Raa Atoll, the area around Maafaru

Raa Atoll · Maldives · Reef

Maafaru

Healthy coral and macro life on an easy reef from 2 m to 20 m

Area photo: Samee Shafeeg · CC BY 3.0

Maafaru is an easy reef on the north side of You & Me Maldives in Raa Atoll, 10 minutes by boat from the resort. The top reef starts at 2 m and the bottom is at 20 m, and the dive is a relaxed one over healthy coral with macro life to look for, which suits a first dive of the trip.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Maafaru: typical dive 2–20 m (7–66 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit2 m20 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

5.6737° N, 72.8608° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The boat ride is only 10 minutes north from You & Me. Descend over the top reef, which starts at just 2 m, and follow the reef down to its base at 20 m. This is a relaxed dive with no depth pressure: the whole site sits inside Open Water limits, so the pace is set by what you find on the coral rather than by the computer.

Work the base of the reef at 20 m first and then spend the bulk of the dive on the mid and upper reef, where the coral is healthy and the macro life lives. Go slowly and look closely at the coral rather than swimming over it, because the small subjects are the point here. The top reef at 2 m gives a long, easy end to the dive and a safety stop with something to look at.

Marine life and season

  • Macro critters
Month-by-month season rating for Maafaru
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodFairFairFairFairFairFairGood

Season follows Raa Atoll: Dec–Apr is the calm, clear window and when mantas use the Uthuru Maafaru cleaning stations; the south-west monsoon (Jun–Nov) brings rain and a choppy surface.

Questions divers ask

Is Maafaru suitable for beginners?+

Yes. It is described as an easy and relaxed dive, the reef runs from 2 m to 20 m, and it is 10 minutes by boat from You & Me Maldives.

Sources

  1. Maafaru — Scubago
  2. Uthurumaafaru, Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi — OpenStreetMap

More dive sites in Raa Atoll

Pinnacle

Dheraha Thila

A broken rock in many blocks, with everything between 18 m and 30 m

18–30 madvanced

Drift

Fainu Corner

Two-tier drift: overhangs at 10-15 m for beginners, 25 m for the experienced

10–25 mintermediate

Wall

Fuggiri Wall

Straight drop from 10 m to 35 m with soft-coral overhangs at 12-18 m

10–35 madvanced

Reef

Gaagandu Faru

Gentle coral slope with overhangs, 8 m to 20 m

8–20 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Ifuru Thila

Round channel thila at the atoll's eastern end, 5 m down to 35 m

5–35 madvanced

Wall

Koroshigiri Canyon

Overhang-cut wall to 30 m with a small thila rising from 33 m to 18 m up-current

3–30 m · max 33 madvanced

Reef

Madi Gaa

Two manta cleaning stations, at 13 m and 20 m, active December to April

13–20 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Reethi Thila

Overhangs on the channel side shelter stingrays and nurse sharks

6–30 mintermediate

Similar dives elsewhere

Reef

Cap La Houssaye

Réunion · France

A shore entry in the marine reserve, 4 m to a small drop-off

4–18 mbeginner

Reef

Flying Fish Cove

Christmas Island · Australia

Walk-in shore diving with a sheer wall and a garden-eel flat

to 20 mbeginner

Reef

Aquarium

Mauritius · Mauritius

Shallow coral and a multitude of small reef fish

5–20 mbeginner

Reef

Baie Ternay Marine Park

Seychelles · Seychelles

Protected marine park reef, nothing deeper than 20 m

to 20 mintermediate