Addu Atoll · Maldives · Channel & pass · Reef
Addu Manta Point
A year-round manta point at 19-25 m inside the channel
Area photo: ╚ DD╔ from Male, Maldives · CC BY-SA 2.0
A channel dive in the Maakandu cut on Addu, worked on the incoming tide from the eastern corner. Inside the channel the reef carries a manta point between 19 and 25 metres, described as year-round rather than seasonal. Grey and whitetip reef sharks and napoleon wrasse use the same stretch of coral.
Also known as Manta Point.
Where it is and how deep
0.6099° S, 73.1532° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive is set up on the incoming current and starts at the eastern corner of the Maakandu channel, where the water can run very strong. Drop straight onto the corner rather than drifting down through open water, get a hand on the reef early, and let the flood carry you in through the cut. The direction of the tide is what makes this dive work, so the boat waits for the incoming water rather than for a time on the clock.
Once you are inside the channel the reef holds the manta point itself, between 19 and 25 metres. Hook in upcurrent of the coral, stay low and let the mantas come and go over the reef instead of swimming at them. Grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks patrol the same length of reef, and napoleon wrasse work the coral either side of it. Deploy an SMB before you leave the reef, because the current takes you on once you let go.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Reef sharks
- Napoleon wrasse
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Addu Atoll: Addu's resident dive centre rates January to April driest and busiest and July to September best for visibility; May-June and October-December are wetter. Full and new moon run the strongest currents.
Know before you go
- The incoming current is sometimes very strong: a reef hook is what holds you at the manta point, and an SMB is what gets you found once you let go of the reef.
Questions divers ask
When can you see mantas at Addu Manta Point?+
The site is described as a year-round manta point rather than a seasonal one, so mantas are a possibility on any month's incoming tide. The dive is planned around the incoming current rather than around a particular time of year.
Sources
- Addu Manta Point dive site — Scubago
More dive sites in Addu Atoll
Reef
A banana-shaped reef dived from the surface to 30 m
Wreck
The largest wreck in the Maldives, on her port side at 33 m
Channel & pass
Drift the channel corner on either tide, 5 to 25 m
Channel & pass
Table, mushroom and brain corals down a steep slope to 25 m
Hard coral gardens from 6 m to a 20 m drop-off
Wall
Easy wall from a 5-8 m reef top down past 30 m
Reef
Tigers, grey reefs and silvertips on Addu's outer reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Advanced channel drift with sharks between 22 and 30 m
A channel protected for its grey reef and whitetip sharks
Mantas and eagle rays in the outer reaches of a tidal cut
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Sharks holding mid-channel in the drift that gave the site its name