Raa Atoll · Maldives · Wall · Pinnacle
Koroshigiri Canyon
Overhang-cut wall to 30 m with a small thila rising from 33 m to 18 m up-current
Area photo: Samee Shafeeg · CC BY 3.0
Koroshigiri Canyon is a wall dive in the south of Raa Atoll. The top reef starts at about 3 m and the wall below is criss-crossed with overhangs that can be dived to 30 m; up-current of the wall a small thila rises from 33 m to 18 m. Nitrox and a Deep specialty are recommended, as the interesting parts of the site are the deep ones.
Where it is and how deep
5.5091° N, 72.8711° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
Descend over the top reef at about 3 m and go down the wall, which is cut through with overhangs all the way to 30 m. Take the deep part first: the overhangs are the feature of the site and the lowest of them sit near the 30 m mark, so this is where bottom time goes, before working back up the face and using the shallower overhangs on the way.
If the plan includes the thila, it lies up-current of the wall and comes from 33 m up to 18 m. Doing it means a deeper start and a swim against the flow, which is why the operator asks for Nitrox and a Deep specialty. Either way the dive ends on the top reef at about 3 m, a shallow finish that doubles as the safety stop.
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 | Prime | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Raa Atoll: Dry December to May brings glassy seas and the clearest water; June can be too choppy for boats, and the windier months that follow bring plankton and mantas.
Know before you go
- The up-current thila starts at 33 m, beyond recreational limits for many divers; agree in the briefing whether it is included and at what maximum depth.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Koroshigiri Canyon?+
The top reef starts at about 3 m and the overhang-cut wall can be dived to 30 m. A small thila up-current of the wall runs from 33 m to 18 m.
Sources
- Koroshigiri Canyon — Scubago
More dive sites in Raa Atoll
Wall
Straight drop from 10 m to 35 m with soft-coral overhangs at 12-18 m
Pinnacle
Overhangs on the channel side shelter stingrays and nurse sharks
Pinnacle
Round channel thila at the atoll's eastern end, 5 m down to 35 m
Pinnacle
Ocean thila in the middle of a channel, from 10 m to 40 m
Drift
Two-tier drift: overhangs at 10-15 m for beginners, 25 m for the experienced
Pinnacle
A broken rock in many blocks, with everything between 18 m and 30 m
Reef
Healthy coral and macro life on an easy reef from 2 m to 20 m
Pinnacle
Top reef at 1 m and a 25 m base with macro life, 8 minutes from the resort
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