A GUIDE TO THE ATOLLS OF THE MALDIVES
RAA ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
10 to 35 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
All year round
Unique Features
Grey reef sharks, batfish, whitetip reef shark, moray eels, “Sea of Stars” phenomenon
BAA ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
15 to 25 metres
Depth
5 to 30 metres
Best Time
June to November
Unique Features
Whale sharks, manta rays, batfish, groupers, stingrays, oriental sweetlips
NORTH ARI ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
10 to 40 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
All year round
Unique Features
Nudibranchs, frogfishes, octopuses, giant trevallies, grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, eagle rays, guitar sharks, hammerhead sharks
SOUTH ARI ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
10 to 40 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
All year round
Unique Features
Whale sharks, grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks, leopard sharks
NORTH MALÉ ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
10 to 35 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
May to November
Unique Features
Manta rays, barracuda, turtles, Napoleon wrasses
SOUTH MALÉ ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced (for currents)
Visibility
10 to 35 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
May to November
Unique Features
Grey reef sharks, fusiliers, tuna, sweetlips, red snapper, trevallies, eagle rays, turtles
NOONU ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
15 to 25 metres
Depth
5 to 30 metres
Best Time
All year round
Unique Features
Grey reef sharks, leopard sharks, guitar sharks, stingrays, spotted eagle rays, barracudas, jackfish, morays, blue-striped snapper, turtles, red-toothed triggerfish
ADDU ATOLL
Level
Beginner upwards
Visibility
10 to 40 metres
Depth
10 to 35 metres
Best Time
December to April
Unique Features
Grey reef sharks, manta rays, stingrays, gorgonians
IHAVANDHIPPOLHU ATOLL
Level
Beginner upwards
Visibility
10 to 40 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
July to August
Unique Features
Tunas, groupers, moray eels, manta rays, Napoleon wrasses, reef sharks, turtles, nudibranchs
HAA ALIF ATOLL
Level
Beginner to advanced
Visibility
10 to 35 metres
Depth
5 to 40 metres
Best Time
May to November
Unique Features
Manta rays, turtles, stingrays