
Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls · Maldives · Wall · Reef
Ory Faru
Wall from 4 m to past 40 m, straight off Kuramathi
Area photo: John Hepburn · CC BY 4.0
An easy wall dive right in front of Kuramathi island, suitable for all levels of diver. The reef starts at about 4 metres and drops below 40, so the group picks its depth and follows the wall. Octopus, lobsters, Maldivian clownfish and moray eels live in it, with eagle rays and sharks passing out in the blue.
Where it is and how deep
4.2568° N, 72.9808° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The wall sits directly in front of Kuramathi island and the reef top begins at about 4 metres before dropping below 40, which makes this one of the more forgiving dives in the area: you set a depth on the face and follow it, with a long shallow shoulder above you for the whole dive. The source calls it an easy wall dive and perfectly suitable for all levels, and the shape of the reef is why.
The dive rewards splitting your attention. On top of the reef and in the wall itself there are octopus, lobsters, Maldivian clownfish and moray eels tucked into holes, all of it close-focus work, while the blue on your other shoulder is where eagle rays and sharks pass and sometimes a turtle comes by. Finishing is straightforward, since the reef top at around 4 metres is right there above the wall.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
| 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.
Sources
- Ory Faru — Scubago
More dive sites in Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls
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Ocean-facing pinnacle at the mouth of Bathala channel
Pinnacle
South-side overhangs with gorgonian fans and black corals
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An estimated sixteen resident grey reef sharks
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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
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Blue sponges and black-coral overhangs on a small pinnacle
Pinnacle
Shallow top reef from 5 m, with anthias over the safety stop
Cave & cavern
Two swim-through caverns, at 18-20 m and 28-30 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Large overhangs on the wall with sleeping stingrays and turtles
A Montipora stand owning the wall from 16 to 35 m
Sharks called in over a wall that slopes past 40 m
A coral plateau at 14 m above two drop-offs and a sand pass


