the Indian ocean. It is a 500 metre wide gap between the islands of Rasdhoo and Kuramathi.

An atoll is formed when a volcano sinks, so the depths vary massively, from 20 metres inside the atoll to 150 metres on the outside.

The strong currents we find in the channel mean this dive is only suitable for Advanced divers, but it is these same currents which carry the food which attracts the schools of sharks, eagle rays, napoleon fish, massive groupers and tunas, stingrays, moray eels and hundreds of other colourful fish that will make you think you are in a real-life aquarium.

The channel dives need good organisation as all divers need to enter the water at exactly the right time to find the optimum conditions. It changes rapidly with the tides, four times a day. We will ensure that we time everything for your maximum enjoyment!

MANTA BLOCK

There is a high probability of spotting mantas at this dive site.
Manta block is a big coral boulder in the North of the Atoll, more precisely, on the inner side of the North channel. It’s a cleaning station, where the mantas and many other marine species go each day to get their parasites cleaned off.

The cleaning station is located between 11 and 13 meters, so it is an ideal dive for any level of certification.

Due to its proximity to the channel, we usually find current here, but seeing mantas playing around with our bubbles makes this one of the most rewarding dives!

The best season to spot mantas is between November and April.

RASDHOO WALL

This fantastic wall is located in the southern part of the island just 200 meters from our dive center, so you could say that it is our ‘house reef’.

At one end of the wall are two huge coral pinnacles with sand corridors in between them. Due to the current flowing between these pinnacles it is very common to find napoleon wrasses and turtles feeding, mantas in season, and white-tipped sharks and rays resting on the bottom.

On the walls of the pinnacles, if you have a good eye, you will find beautiful mantis-shrimp, astonishing blue ribbon eels and lovely lobsters.

The outer part of the pinnacles boast huge schools of trevally and tuna joining forces to hunt for their lunch, as well as gray reef sharks, white tip sharks and families of eagle rays and, if you are super lucky, maybe even the amazing diamond ray.

diving places

THE CAVES

After a short boat ride to the northwest exterior reef of the atoll, we find this unusual dive site.

There is a large reef with overhangs and swim-throughs where you can find nurse sharks, big stingrays, white tip sharks, turtles and plenty of beautiful, colourful fish.

Even though most of the caves are deep, there are some that even open water certified divers will be able to visit and enjoy.

The caves is a dive site with a difference!

VELIGANDU NORTH

This reef is located in the outer northeast of the Rasdhoo atoll. It is a dive suitable for all types of diver as the reef begins at a depth of 5 meters and drops down until it reaches the sand at a depth of 40 metres.

On days with light current, you can enjoy the reef by simply letting yourself drift through the water column, barely ever needing to kick!

The site is usually quiet, so it is perfect for underwater photographers. They can enjoy a slow, relaxing dive looking for majestic ghost pipefish and leaf fish.

Even non-photographers will enjoy hunting for the many different types of moray eel, including white faced eels and honeycomb morays, that can be found resting among the rocks, solitary or in family groups.

Veligandu North also hosts Napoleon wrasses, white-tipped sharks, turtles and even mantas and mobula rays in season!

BODU GAA

In dhivehi bodu gaa means ‘big block’, and as its name suggests, this site is a huge block of coral that goes from 3 meters down to the sand at 25 meters, where you can find leopard sharks and large rays resting.

During the descent you will be impressed by the sheer numbers of fish that live among the corals, moving all at once creating an impressive tapestry of colour. Amongst the variety some special favourites are groupers, snappers of all colors, sardines and colourful fusilier fish.

Sometimes families of eagle rays can be found playing in the currents around the pinnacle.

Because it is a wall, this dive can be enjoyed by Open Water certified divers. We can dive to a maximum of 18 metres and hang there, admiring the jaw-dropping spectacle provided by the marine life!

NORTH CHANNEL

In the outer northeast of the atoll, about 15 minutes travel by boat, we find another channel.

This site is shallower than the Rasdhoo Channel dive so even Open Water divers who have excellent buoyancy skills can enjoy this dive.

There are several cleaning stations within the channel, so we have the chance to see mantas at various depths.

As with any channel in the Maldives, you won’t believe your eyes when you see the stunning array of life surrounding you; sharks, turtles, napoleon wrasses, tuna – almost any fish you can imagine!

We are an international scuba diving operator. We offer full accommodation and diving packages in Rasdhoo. With Family Divers Team you will be visiting the best dives sites around Rasdhoo and the nearest atolls!!

Contact

Family Divers Maldives

09020, Rasdhoo, Maldivas