Meemu Atoll · Maldives · Pinnacle · Cave & cavern · Coral garden
Chapati
A soft-coral plateau at 10–15 m and caverns down to 30 m on one thila
Area photo: Sutirtha Das wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chapati is a thila south-west of Medhufushi with two distinct sides. On the south-west a sandy plateau at 10–15 m is covered in soft corals of every shape and size, while the eastern side is cut with caverns and overhangs between 15 and 30 m, so a single dive can take in a shallow coral garden and a deeper cavern wall.
Where it is and how deep
2.9355° N, 73.5478° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The usual way to get the most from Chapati is to take the deep side first. The eastern face of the thila holds numerous caverns and overhangs between 15 and 30 m, so the descent goes down that side and the group works along the openings, looking into the caverns from the outside and using the overhangs for shelter, while no-decompression time is still generous.
Coming round to the south-west side brings you up onto a sandy plateau at 10 to 15 m. The plateau is covered in soft corals of all shapes and sizes, and it is the part of the dive to slow down on, with plenty of time at that depth once the deep section is done. The safety stop is made over the plateau before the ascent to the boat.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Meemu Atoll: Calmest seas and clearest water on the north-east monsoon, Nov–Apr. Sources disagree on manta timing at Mantas and More (Dec–May versus May–Dec), so do not plan a trip around it.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Chapati in Meemu Atoll?+
The soft-coral plateau on the south-west side is at 10–15 m and the caverns and overhangs on the eastern side lie between 15 and 30 m.
Sources
- Chapati — Scubago
More dive sites in Meemu Atoll
Wall
Coral walls to 35 m turning into a sheer drop to the blue, cut with overhangs
Reef
Manta cleaning stations at 10–15 m, with 8–9 mantas at once on a good day
Pinnacle
A 4 m coral top, soft coral at 15–25 m and almost no current
Channel & pass
Rays and sharks on the descent to 30 m, then a soft-coral overhang on the drift
Coral garden
Soft, leather and fan corals with sponges at 15–25 m, and no current
Wreck
A 30 m wooden dhoni on the sand at 20–33 m, open enough to enter
Reef
Grey reef sharks and silvertips resting on the slope at 15–25 m
Cave & cavern
A cavern about 10 m high running from 15 to 30 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A narrow swim-through and mantas on a current-split point
Groupers and black coral trees on a thila topping out at 3–4 m
Pinnacle
Ile au Vache
Seychelles · Seychelles
Granite boulders and small caves to a maximum of 30 m
Dived day and night, with sharks working the coral