Reefwander
Reef manta ray gliding over divers at a cleaning station — Lhaviyani Atoll

Lhaviyani Atoll · Maldives · Pinnacle

Boava Thila

Black coral, cracks and overhangs on an inside-atoll thila

Area photo: asands from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0

An inside-atoll thila about 10 minutes north of Le Méridien Maldives, described by the dive centre as suitable for all levels. Starting at around 5 m the reef descends to 30 m, with patches of black coral and cracks and overhangs along its sides to explore.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Boava Thila: typical dive 5–30 m (15–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

5.3053° N, 73.6081° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Boava Thila sits inside the atoll, a short run of around 10 minutes north of Le Méridien Maldives. You descend onto the reef top at around 5 m and then follow the side of the mount down; the reef descends to 30 m, so the depth of the dive is set by the group rather than the site.

Along the way the slope is cut with cracks and overhangs worth putting a light into, and there are patches of black coral on the reef. Work around the thila at the chosen depth, then spiral up to the 5 m top for the safety stop before surfacing to the boat.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Boava Thila
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeFairFairFairGoodGoodGoodGoodPrime

Season follows Lhaviyani Atoll: Iruvai, the dry northeast monsoon (Dec–Apr), is calm and clear; the wet Hulhangu monsoon (Jun–Nov) can chop the surface but brings mantas to Fushifaru Thila, peaking Oct–Nov.

Questions divers ask

Is Boava Thila suitable for beginners?+

The dive centre describes it as an inside-atoll reef suitable for all levels; the top is at around 5 m, though the reef descends to 30 m for those qualified to go deeper.

Sources

  1. Boava Thila — Scubago

More dive sites in Lhaviyani Atoll

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A 20-minute channel crossing between corners at 12–30 m

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Two protected manta cleaning stations on a plateau of coral blocks

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Two coral-covered wrecks, SkipJack1 and SkipJack2, in a channel with sharks

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Coral blocks and cleaning stations on a 5 m to 25 m mount

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Overhangs on one side, a hard-coral garden on the other

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