Reefwander
A redtooth triggerfish hovers over cauliflower coral on a central Maldives reef — Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls

Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls · Maldives · Wreck

Halaveli Wreck

Upright cargo wreck, deck at 21 m and sand at 28 m

Area photo: John Hepburn · CC BY 4.0

A cargo vessel sunk close to the Halaveli resort in North Ari Atoll. She sits upright on sand only 20 metres off the reef, with the deck at 21 metres and the bottom at 28. A couple of large moray eels and a turtle have taken up residence, and there are soft corals on the structure worth carrying a camera for.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Halaveli Wreck: typical dive 21–28 m (70–92 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit21 m28 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

4.0547° N, 72.9117° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The wreck lies upright on sand just 20 metres from the reef, so the descent is short and the deck comes up at 21 metres. That is where most of the dive is spent, working the length of the ship and looking down into the structure, with the sand alongside at 28 metres marking the deepest point. Because the whole profile sits in the deep end of the recreational range, bottom time is the limiting factor rather than anything about the site itself.

The residents are the reason to come back: a couple of large moray eels have settled into the wreck and a turtle is on it too, and the source flags the soft corals as worth a camera. The reef is only 20 metres away from the hull, so there is somewhere shallower to move onto once the deep part of the profile is done and the ascent and safety stop are due.

The wreck

Vessel
Halaveli Wreck
Type
Cargo vessel
Cause
Not published; the source records only that she was sunk close to Halaveli resort
Lies
Upright on sand 20 m off the reef, deck at 21 m and bottom at 28 m

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
Month-by-month season rating for Halaveli Wreck
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrime

Season follows Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls: The seas are calmest from December to May, but manta numbers peak from August to November.

Questions divers ask

How deep is the Halaveli Wreck?+

The deck sits at 21 metres and the sand alongside the hull at 28 metres, so the dive runs in the deeper half of the recreational range throughout.

What certification do I need for the Halaveli Wreck?+

Deep-dive training or an Advanced certification is recommended because of the depth, and nitrox is recommended to stretch the bottom time on the wreck.

Sources

  1. Halaveli Wreck — Scubago

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