LIVEABOARD DIVING IN Ukulhas

Ukulhas is an inhabited island located in the northern part of Ari Atoll. The closest airport is in Male, that is connected by ferry to Ukulhas. For an inhabited territory, Ukulhas is extraordinarily small: it's about only 1025m/0.63mi long and 225m/0.14mi wide at its widest point. Tourists find it a happy experience to be able to walk around the whole island several times a day. Fortunately, the size of Ukulhas did not influence the decision of the Maldivian government about providing electric power (this was the first island that was electrified after the Maldivian capital city, Malé). Ukulhas is also famous for being uniquely environmental friendly, with the best waste management system in the Maldives and a system for monitoring marine biodiversity. Because of this, tourists can see the exceptional diversity of plants on the island and fish under water. One of the main tourist destinations on Ukulhas are the beaches, which border the waves of the turquoise lagoon, with well-developed infrastructure. Another popular activity is taking sunset cruises on traditional hand-crafted Maldivian boats (dhonis) to see the picturesque scenery. During the night tourists are entertained with traditional music, singing, and the Boduberu folk dance. The local people of Ukulhas are known for their outstanding friendliness and hospitality. The main attractions of Ukulhas are snorkeling and diving. The island is known for its exceptionally diverse marine fauna, with sharks being constant residents of the nearest dive sites. The average depth of the dive sites that mostly have pinnacles and channels is 20-25m/66-82ft. Most popular dive sites Some of the most remarkable sites nearby are the world-famous Maaya Thila, known for its magnificent coral reef, Hafsa Thila, with an amazing spectacle of fish, and Gangehi Kandu, which charms divers with its exceptionally vibrant corals. However, it needs to be pointed out that the price for the high diversity of marine life at Ukulhas dive sites are the forceful currents, so diving here is mainly recommended for very experienced divers.