Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls · Maldives · Cave & cavern · Reef
Kuramathi Caves
Two swim-through caverns, at 18-20 m and 28-30 m
Area photo: John Hepburn · CC BY 4.0
A stretch of reef on the western side of the atoll, past the Kuramathi resort sandbank, cut with large overhangs and two caverns divers can swim through: one at 18 to 20 metres and a deeper one at 28 to 30. Whitetips, stingrays and nurse sharks use the shaded ground, and the coral on top of the reef at 5 metres is very healthy.
Where it is and how deep
4.2738° N, 72.9410° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The caverns lie on the western side of the atoll, past the Kuramathi resort sandbank. There are two of them and they set the profile: the deeper swim-through runs at 28 to 30 metres and is taken first, then the shallower one at 18 to 20 metres on the way back up. Between and around them the reef is cut with large overhangs, so much of the dive is spent in shade looking out into the light rather than out in the blue.
The shaded ground is where the animals sit. Whitetips, stingrays and nurse sharks are all found in the caverns and under the overhangs, which is reason enough to approach each one slowly and look in before swimming through. The dive finishes on top of the reef at about 5 metres, where the coral is very healthy and the shallow water makes an easy place to spend the safety stop.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Stingrays
- Pristine corals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Prime |
Season follows Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls: Dry NE monsoon (Dec-Apr) brings the calmest seas and clearest water; the SW monsoon (Jun-Oct) lowers visibility but pushes plankton onto the western sides, the best manta months.
Know before you go
- Two of the passages are true swim-throughs rather than overhangs; single file, a light and controlled buoyancy keep silt down and fins off the coral.
Questions divers ask
How deep are the Kuramathi Caves?+
There are two swim-through caverns, one at 18 to 20 metres and the other at 28 to 30. The reef top above them is at about 5 metres, so the dive covers most of the recreational range.
Sources
- Kuramathi Caves — Scubago
More dive sites in Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls
Pinnacle
Ocean-facing pinnacle at the mouth of Bathala channel
Pinnacle
South-side overhangs with gorgonian fans and black corals
Pinnacle
An estimated sixteen resident grey reef sharks
Pinnacle
A pinnacle eroded into five separate pieces, 12 m to 40 m
Wreck
Upright cargo wreck, deck at 21 m and sand at 28 m
Pinnacle
Blue sponges and black-coral overhangs on a small pinnacle
Pinnacle
Shallow top reef from 5 m, with anthias over the safety stop
Wreck
40 m supply boat at 20 m, sheltered enough for night dives
Similar dives elsewhere
A cavern about 10 m high running from 15 to 30 m
A ten-metre arch cresting at 20 m, its feet on the bottom at 42 m
A 60 m wide cave mouth with sleeping nurse sharks inside
A collapsed reef cavern with easy galleries at 3 to 17 m