Rasdhoo Atoll
Rasdhoo Atoll is located northeast of Ari Atoll (Maldives) and attracts divers who seek larger species. The dive sites around the island are Hammerhead Point (also known as Madivaru Corner: a reef with a ridge, caverns and overhangs at 25-30m/82-98ft) and Madivaru Channel (a channel with a strong current, overhangs, and a drop-off at 30m/98ft).
When to go
Although it is possible to dive at Rasdhoo Atoll throughout the year, the best conditions are from January to May. The average sea temperature is 27-28C/81-82F, while the air is 29-31C/84-88F.
What to see
The highlights of Rasdhoo Atoll are dolphins and hammerhead sharks, but reef sharks and large manta rays are also seen often. It is easy to spot grouper, parrotfish, snapper, surgeonfish, and triggerfish in these waters.
Specials
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Thoddoo Pro Dive Hydrotech (Maldives)
Weekly Package
There is a real offer for real divers – for those who wish to get a sight of underwater world of Maldives. Maldives is the world diving destination #1. Maldives has everything to prove it: clear warm water all year around, perfect visibility (20-40 m), and fantastic marine life. Corals, sponges, nudibranchs, fish, stingrays, dolphins, mantas, sharks can be found there. Diving in Maldives has some cool features. Most famous one is currents. Sometimes mild, sometimes strong, but always enjoyable. Jump in, adjust your buoyancy, and... just relax. Move with the waters along the reef walls (faru in Dhivehi), enjoy spectacular views of sea inhabitants, breath in, breath out. Napoleon wrasse, parrot fish, trigger fish, angel fish, snappers, groupers, sweetlips will be your companions in the journey. Mantas and reef sharks patrolling their areas or arriving to cleaning stations are often seen too. In Thoddoo, there are some nice walls up to 30-40 meters deep. Diving in channels (kandu in Dhivehi) between atolls and islands in Maldives sometimes can be challenging due to strong currents and visibility but always awesome because of greater chance to encounter sharks and mantas and better coral life. Madivaru channel near Rasdhoo island is the place to see hammerhead sharks. North channel (north to Veligandu resort) is where you can see mantas almost every day. There are some underwater rocks growing almost up to the surface called 'thilas'. These formations are like stop signs for the currents, providing food for corals and sponges - favorite food of bigger fish, turtles and sharks. Best thilas are located near Ukulhas island (Maaya Thila, Maa thila).