Explore North Malé Atoll

North Male Atoll in the Maldives is incredibly beautiful, with its shimmering turquoise waters and white sandy islands. The diving here is hugely varied and a conveniently short hop from the main airport in Male.

Due to the proximity with the capital, Male, there are plenty of options when scuba diving in North Male Atoll. Dive resorts and dive centers are plentiful on the inhabited islands and most offer dive courses of all levels. Liveaboards are a popular way to dive in the Maldives and most pass through North Male Atoll as they leave the capital.

Local highlights include diving with manta rays and whale sharks and exploring fascinating dive sites which include caves, overhangs, drifts and even a wreck.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★★ Coral Garden

Fifteen minutes by boat from the Joy Island. Beautiful coral reef start from 4m on the top reef. full of table corals reef. the side of the coral garden is like a wall with beautiful caves.

226
Logs
133
Divers
13.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Prisca Head

Located on the south east end of Maabadhifaru. Just a 20 minutes boat ride to the south. There is a shallow top reef on 4 Meters, falling down in a slope to a very wide plateau on 30 meters.

23
Logs
21
Divers
27.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Prisca Corner

Located on the north east end of Maabadhifaru. A 15 minutes boat ride from Joy to the south. Starting the dive inside, several Overhangs even with a swim trough can be discovered. The slope becomes steeper towards the Corner.

49
Logs
29
Divers
28.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Snapper point

This Dive Site located East side of Kassanfaru Corner. Fifteen minutes boat trip. there are several coral blocks start from 5m to 20m. Reef look like nice Gentle slop.

288
Logs
134
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
19.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Anniela Thila

Located at a inside Atoll reef 30 minutes north – east of Joy Island. The wall starting from a shallow 4 meters top reef and falling vertical or even as an overhang down to 25m, to 30m.where you can find Coral Blocks, and Halimeda Ghost pipefish. A very good place for a Night Dive.

10
Logs
8
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Kassanfaru Corner

Dive site located North East. 15 Minutes from the Joy Island. Usually a drift dive following the contour of the reef. If the current is slow, more time can be spent exploring the rocks (cleaning station).

163
Logs
80
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Holhi Wall

Located at a inside reef 15 minutes north – east of Joy Island. The wall starting from a shallow 3 meters top reef and falling vertical or even as an overhang down to 25m, where you can find several Coral Blocks. Its also a very nice dive site for the night dive.

39
Logs
29
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
18.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Joy Outside

Located outside of Kassan Faru (Joy Reef), a 10 minutes boat trip away from Joy. The shallow part is around 4 meters deep and full of life. A gentle slop is falling down to 30 meters deep short plateau

115
Logs
49
Divers
12.0 m
⌀ Depth
20.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Manta Point Dhiya Adi Faru

The Cleaning station is located in a sandy bay at Dhiya Adi Faru (Low Tide Reef). The Sandy floor around the Cleaning Station is 12 meters deep which makes this dive to a shallow dive but the current can be strong. The boat ride will take 20 minutes.

51
Logs
29
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Thumba Caves

Located at the North Wall of Thumba Island. A 40 minutes Boat ride from Joy. A vertical Wall with several Caves between 20 – 25 Meters. It’s a Channel dive and might have a medium to strong current.

5
Logs
5
Divers
53.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Helengeli Thila

Located in the Channel between Helengeli and Patina Island. To reach in 50 minutes. The top reef of the Thila is on 10 Meters. With outgoing current, the divers will hold on at the west plateau of the Thila on 25 meters. At the north side we find a huge overhang on 25 meters full with Fan corals.

146
Logs
88
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Wall Reef

Located 15 minutes north – east of Joy Island. The wall is at the west part of the dive site and starting from a shallow 2 meters top reef and falling down to 25m. The east part of the dive site is a slop with several coral blocks.

13
Logs
8
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Kaan Reef

Five minutes from the Joy island. A perfect corner of the long reef. it can be a nice drift dive with out going and in coming current. Beautiful pinnacles between 20 to 30m including the caves.

157
Logs
70
Divers
20.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Miyaru Thila

Our “house Thila” is located just a 5 minutes boat ride to north, in the middle of a wide Channel. The top of the Thila is 8m below the surface. In the east a sandy slop is falling down to 30 meters the north and the south corner have overhangs and reef blocks on 25 meters. The Thila is exposed to current.

111
Logs
82
Divers
26.0 m
⌀ Depth
17.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Manta Bay

The bay is the west end of Dhiya Adi Faru (Low Tide Reef). We can reach that place in 25 minutes. The U shape of the Bay and the two small Thilas in the middle are the perfect trap for Plankton in outgoing Current. The reason why Mantas love to feed on that place. Current can be medium to strong.

41
Logs
34
Divers
18.0 m
⌀ Depth
18.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in North Malé Atoll

Due to its proximity to the capital of Male, you are spoilt for choice when scuba diving in North Male Atoll. Many liveaboards start their journey in the capital and visit these dive sites and there are numerous dive resorts nearby.

North Male Atoll diving offers much variety - you can find classic Maldivian thilas (or pinnacles) carpeted in coral, along with overhangs and walls which are great for exploring. There is even a manta cleaning station and a wreck to enjoy.

The best Months to dive in North Malé Atoll

Diving in North Male Atoll is possible year round due to the fantastic weather and consistent air and water temperatures. From November to May, the weather is dry and calm and the visibility is excellent.

The monsoon season is from May to November. You will see an increase in short, sharp rain showers along with increased wind. Though the wind can make the sea choppy and disrupt boat trips, it also draws in plankton which attracts big filter feeders like mantas and whale sharks.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

Diverland Summer Island

Summer Island Maldives, 00000 Male, MDV

Dive Mission Joy

Joy Island, 08080 K. kasanfaru Lagoon, MDV