Meemu Atoll · Maldives · Channel & pass · Drift · Pinnacle
Mulaku Kandu
Rays and sharks on the descent to 30 m, then a soft-coral overhang on the drift
Area photo: Sutirtha Das wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mulaku Kandu is the channel that cuts the north-east rim of Meemu Atoll, its floor peppered with submerged pinnacles under a covering of mostly soft coral. Divers drop in at the west corner into snappers and jacks, watch for rays and sharks on the way down to 30 m, and then let an outgoing current carry them north along the reef to a soft-coral overhang.
Where it is and how deep
2.9700° N, 73.6200° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat drops you at the west corner of the channel. Snappers and jacks gather here in numbers, and the group is surrounded by them almost as soon as it leaves the surface. From there the descent follows the channel side down towards 30 m, and this is the stretch to keep your eyes in the blue: rays and sharks are seen on the way down, so descend steadily rather than head-down for the bottom.
The submerged pinnacles that dot the kandu are covered in predominantly soft coral, and the wall below them is where the resident life sits. Moray eels live in the wall, stingrays rest on the deeper sand and groupers work the coral formations for food. With the depth comes a shorter bottom time, so the guide will normally keep the deep part of the dive brief before turning shallower.
If the current is running out of the atoll, the plan is simply to let it carry you north along the reef. The drift ends at an overhang rich in soft coral, which is where the group gathers before the ascent. Dive The World describes only this outgoing-current version of the dive; on other tides the guide sets the route from the same west-corner entry.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Stingrays
- Groupers
| 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.
Know before you go
- The channel current decides the route; stay with the guide, agree the drift direction before the descent and keep a surface marker ready for the pick-up.
- The descent runs to 30 m while you watch the blue for rays and sharks; check your depth and gas rather than following the animals down.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Mulaku Kandu?+
The descent runs to 30 m, with rays and sharks seen on the way down. The pinnacles and the soft-coral overhang at the end of the drift are shallower.
Is Mulaku Kandu suitable for beginners?+
No. It is a channel dive to 30 m where the current carries you north along the reef, so it suits Advanced divers with drift experience.
Sources
- Meemu Atoll dive sites — Dive The World
More dive sites in Meemu Atoll
Pinnacle
A soft-coral plateau at 10–15 m and caverns down to 30 m on one thila
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
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
Advanced channel drift with sharks between 22 and 30 m
A channel protected for its grey reef and whitetip sharks
Overhangs and cavities from 10 m to beyond 30 m on the channel's south side
Up to 30 manta rays reported over one cleaning-station boulder