The Baros Thila

The Baros Thila is a circular reef found withing the North Male Atoll

Location: North Male Atoll, Baros, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef

Experience: Intermediate

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 22 meters

Currents: None

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Stone fish, snappers, dolphins, anemone fish, bat fish

Description: The reef top of this site has a depth of 8 meters and about 45 meters in diameter. Upon initial inspection, this reef would look like a plain, bare rock coral, but it serves as a home to a wide variety of marine life. There are ample amounts of red snappers as well as blue-striped snappers that sit at the current point where divers could also encounter some bat fish. Clownfish hover in large anemones at the reef top; and stone fish could be seen hiding between the boulders of this reef. Dolphins are known to frequently visit this site and if the diver is lucky, they may be spotted at the perfect time.

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The Blue Shadow Reef

The Blue Shadow Reef is a shallow dive with a wide variety of marine species to be seen

Location: North Male Atoll, Bandos, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef, Drift

Experience: Advanced

Maximum Depth: 20 meters

Average Visibility: 20 meters

Currents: Strong

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Sweet lips, wrasses, snappers, tunas, barracudas

Description: This reasonably shallow reef is a fantastic dive that allows longer bottom time and almost every species of marine life in the Maldives that could be found habituate in this amazing site. The Blue Shadow has very abundant coral formations which may be caused by its strong currents. Novice divers may find the currents too strong for drift diving, but experienced divers could carefully plan a drift dive in this reef. On this site, you are most likely to see all of the usual culprits in the Maldives like wrasses, barracudas, angelfish, sweet lips and snappers. If you are looking out to the deep waters you may also catch a glimpse of some tuna fish cruising by.

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The Saddle Reef

Experience excellent drift diving for advanced divers at the Saddle Reef

Location: North Male Atoll, Eriyadhu, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef, Drift Diving

Experience: Advanced

Maximum Depth: 28 meters

Average Visibility: 25 meters

Currents: Strong

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Turtles, wrasses, soldier fish, reef sharks, sweetlips, eagle rays

Description: There are numerous locations that you would want to visit during this dive. You could start this dive by descending down to the cavern located 27 meters below, which serves as a hideout for nurse sharks. Follow it up by maneuvering around the saddle and exploring the abundant coral formations that then provide cover for the gray reef sharks lurking around the corners along with the fast flowing currents of the saddle. You could move to the top of the saddle after at 14 meters and look at the huge coral tables around. You are likely to be accompanied by some humphead wrasses, and if you keep an eye cast out to the open ocean, you will possibly see some eagle rays, large schools of red soldier fish, sweetlips and even the occasional sea turtle. Grouper are also seen in this excellent site.

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The Wreck Of The Stingrays

Intentionally sunk in 1991, this wreck had amazingly attracted stingrays and divers as well

Location: Ari Atoll, Halaveli, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef Diving

Experience: Advanced

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 30 meters

Currents: None

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Garden eels, shark suckers, bat fish, stingrays, glass fish, silvertip sharks, moray eels

Description: Layers of corals have already covered the structures of this wreck so they could attract a large variety of marine life. The star attraction of this wreck dive is undoubtedly the black-spotted stingrays that cruise around the wreck. They have no fear of the diver, so quite often they come very close. Following them around the sunken liner are usually schools of bat fish and a number of shark suckers. There are a couple of moray eels lurking halfway along the deck and hundreds of glass fish usually create a shimmering affect as they dart to and fro about the cabin. On the sea bed, you will find numerous garden eels who take cover as soon as they see a diver, only to slowly show their heads again soon after. Occasionally, you will also come across a silvertip shark or two. Divers can also plan a dive into the interior of the liner if they have suitable experience and a local dive master accompanying them.

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Koattey, Maldives

A simple and suitable dive for all levels, with almost every feature that a dive site could offer

Location: Addu Atoll, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef

Experience: Intermediate

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 18 meters

Currents: Light

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Wrasses, tunas, moray eels, turtles, barracudas, eagle rays

Description: This dive takes place on and around a coral table whose plateau is located at a depth of 5 meters – 8 meters. The site is filled with the usual reef fish such as clown fish, napoleon wrasse, bannerfish and triggerfish to name a few. Frequently, a diver will find sea turtles gliding across the top of the coral table before they head over the edge of the reef and out to sea. The reef edge is covered with nooks and crevices, some of which form large overhangs which are filled with an abundant amount of corals, including colorful sea fans, soft corals and foliaceous corals. In the crevices, the diver will find some honeycomb moray eels that have made their homes there. If the diver looks beyond the reef edge into the deep blue, they should spot eagle rays, barracudas or tunas cruising by.

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The Digalihaa Thila

This site gives a unique opportunity for divers since it is barely known to tourists

Location: Baa Atoll, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef, Drift

Experience: Advanced

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 30 meters

Currents: Medium

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Moray eels, bat fish, grey reef sharks, jacks, anemone fish, nurse sharks, barracudas

Description: This dive takes place on a table of coral that begins at a depth of 8 meters and gradually makes its way down to 30 meters. It is a drift dive, that if planned carefully, will allow you to complete a full circuit of the coral table. There is almost every variety of reef fish species at this site, due to the untouched nature of it, including schools of jacks, hundreds of clown fish in a giant anemone, batfish with strange skin pigmentations and electric blue fusiliers. On top of the coral table you may find some nurse sharks resting amidst the soft corals and in a fissure you will find a rare golden yellow gorgonian. Under an overhang, you will find a couple of moray eels staring out at you. On the north-western scarp, you will find a forest of black corals. If you look out into deeper waters you will see barracuda swimming past grey reef sharks and other pelagic fish.

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The Dhangethi Bodu Thila

In the perfect season, lucky scuba divers get the chance to see whale sharks at the Dhangethi Bodu Thila

Location: South Ari Atoll, Medhu-Uthuru Province

Type of Diving: Reef

Experience: Intermediate

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 30 meters

Currents: Medium

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Jack fish, rays, fusiliers, eels, barracudas, bat fish, pelagics, reef sharks, whale sharks

Description: This dive is an “L” shaped coral table that is situated in the middle of the Dhangethi channel. The reef top is located at a depth of 8 meters and drops to a depth of 37 meters in measured steps where it meets the atoll drop off. Underneath the steps there are caves and overhangs which house a wide variety of corals and fish life. Stingrays and the occasional nurse shark can be found in the caves, as can an array of schooling fish. White tip reef sharks, jacks, barracuda and eagle rays are all frequently seen in the channel and if the diver chooses the right time in the season, they may be surprised to find the majestic whale shark sweeping by.

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Miyaru Faru, Maldives

Do not be surprised if sharks feature prominently here, because sharks are just “miyaru” in Dhivehi

Location: Medhu-Uthuru Province, North Male Atoll, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef

Experience: Advanced

Maximum Depth: 30 meters

Average Visibility: 18 meters

Currents: Light

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Sharks, Rays, Barracudas, Moray Eels, Napoleon Wrasses

Description: The wall here is quite unremarkable. There are interesting species to spot such as lionfish, moray eels and porcupine fish, but the real action is out in the blue. At around 30 meters, there is an overhang that can shield you from the strength of the passing current. And with an incoming current, the visibility can be excellent and the parade of pelagics and local residents are very impressive. You might see a number of grey reef sharks as well as barracudas, kingfish and tunas.

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Octopus Inteligence

In general, the octopus is one of the smartest animals in existence and it is believed to be the smartest of all invertebrates

If you are a fan of the FIFA World Cup, you should have at least been updated about the recent “oracle” octopus named “Paul”, who predicts the winners of the soccer matches in his aquarium. But given the intelligence of an octopus, you may not be surprised why Paul the Octopus has taken the world by storm with his abilities.

A lot has been taken for granted regarding octopus intelligence. This may be due to the fact that they have an extremely short life expectancy in general and they usually live for only around half a year, though some species are known to live up to 5 or so years. Octopuses are proven to have both long and short term memory, though as previously stated due to the low life span, the length of their long term memory for example does not give a clear cut answer on their intelligence. Octopuses have been proven to be able to learn to perform tasks and recognize shapes, some of them are even seen using objects in aquariums as toys for entertainment. Another display of their intelligence is their ability to use tools; octopuses have been witnessed and even filmed using coconut shells and other objects as protection, making the octopus the only invertebrate to use tools. If that isn’t just enough, they are also known to be able to remove the tops from screw-cap jars. And at one point, some countries even banned octopus surgery without using anesthetics.

Octopuses are also very defensive creatures. They usually spend most of their time in their lairs avoiding other predators. They also have some a lot of very unique defense mechanisms. Their primary form of defense is to hide in small, tight places, this is possible due to the lack of skeleton or outer shell. They also have the ability to escape using their speed, their ink, amazing camouflage or even autonomy. The octopus is the largest marine creature to practice autonomy, and only tend to use it in dire situations. The ink in an octopus’ defense technique is said to be exceptionally effective against other marine predators which use sense of smell due to effect on olfactory organs.

You may want to spend a little more time acknowledging an octopus’ presence in your next dive. It is a wonderful creature that has a lot to contribute to nature’s beauty and its science.

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Maamigili Faru, Maldives

The Maamigili Faru is one site that can always be dived regardless of its underwater current conditions

Location: South Ari Atoll, Maldives

Type of Diving: Reef

Experience: Novice

Maximum Depth: 18 meters

Average Visibility: 30 meters

Currents: Light

Access: Boat

Marine Life: Rays, Groupers, Pelagics, Turtles, Jack Fish, Nudibranches, Eels, Lion Fish

Description: This site is situated on the outside reef a short boat ride from Maamigili. Here, you will find a beautiful shallow reef platform that extends to a maximum depth of 19 meters. Its clean sandy bottom is a home to a large array of marine life and spectacular coral formations. The Maamigili Faru is ideal for all level divers. The top reef starts at 7 meters and is dominated by hard coral formations. Expect to see many different types of eels, lion fish and nudibranches. Eagle rays and mobula mantas are also common here. During the right time of the year, whale sharks can also be seen cruising along the reef.

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