Discover the Region’s Best Dive Sites
Eriyadu is very close to some of the most spectacular dive sites in the Maldives, which makes it a diver’s paradise. Over 30 dive sites to discover the beautiful and unique underwater world of the Maldives. From pelagic fish schools, turtles, sting rays, mantas, different species of sharks and all kinds of tropical fish, you will find everything to make your perfect dive.
Our favourite dive sites include:
Finger Point (30 minutes from Eriyadu):
This little thila is the real shark magnet in the northwest. It is connected via a small and narrow sandy bridge to the Himmaya Faru and has a slightly oval shape, around 50 meters in length. It extends into the Makunudu channel and provides breathtaking close encounters with different kinds of sharks and rays. Divers have reported more than often seeing up to 20 grey reef sharks, frequently silver tips and sometimes even a hammerhead!
Lucky Rock (20 minutes from Eriyadu)
Near the Western edge of the North Male Atoll, a big pinnacle appears with huge schools of fusiliers, snappers, and red-tooth triggerfish. A small tunnel invites a swim through, with many sweet lips, soldier fish, and groupers hiding inside. We often find ourselves surrounded by curious batfish as we look for the well-camouflaged leaffish.
Madigaa (45 minutes from Eriyadu)
This dive site is located outside of Reethi Rah. Along the reef slope, a number of small to big coral blocks form flats for marine life such as lobsters, groupers, sweetlips, snapper, and moray eels. Napoleon wrasse and eagle rays cruise along the outer edge of the reef. Sting rays dance on the sandy floor together with white-tip reef sharks to make for happy visitors.
Bodu Hithi Thila (50 minutes from Eriyadu)
Located on the western side of the atoll, Bodu Hithi Thila is a famous spot for mantas during the northeast monsoon (January - April). Mantas dance on the cleaning stations that can be found at various depths. They can also be seen feeding close to the surface, making it a great place to snorkel with manta. With a bit of luck, you may even spot a whale shark.
Helengeli Thila (60 minutes from Eriyadu)
Located next to the island Helengeli, this famous thila is hard to beat for the sheer abundance of marine life. The magnificent overhangs on the northern side with the deep pinnacles next to them are fully grown with hard and soft corals of all kinds. Bring your torch, and you will recognise how colourful diving can be. It can be a challenging dive with strong currents, but the reward will come in the appearance of eagle rays, sharks, big schools of different coloured fusilier and much more.
Woshimas Thila (45 minutes from Eriyadu)
A small thila located on the south of Reethi Rah is one of the best shark points in the region. Sharks can always be seen on the current side of the thila. The overhangs host a large number of invertebrates. Fish life is breathtaking. Tuna, jackfish and barracudas can be seen hunting the fusiliers and red tooth triggerfish. White-tip reef sharks are always on duty for the divers. Grey reef sharks are spotted frequently. The king of the thila, a Napoleon wrasse, often surveys the thila to make sure everything is in order.
Kagi Kuda Kandu (55 minutes from Eriyadu)
This small channel close to Kagi Island offers a unique dive, with the possibility to swim across and into one of the many channels in the atoll. Find all kinds of marine life, such as moray eels, lobsters and school of reef fish, while following the group of eagle rays around. End your dive by drifting through the small channel to the inside of the atoll, and you may find white-tip reef sharks on the sandy bottom or nurse sharks hiding under one of the many coral blocks.
Bird Island (20 minutes from Eriyadu)
A coral garden plateau and sandbank welcome you to have a pleasant time. A mixture of coral life, heaps of snappers, anemones and the occasional turtle and shark make this site a special place for both divers and snorkellers. Surrounded by schools of fusiliers we swim around this underwater paradise.
Makunudu Garden (20 minutes from Eriyadu)
Located just southeast of the Makunudu Island house reef, this snorkelling site offers a beautiful reef with calm conditions. Float around this area without current, and you may spot turtles, moray eels and white-tip reef sharks amongst the hundreds of colourful reef fish.
