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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 · Pinnacle · Drift · Channel & pass

Kandu Thila

Schools of red and white snappers over two channel thilas

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

Kandu Thila is a pair of submerged reefs in the channel between Rasfari Island and Huvafen Fushi in North Malé Atoll. It is a drift dive over both pinnacles, where schools of red and white snappers gather and eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse pass.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Kandu Thila: typical dive 10–30 m (33–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit10 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

4.3845° N, 73.3509° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The dive drifts over the two thilas between 10 and 30 m. Schools of red and white snappers hang over the reef, while eagle rays, whitetip reef sharks and Napoleon wrasse move through the channel.

Marine life and season

  • Reef fish swarms
  • Eagle rays
  • Reef sharks
  • Napoleon wrasse
Month-by-month season rating for Kandu Thila
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.

Know before you go

  • The drift can sometimes be difficult when the current runs strong through the channel.

Sources

  1. Kandu Thila - Diving in North Male Atoll — Wannadive.net
  2. Diving, learning to dive and dive sites around Huvafen Fushi — Huvafen Fushi

More dive sites in North Malé Atoll

Reef

Back Faru

The standard check dive, an hour from Malé City

20–30 mintermediate

Reef

Banana Reef

One of the first dive sites ever found in the Maldives

10–25 mintermediate

Reef

Bandos Rock

House-reef wall with caves, table corals and a canyon

3–30 mintermediate

Reef

Fairytale Reef

A gentle drift along a reef with big reef fish

to 30 mintermediate

Reef

Fish Tank

Stingrays and morays drawn to a fish-factory outflow

10.2–20.8 mbeginner

Reef

Helengeli House Reef

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

to 20 mintermediate

Wreck

Hembadhoo Wreck

An upright 16 m tug covered in soft and black corals

15–22 m · max 25 mbeginner

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