Scuba Diving in Rasdhoo
5 January 2025
Scuba diving in Rasdhoo Atoll is one of the most affordable diving in Maldives. Rasdhoo is located 56 km west of Malé, Rasdhoo Atoll is the capital of Alif Alif Atoll - more commonly known as Ari Atoll.
Scuba diving in Rasdhoo Atoll is one of the most affordable diving in Maldives.
Rasdhoo is located 56 km west of Malé, Rasdhoo Atoll is the capital of Alif Alif Atoll - more commonly known as Ari Atoll. The atoll consists of inhabited island Rasdhoo, two private island resorts Kuramathi and Veligandhu, and 2 uninhabited islands Madivaru and Madivaru Finolhu. A great number of liveaboards are coming here as a part of the Central Atolls itinerary.
Check: DIVING TOURS
When to go
There are two seasons in Maldives: the northeast monsoon (dry season) and the southwest monsoon (wet season). Like most places in the world, with the increasing impact of climate change, the seasons and transitions in the Maldives have become less predictable in recent years.Northeast monsoon (January – April)
The dry season usually brings blue skies and calm winds. The season runs from January to April with the transition shoulder periods arriving earlier in December or continuing into May. The change to the wet season is usually signified by a wet spell of three or more consecutive days of rainfall along with a shift in wind direction.Southwest monsoon (May – November)
The wet southwest season generally means more cloudy skies, stronger winds, and a greater chance of rough seas. The monsoons dictate the migrations of large pelagics such as manta rays and whale sharks. With tidal strength and wind direction affecting the movement of plankton, filter-feeders naturally follow the food, so at certain times of the year, you are more likely to encounter these animals in specific locations. The visibility can be very poor for some days. It's impossible to predict it.
Transfer options to Rasdhoo Atoll
If you are traveling from Velana Airport (the main international Airport) to Rasdhoo Atoll you have a number of options.Seaplane
The quickest, but the most expensive transfer, a round way trip is $US 365 per person. It's possible to travel only from 6:00 am to 16:00. If you're staying on local island Rasdhoo, an extra speedboat will be applied as well.Speedboat
Scheduled speedboat. On a daily basis, there are 2 speedboats to/from the local island Rasdhoo, price is $US 35 per way per person. If you stay in Kuramathi, they can arrange it as well (cheaper than a seaplane). Private speedboat. On request, the price is $US 600 per way, 22 pax capacity. Can be arranged at any time.Public ferry
The slowest transfer. It takes 2,5 hrs to reach Rasdhoo from Male. You can't use this transfer if you're staying in Kuramathi or Veligandu.
Diving in Rasdhoo overview
It doesn't matter your level of experience scuba diving in Rasdhoo atoll has something to tempt you. There are 19 dive sites, including 5-star dive sites making up plenty of variety for a great diving/ snorkeling holiday. Rasdhoo and Ari Atoll is the place where the best chances of seeing hammerheads are. The season is Jan-Apr, and chances to see is 50/50. These days, it's possible to see no more than 2-5 sharks. The main reason is the water temperature. Hammerheads prefer cold water, but in the Maldives due to climate change temperature is rising. Two WWII shipwrecks serve as scuba diving attractions in Rasdhoo Atoll and they are popular with photographers. Between November and April, manta rays slip into the atoll through the northern channel in search of a cleaning station, known as Manta Block. All you need to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Check: DIVING TOURS Madivaru Corner is arguably the atoll's most famous site. Reaching out across one of the southern channels, a horse-shoe-shaped ridge is patrolled by grey reef sharks, whitetip sharks, and schools of eagle rays.
Dive sites in Rasdhoo Atoll
Rasdhoo Beyru
Distance: 03 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Channel Dive Current: Small to Medium – can be strong or very strong A beautiful wall on the south side of Rasdhoo island with three small thilas which are located on the drop-off edge a bit further away from the island wall. Thilas top starts from 18 to 20 meters which is suitable for beginners to experienced divers but the current can be medium to strong. It's possible to see up to 15 turtles in this spot! Napoleon, white-tip reef sharks, and grey reef sharks can be seen here regularly. Sometimes stingrays rest on the sandy bottom between 25 to 30 meters deep between the wall and thilas. If you are lucky eagle rays and on very lucky days mantas !! This is also a great dive spot for macro fans because so many small creatures can be found here!Rasdhoo Channel
Distance: 03 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Deep Dive Training or Advanced Divers Type: Channel Dive Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong One of the best diving sites in Rasdhoo. Another great dive site for experienced divers with Deep Dive Training or Advanced level because of the negative entry and the depth! All thilas are already well-colonized on the atoll drop-off edge at a depth between 20 to 25 meters between Kuramathi and Rasdhoo island. On the sandy bottom between the thilas, look for stingrays or white-tip reef sharks. While crossing the channel, almost anything is possible like grey reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleon, dog-tooth tunas, and many more. On some very lucky days, you may see silver-tip reef sharks! However, this dive can be done only when the current runs into the Atoll! If you are lucky, you will be able to find a huge school of tuna in the blue water and swim inside a huge fish ball! This is an unforgettable experience.
Holhi Faru
Distance: 05 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong Outside of Kuramathi, we find 3 bays along the main reef of the island. Each bay is surrounded by coral blocks at different depths between 16 – 25 meters where moray eels and lobsters are not rare. Very often you can see stingrays resting underneath coral blocks. On the sandy bottom, you can find white-tip reef sharks, in the shallow part of the bays black-tip reef sharks – do not forget to have a look at the blue for a surprise.Three Palms
Distance: 08 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong A very nice wall with a reef top starting in shallow water and which can be dived at any depth. Along with the dive, we encounter three big coral blocks in three different areas between 16 – 23 meters, just like « Three Palms ». Anything is possible here, like white-tip reef sharks, stingrays, and even more. Eagle rays also like to drift in the current along this wall. Looking down, beautiful sea fans can be seen. If you are lucky sometimes a green turtle or hawksbill turtle will come and say Hello.Bodu Gaa
Distance: 20 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong Bodu Gaa means Big Stone in Dhivehi. This Bodu Gaa can be seen on the reef top just a few inches below the surface and is fully covered by multi-colored fish. On the wall between 25-28 meters are two sandy areas where it is not rare to meet white-tip reef sharks or stingrays relaxing for the day. Around 25 – 26 meters, a couple of nice coral blocks are well-located on this sandy bottom. These blocks are full of Kashmir-snappers, oriental sweet-lips, glass fishes even stingrays are possible underneath any of the coral blocks. When there is some current, eagle rays may show up. Check: DIVING TOURS
Caves
Distance: 25 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift, Overhangs Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong The furthest dive site in the Rasdhoo Atoll takes about 20 minutes to get to from Rasdhoo/Kurmathi, from Veligandu around 35 mins. This beautiful wall is part of our atoll barrier reef which is connected along the very end of the Kuramathi Sandbank on the South Westside. Very nice reef formation with lots of overhangs between 17 to 30 meters. If you start with the reef on your right shoulder – of course, if you are Deep Dive Training or Advanced level then 30 meters swim-through will be the best to start. Even if you are a beginner you could start within your allowable depth limit and keep drifting because soon you will reach 17 to 20 meters overhang which you can go inside but do not forget to get proper buoyancy under the overhang, otherwise you may hit the ceiling or kick on the sandy bottom which may lead to poor visibility or disturb the stingrays who rest often here! Apart from these two specific overhangs, there are still so many small ones where it is possible to find baby white-tip reef sharks or nurse sharks. It’s great to stay above 20 meters because very often eagle rays pass along the edge of the reef – above your head. Do have a look into the blue for a surprise.Miyaru Faru
Distance: 30 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift, Overhangs Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong Another wall dive from the atoll barrier reef, but an easy dive site on the outside of the North of the Atoll. The reef slowly goes down between 3 to 10 meters then a steep wall follows. On the bottom 30 to 40 meters, we often see white-tip reef sharks relaxing. On the reef itself, you can see moray eels, lionfish, and for expert eyes even scorpionfish. A nice and easy dive. During manta season even mantas.Beyru Kandu
Distance: 25 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong A very nice and easy place to dive for beginners, the reef is a steep wall and goes down to approximately 30 meters. A few coral blocks are to be seen on the reef top where lobsters have their « home sweet home ». Along the wall, small holes with nudibranchs, shrimps, and more. During your dive look to the blue or reef top often because, if you are lucky, it is possible to see eagle rays or manta rays and even white-tip reef sharks which often come and say hi to you. Check: DIVING TOURSMadi Gaa
Distance: 25 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Coral Block (Mostly sit on the sandy bottom next to the Coral Block) Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong Inside the North Channel, in the manta season (from November to April) there is a good chance of seeing mantas on this dive. A big coral block in 14 m, with the top at 10 m is an attraction for many species of fish. The best is to sit next to the block when mantas are around and watch them circle!
Veligandu North
Distance: 20 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong This dive site offers a top reef separated by a sandy plateau between 5 to 9 meters’ depth, below is a very nice steep wall dropping to around 25 to 30 meters continuing to the atoll drop-off. Along the wall, you can find some overhangs from a depth of 12 to 16 meters in different areas. Sometimes these overhangs are covered by glass fishes, through the glass fishes you may find lobsters or even stingray resting. Lots of macro stuff possible here. If you look carefully, you may find ghost pipefish and even leaf fish inside the overhangs or at the edge of the overhangs. If Madivaru is the capital of the sharks then Veligandu Noth will be the Capital of the moray eels. Please do not forget to have a look into the blue – sharks and more.Veligandu Beyru/Veligandu East
Distance: 20 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – very rare to get Strong The Outer Reef of Veligandu is a nice steep wall with a reef top coming up to 3 to 5 meters. On the reef plateau, you will find oriental sweet-lips, jack fishes, tunas, and sometimes napoleon wrasse. Blue always surprises.Madivaru Reef
Distance: 05 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wall, Drift Current: Small to Medium – very rare to get Strong This wall located on the outside reef near the Island of Madivaru is perfect for a nice and easy drift dive. Also, a very good opportunity for beginners to experience dives with medium to strong current. Along the reef, corals are growing nicely and many species of fish can be spotted. Do not forget to turn your head towards the blue where pleasant surprises often appear. Check: DIVING TOURS
Madivaru Corner
Distance: 05 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Channel Dive Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong A highlight in the Rasdhoo Atoll for many reasons. This reef is located just in front of the island Madivaru and has some superb overhangs between 26 to 30 meters before a breathtaking drop-off. The real beauty of the dive will be when the current runs along the reef on the right shoulder and into the Atoll. Because with this current you don’t have to swim much because most of the time on your dive you just hold onto some dead coral on the drop-off around 18 meters where the breathtaking show begins. Everybody can find here almost anything they are looking for, from macro to big pelagic species like grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, eagle rays, napoleon wrasse, shoals of barracuda, jackfish and even giant travelers and dog-tooth tunas chasing baitfish etc. Always worth a dive. Anything is possible, however, the current can be medium to very strong.Hammerhead Shark Point
Distance: 05 Minutes Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Deep Dive Training or Advanced Divers (Good Buoyancy required) Type: Bluewater dive with no reference Current: Medium to Strong – can be very strong Another highlight, an early morning diving to meet the famous Scalloped Hammerhead shark which can only be seen in a few places in the Maldives. A blue-water dive with no reference. In other words, no reef or bottom where the blue plankton let you think you are flying among the stars. Even without sharks an unforgettable experience. Only for experienced divers with Deep Dive Training or Advanced level, of course, good buoyancy control required! NITROX highly recommended. These days it's very rare to spot hammerhead sharks on this site.Reef Explorer (Wreck Dive)
Distance: 05 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wreck Dive Current: Small to Medium – can be Strong A 30-meter fishing boat that sank in the Rasdhoo channel that lies on its side on a sandy bottom, surrounded by garden eels and shrimp in a depth of 12-16 meters. Some big groupers have been spotted here, and a few mantas occasionally patrol the area. Good buoyancy control is needed to avoid kicking up sediment which ruins visibility and take care to avoid many metal structures protruding from the wreck and in the sand. Some nice coral blocks around. Look out for the cleaner shrimp and goby pairs in the sand around the wreck.
Kuramathi Queen (Wreck Dive)
Distance: 08 Minutes from Rasdhoo Local Island Level: Beginners or Advanced Divers Type: Wreck Dive Current: Almost nothing A well-protected area – just inside the lagoon of Kuramathi. The Kuramathi Queen sits on a sandy bottom, the top of the wreck is at 16 meters, bottom at 20+m. Great for a night dive, very spooky. Check: DIVING TOURSWhere to stay in Rasdhoo Atoll
There are 3 options to stay in: a luxury island resort, a guest house on Rasdhoo island, and diving liveaboards.
