MAAYA THILA - Protect Marine Area 
Description:

Depth : 6/30 m. plus

Best-known for the sightings of sandbar sharks, whitetip reef sharks and reef species. The shoal’s diameter measures approximately 80 m., with a reef-flat at about 6 m.

The north-western and southern sides feature large rocks with numerous types of coral surrounded by schools of snappers. The northern side has a rather large cave frequented by angelfish, Moorish idols, butterfly fish, batfish, lionfish and parrotfish.

Large schools of carangidae and eagle-rays can often be seen swimming around this shoal. On the reef-flat stonefish are often seen, as are small whitetip reef sharks hiding under the coral, octopuses, large turtles and a few rare specimen of frogfish.

This is a very popular area among scuba-divers thanks to its beauty and the easy conformation of the place. 

MAALHOSS THILA
Description:

North of Malhoos, inside the Maalhohu Thuru Kandu pass, there is the Malhoos Thila, also called Bluecaves, which is one of the most spectacular diving spots in the whole Maldivian archipelago, not so much for the presence of large passing or resident species, but for the spectacle offered by its caves and its colours. The reef-flat is at about 6 m. and, from 7 m. down to 27 m., there is a succession of caves. The ceilings are covered in white, purple and light blue Alcyonaria.

The white specimen are among the most beautiful of the whole Ari atoll; these caves offer an ideal background for interesting photographs.
At 35 m, detached from the shoal’s reef, there are large overhangs with the roof entirely covered in Alcyonaria. The northern side of the shoal is also interesting, albeit not as varied as the southern. 

BATHALA THILA 
Description: 

Bathala Thila is a small thila just east of Bathala Island. The top of the thila is at approximately 10 metres and is covered with soft coral and some table corals.

Red anemones and a variety of nudibranchs make their home on this thila. Often nurse sharks can be seen resting under the small overhangs.

On the northern point of thila there is beautiful terrace with several species of schooling fish. It is possible to do a complete circuit around this thila and you have good chances of finding white tip sharks and napoleon wrasse.

FESDU WREK 
Description: 

Situated off the southwest coast of Fesdhu Island the wreck is a 30 meter fishing boat lying upright on the bottom at 29 meters with the bow almost facing north.
It lies at the end of a small thila that is about 50 meters from Villingili falhu. This spectacular dive site boasts of excellent visibility. Dive at sunrise when the current is running into the channel to view the magnificient hammerheads cruising.
Sorrounded by abundant soft corals and sponges the wreck plays home to myriad small fishes including anthias, lionfish, batfish, glassfish, butterfly fish and parrotfish. Among the other marine life seen at this site are moray eels, garden eels, tuna, huge groupers, jackfish, whitetip reef sharks and eagle rays.

Location: North side of Villingili Falhu
Average visibility: 20 - 30 meters
Depth of reef: 24 - 29 meters
Features: Premier wreck dive in Maldives , Reef Fishes, Jacks, Eels and Groupers

ELLAIDHO HOUSE REEF - ELLAIDHOO THILA
Description: 

Ellaidhoo HOUSE REEF provides one of the best shore dives in the Maldives. The reef wall is about 750 meters in length and drops to a depth of thirty metres.
At various points around the reef there are overhangs, caves full of sea fans , hard coral , sponges , feather stars and soft coral. The caves are full of squirrelfish, blue–face angelfish, masked bannerfish, triggerfish, moorish idol, long-nose butterflyfish and snapper.
Expect to see Grey and Black tip sharks, Sting rays, Eagle rays and Turtles. This dive site is recommended for night dives.

Location: South side of Ellaidhoo
Average visibility: 15 - 30 meters
Depth of reef: 1- 25 meters
Features: Caves full of sea fans,Reef fishes, Snappers , Turtles

ELLAIDHO THILA - This a long Thila with a sloping wall just a short distance from Ellaidhoo Island. At places along this reef there are amazing overhangs and small swim-throughs with a variety of fish.

The reef top depth varies from between 5 and 10 meters. The current normally comes across the reef, so there is always a way to dive there, even when it is quite strong. Watch out for Eagle rays, Manta rays and huge tuna fish passing close to the surface. When the current does not allow it, the best solution is to follow the side from where the current comes, where larges schools of fish hover to feed. The best part of this reef is between 10 and 30 meters.

There are a lot moray eels and all kinds of fishes hiding under big coral heads or in many caves on the inner side and protected side of the Thila. It is also home to many white tip reef sharks lying on the sandy bottom. Gray reef sharks can be seen at a depth of approximately 30 meters, they sometimes come near the surface.

FISH HEAD - PROTECT MARINE AREA
Description:

Fish Head also known as Shark Point or Mushimasmingili Thila, fits the classic definition of a thila, being a large isolated flat top reef rising sharply from the inner atoll floor at 40 to 50 metres to around 10 metres from the surface. It is one of the best sites for seeing sharks.

Featuring a series of caves and overhangs in between where you can see thousands of blue-line snappers against a backdrop of black coral bushes and large gorgonians. Spectacular view of grey reef sharks, big napoleon fishes and a wide variety of marine life combined with underwater scenery. At depth are caves featuring seafans and black coral bushes.

The local fisherman fished for sharks from this area because of the demand for shark oils and fins. Hence in 1995 the goverment declared Fish Head a 'Protected Marine Area' to ensure that it continues to cater for the expectations of divers and to avoid shark extinction

A must for all divers as this is one of the most famous dive spots in the Maldives.

Location: 3 kilometers south of Mushimasmigili
Average visibility: 10 - 25 meters
Depth of reef: 10 - 35 meters
Features: Good coral life , Grey reef fishes , Napoleons, Turtles, Pelagics 

MADIVARU KANDU– BIG BLUE 
Description:

This kandu is situated between the islands of Madivaru and Felivaru. Dive this site from either left or right sides with an in going current. Starting with reef right shoulder, the outreef drops away to 35 - 40m. Top reef starts in about 3 - 5m. As you come closer towards the channel, large coral blocks are on the corner with large schools of fish. On the top reef there are big coral blocks with Oriental Sweetlips, turtles, fusiliers and small reef fish. If you are crossing the channel with reef right shoulder and a medium in going current, you will miss the tongue that goes into the channel. This area is only to dive with a very slow current and is covered with soft coral, scorpion fish, lionfish, turtles and schools of Fusiliers. When crossing the channel you should continue along the channel edge and swim out in blue water staying on 25m.

The channel drops away below you. As you come into the middle of the channel, the deep edge and shallow edge join, nice soft corals and small overhangs are to be seen in this area. Further along the edge, it will become sandy with green coral trees. Here often Stingrays are found sleeping in the sand. A large school of Jackfish, maybe eagle rays and big Tuna can be found either in blue water or swimming along the channel edge. The end of the channel is gently sloping down to terraces, which are deep on 35m. The corner is not so interesting but the outreef drops off sharply and barracudas are often seen here. The outreef shows a large amount of soft corals or outcrops where shrimps, anemones or lionfish can be observed.
Throughout your channel crossing, always look out in blue water; you never know what you may see.

DHONKALO THILA
Description: 

Dhonkalo Thila, a dive site better known as the Manta Ray Car Wash is located in the channel between Maalhos and Himendhoo . It is rated as the top site for Manta rays in the Maldives.
Mantas are regularly seen during the north-east monsoon season at around 22 - 25 meters. Mantas are filter feeders, they feed on plankton, fish larvae .Whale sharks have been often sighted in Himendhoo Kandu. The top of the thila is from 10 - 14 meters sloping down to 25 meters sandy bottom.

Average visibility: 15 - 25 meters
Depth of reef: 7 - 35 meters
Features: Manta mobulas, Pelagics, Small fishes

KANDHOLHUDHOO HOUSE REEF + THILA 
Description: 

Kandholhu has one of the best house reefs in Maldives – when in 1998 El Nino raged in the Maldives, this reef stayed virtually untouched. The slight damage it did sustain has since fully recovered. The reason the reef was not affected by coral bleaching is still a riddle, even the Marine Biologists cannot explain it.
The lush intact corals of the Kandholhu House reef make it one of the best in Maldives! You will find large table and other hard corals, as well as an abundance of “Nemos” living in the sea anemones. Entering the house reef is very easy! Simply take your dive gear, enter the water in front of the dive school, and drift towards the main jetty where you can easily exit the water. A long surface swim is not necessary.
Because the reef is so good, Kandholhu is soon expected to gain marine protected status. 

KANDHOLHUDHOO THILA - This is a small reef located on north west of Kandhooludoo Island. The reef it self is sorruonded by an amazing variety of fish and very often you can hardly see the surface. On the north side of the Thila, towards a submerged reef, groups of “mobula birostris” can sometimes be spotted.

On the south side of the Thila, there are several overhangs where a variety of fish such as big groupers, oriental sweet lips, soldier fish seek protection. Towards the end of the dive, if there is a small or mild current you can enjoy a magnificent safety stop surrounded by an orange cloud of Anthias.

This is a great underwater photo opportunity.

BATHALA MAAGA KAN THILA
Description: 

Bathala Maaga Kan Thila stretches along the outside of the Atoll and about 40 minutes from Maayafushi. Bathala Maaga and extends to about 500 meters northwards into Maaga Kandu. It is about 20 meters wide. The top starts from 5 m and gradually slopes down to 30 meters.
The thila is covered with fish like giant grouper, silvertips, fusiliers, dogtooth tuna, eagle ray, whitetip sharks, mobulas, green jobfish, yellowfin barracuda, midnight snappers and oriental sweetlips.

Location: North side of Bathala Maaga
Average visibility: 20 - 40 meters
Depth of reef: 5 – 30 meters
Features: Coral life ,Pelagics , Reef fish , Eagle rays, Sharks

DHINOLUGA CAVES
Description:

Medium-sized shoal only 20 minutes away from Nika by boat. Due to the presence of deep sea caves, with a maximum depth of 27 metres, this dive is suitable for experienced divers with an advanced certificate.

The reef-flat is at 12 metres and on the northern side there are caves which in actual fact are recesses (a typical feature of dives at the Maldives) covered in soft coral including Alcyonaria and sea fans and teeming with fish such as moray eels, lionfish and scorpion fish, as well as a few lobsters, stingrays and large groupers.

Among the passing fish tuna and humphead wrasses can be seen, whereas whitetip reef sharks can be spotted resting on the sandy seabed (at around 40-45 metres).

KARI BERU THILA
Description:

To teh south and a little to the east of dhigu Thila lies a long, narrow thila, stretching north to south down the eastern edge of the Atoll.

The east side slopes down to 30 to 35 metres with some caves down deep. The west side slopes off to 20 to 25 metres and both sides are interesting with an abundance of fish, especially tuna and snapper. white-tip and grey reef sharks are common here as well as a couple of large napoleon.

The northern end of the thila is at nine to 10 metres sloping down to 12 to 14 metres at the southern end. There are many large coral rocks and beautiful small corals here.