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Aerial view of Helengeli island's tree-lined shore rising from a shallow reef flat — North Malé Atoll

North Malé Atoll · Maldives · Reef

Back Faru

The standard check dive, an hour from Malé City

Area photo: Genet (Diskussion) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Back Faru is the outer-reef site on the northeast of Farukolhufushi, about an hour's boat run from Malé City. Short distance and easy conditions have made it the area's standard check dive: wannadive rates it for all divers, with an average depth of 20 m and a maximum of 30 m.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Back Faru: typical dive 20–30 m (66–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit20 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

4.2397° N, 73.5544° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The site sits on the outer reef northeast of Farukolhufushi, about an hour from Malé City, and its role in local diving is settled: the short distance plus easy diving conditions make it the standard spot for a check dive. There is still substance to it — the average logged depth is 20 m and the maximum 30 m, so the shakedown can be a real dive.

Conditions are what make it forgiving. wannadive rates the site for all divers, logs a medium current of 1 to 2 knots and calls the visibility excellent at better than 30 m. It is the place to sort weighting, trim and cameras at the start of a trip before the atoll's stronger-current sites, and worth an easy dive in its own right on a clear day.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Back Faru
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairFairFairFairFairGoodPrime

Season follows North Malé Atoll: December to April is dry with gentle breezes; late May to July is the weakest stretch, when most liveaboards leave the atoll.

Questions divers ask

Is Back Faru good for a check dive?+

Yes — that is its role locally. The short distance from Malé and easy conditions make it the standard check dive, rated for all divers, with 20 to 30 m of depth available.

Sources

  1. Back Faru — wannadive.net
  2. Diving sites Maldives North Male Atoll — Dive The World

More dive sites in North Malé Atoll

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Fairytale Reef

A gentle drift along a reef with big reef fish

to 30 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Miayru Thila

Grey reef sharks off the thila's ocean step on the incoming tide

to 33 madvanced

Reef

Helengeli House Reef

A long, thin island reef with pelagic fish along its edge

to 20 mintermediate

Wall

Lion's Head

Grey reef sharks patrolling a wall off the atoll's southern tip

3–40 madvanced

Reef

Banana Reef

One of the first dive sites ever found in the Maldives

10–25 mintermediate

Reef

Fish Tank

Stingrays and morays drawn to a fish-factory outflow

10.2–20.8 mbeginner

Seamount

Nassimo Thila

Pinnacles, sea fans and fish on the thila's north side

16–34 madvanced

Reef

Sunlight Thila

Giant mantas over two small reefs, March to October

15–17 mbeginner

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