Scuba diving in North Ari Atoll
North Ari Atoll is located southwest of North Malé Atoll, and features some of the premier dive sites in the Maldives. North Ari Atoll has different types of dive sites, such as channels, thilas, walls, and reefs. Diving in channels is more challenging because of the stronger currents, and drift diving along the walls or around the thilas is usually easier and enjoyable. Some of the most popular dive sites in North Ari Atoll are Maaya Thila (a submerged pinnacle with some small caves, overhangs, and an endless list of marine life), Fish Head (a pinnacle where vast shoals of reef fish attract packs of reef sharks), Rasdhoo Atoll (a relatively small atoll with the famous Rasdhoo Madivaru/Hammerhead Point dive spot where divers can witness the parade of hammerhead sharks as well as other big pelagics), Hafsa Thila (a volcano-shaped pinnacle where divers are almost guaranteed to spot several reef sharks), and Maalhos Thila (spectacular coral heads found at a depth of around 27m/90ft with clouds of snapper, sweetlips, and resting whitetip reef sharks).
When to go
The tropical climate of North Ari Atoll makes it perfect for year-round diving, but the preferable time to visit the North Ari Atoll is during the northwest monsoon from December to April. The water temperature ranges from 26-29C/79-84F throughout the year. While diving at North Ari Atoll, divers will see snapper, grouper, stingrays, manta rays, barracudas, and different species of sharks, as well as a wide array of smaller marine creatures.
What to see
Diving in North Ari Atoll is not famous for corals, and in fact, many dive spots may seem a little dull in terms of the coral splendor. However, the main attraction of this part of the atoll is the regular encounters with big marine life.
Reachable from
Liveaboards with trips to North Ari Atoll
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- Amba
- Scubaspa Yin
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- Blue Voyager (Maldives Master)
- Carpe Diem
- Blue Spirit (Sea Spirit)
- Carpe Vita
- Adora
- Emperor Leo
- Emperor Virgo
- Emperor Serenity
- Maldives Blue Force One
- Blue (Fun Azul II)
- Duke Of York
- Azalea
- Conte Max
- Theia
- Princess Haleema
- Carpe Novo
- Sachika
- EcoPro Moonima
- Ocean Sapphire
- Maldives Blue Force 3
- Blue Horizon III
- Princess Rani
- Soleil 2
- Emperor Explorer
- Nautilus Two
- Seafari Explorer 2
- Fascination
- Princess Ulua
- Sunseeker
- EcoPro Mariana
- Pearl 111
- Maldivian Dream
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