Ari Atoll, which is located to the west of Male, is considered to be the second most important atoll for the tourist sector in the Maldives, after North Male’ Atoll. The Ari Atoll, the Rasdhoo Atoll, and the small Thoddoo Atoll are all included in the territory that is formally referred to as the Alifu Atoll. However, these atolls are really geographically distinct from one another. The Ari Atoll is the biggest of these three atolls, extending about 80 km in length and 30 km in breadth. It is located in the middle of the trio.
South Ari and North Ari are the two administrative zones that make up Ari Atoll, which is one of the most developed tourism locations in the Maldives. The population of Mahibadhoo is around 1,750 people, and it is the capital of the regional government. Approximately 10,000 people call Ari Atoll their home at any one time. Around 27 resorts may be found throughout the 18 inhabited islands that make up Ari Atoll.
Tourist Attractions in Ari Atoll, Maldives
Kuramathi House Reef
Beginner scuba divers and snorkelers will enjoy their time at the Kuramathi House Reef, which is just a ten-minute boat trip away from Kuramathi. The reef drops down precipitously to a sand plateau at 25 m before climbing back up and ascending over a ridge of coral that has its highest point at 20 m. The divers are drawn to a tiny dhoni and a freighter that were purposefully sunk in the water off the coast of the island. Sea fans, featherstars, garden eels, whitetip reef sharks, stingrays, hawksbill turtles, and green turtles are some of the species of marine life that may be found in and around the reef.
Rasdhoo Madivaru
Divers have the possibility to see white tip reef sharks, jacks, tunas, barracudas, and napoleon wrasse at the dive site known as Rasdhoo Madivaru, which is also referred to as the Hammerhead Point. During the early morning hours, the location is frequented by schools of hammerhead sharks. In the morning, dolphins and dogtooth tunas may be seen loitering among the reef’s nooks and crannies. Outside of the reef, the water may go up to a depth of approximately 200 metres. Because of the water’s clarity, there is good visibility while swimming underwater. If the weather is favourable, this location provides excellent prospects for snorkelling.
Halaveli Wreck
The diving school located on Halaveli Island is responsible for the creation of the well-known Halaveli Wreck. In 1991, they sank a cargo ship that was 38 metres in length on purpose. Now, the location is well-known for the friendly stingrays that frequent the area since they are regularly fed. The place is home to a variety of interesting animals, including large moray eels, batfish, and groupers. Unless they are participating in a Wreck Specialty dive, guests are not permitted to go below deck level or dive deeper than 22 metres. Divers that are up for an adventure may also enjoy the location as a night dive destination.
Fesdu Wreck
A wreck diving location known as Fesdu Wreck may be found around one km southeast of Fesdu Island Resort. At a depth of 59 to 98 feet, there is a trawler that is 98 feet long and it has a healthy covering of corals. It is not difficult to access the hull, which is covered with healthy growths of soft corals and sponges. It is the habitat of a wide variety of colourful marine creatures, such as gropers and moray eels. You may also check out a neighbouring thila that has both hard and soft corals, in addition to a large number of fish.
Ellaidhoo House Reef
Night divers are frequent visitors to the Ellaidhoo House Reef, which is exclusively accessible to guests staying at the Ellaidhoo Resort. The reef has a long vertical wall that is punctuated by a series of tiny caves that range in depth from 39 to 59 feet. The sea fans, whip corals, schools of bannerfish, Napoleons, stingrays, octopuses, lobsters, and moray eels that call these caverns home may be found here. A ship that was deliberately sunk some years ago now rests on its side at a depth of 105 feet, inverted on the sandy bottom, and surrounded by a school of yellow snappers.
Orimas Thila
A Protected Marine Area may be found at Orimas Thila. It is an amazing place to go diving since there are so many different types of marine life there, both huge and little. It is a fantastic place for diving due to the presence of overhangs, caves, gulleys, crevices, canyons, and big coral outcrops. If the sea is quite calm, snorkelers will have little trouble enjoying themselves at the top of the thila. The thila is surrounded by a diverse community of marine life, including soft corals, sea fans, anemones, and clown fish. On one side of the reef, there is a large school of yellow snappers that may be seen. There are also a number of different kinds of turtles and shells to look for.
Fish Head
Mushimasmingali Thila is another name for the well-known diving location Fish Head. It is about 60 metres wide and 100 metres in length, with a reeftop height of 10 m. A great number of sea fans and black corals may be found living in its caves, tiered ledges, and overhangs. Fusiliers, huge Napoleons, travally, fusiliers, yellow grunts, blue-lined snappers, and schools of ravenous barracuda are some of the many species of fish that can be found in this area. Additionally, several grey reef sharks may be seen in close proximity. This is a challenging dive location due to the presence of strong currents.
Manta Reef
At the end of a tiny canal is where you’ll find the famous diving spot known as Manta Reef. At this point, strong currents leave the atoll in a consistent direction, carrying vast quantities of plankton down the confined channel. Because of the area’s very high plankton levels, it serves as an excellent feeding ground for manta rays. The reef is teeming with a diverse population of marine life, including a variety of species of moray eels, Napoleon, wrasse, snapper, parrotfish, octopus, turtles, and grey reef sharks, among others. Early in the month of January is the best time to see whale sharks.
Kudarah Thila
Kudarah Thila is a marine protected area as well as an extremely challenging dive site, and during periods of current it is restricted to only experienced divers. The reeftop is located at a depth of 14 metres, and most of the sides slope down precipitously to a depth of about 25 metres. A minor canyon can be found on the northern side, while a large cave can be seen on the eastern side. A current moves across the area, which is inhabited by sharks and trevally from the open sea. Gogonians, whip corals, and sea fans swing in the current. In the spaces between the enormous coral blocks, you could also come across blue-striped snappers, tallfins, batfish, goby, and other peculiar species of little fish.
Broken Rock
Broken Rock, which can be found near the entrance of the Dhigurashu Kandu, is separated into two halves by a canyon that may be as deep as 10 metres and is only between 3.2 and 9.8 feet broad. The reef is sliced in half from southeast to northwest by the canyon. The walls are coated with a soft coral that has a pastel appearance and are coloured in blues, greens, and yellows. The rocky outcrops in the area surrounding the thila are covered with sea fans and have a rich variety of marine life. It is expected of you that, while you are swimming, you will not do any harm to the coral formations that are located on each side of the canyon.
Dhidhdhoo Beyru
The Dhidhdhoo Beyru is situated on the southwestern border of the Ari Atoll and extends in a southwesterly direction from Ariyadhoo Kandu to the tip of Dhigurah Island. It is ten kilometres long and 6.2 miles long. It is known throughout the Ari atoll that whale sharks come to Dhidhdhoo Beyru more often than they do to any other location in the lagoon. Because whale sharks and manta rays routinely come back to this location between May and November, it is possible to see them on a regular basis. The reef has a precipitous drop down into the depths of the sea and is exposed to ocean currents.
