Ari Atoll (Alifu) Scuba Diving

There are a number of exceptional dive sites in the Ari Atoll, ranging from the Madivaru dive site just off the north, through to the superb sites such as Maaya Thila and Kudarah Thila further south in the Atoll. In particular, the dive site at Fish Head is considered to be one of the best dive sites in the Maldives, and is a superb example of thila type diving. Here at Fish Head, a large underwater pinnacle rises to within 10 metres of the surface, and is home to large populations of grey reef sharks, barracuda and huge numbers of fusiliers.

The scuba diving in Ari Atoll is throughout the year, although certain times of year should be considered if you are hoping to encounter something specific. Those people hoping for a whale shark sighting should look to base themselves around the southern resorts of the Ari Atoll, where encounters are more common in the months of May and November. For divers hoping to encounter the manta rays in the region, they are most commonly sighted between December to April in the atoll.