Grey Reef Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Indian Ocean · Maldives
South Ari Atoll
Essentials
- Dive difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best months
- Aug · Dec – Apr
- Access
- Day boat
- Reachable without a liveaboard · Liveaboard possible
- Experience & eligibility
- No required certification documented
Wildlife
Documented presence, never a guaranteed sighting.
Hawksbill Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Eretmochelys imbricata
Reef Manta Ray — see destinations where it is seen
Mobula alfredi
Whale Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Rhincodon typus
Dive sites
Kudarah Thila
- Depth : 5–30m
- Dive type : Reef
- Access : Day boat
A classic South Ari Atoll pinnacle (thila) dive, well documented for overhangs and reef fish activity.
View in SearchManta Point (Rangali Madivaru)
- Depth : 5–30m
- Dive type : Drift
- Access : Day boat · Reachable without a liveaboard
Main wildlife : Reef Manta Ray
A well-known manta ray cleaning station on a steep reef at the southwest point of the plateau near Rangali island, western South Ari Atoll. Manta… Read moreShow less
A well-known manta ray cleaning station on a steep reef at the southwest point of the plateau near Rangali island, western South Ari Atoll. Manta activity peaks during the northeast monsoon (Dec-Apr); sources disagree on the certification level genuinely required, so none is asserted here.
Whale Shark Point (Maamigili Beyru)
- Depth : 6–25m
- Level : Beginner
- Dive type : Drift
- Access : Day boat · Reachable without a liveaboard
Main wildlife : Whale Shark
A dive site within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA, declared 2009) — the only documented resident (year-round, not migratory) whale shark… Read moreShow less
A dive site within the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA, declared 2009) — the only documented resident (year-round, not migratory) whale shark aggregation in the world. Suitable from Open Water level; current can get strong but this is generally considered an easy dive.
When to go
Choose a month
Documented best months
Conditions in Aug
Water27–29°C
Visibility15–25 m
CurrentModerate