Raa Atoll, the area around Thiling Faru

Raa Atoll · Maldives · Reef

Thiling Faru

Manta cleaning station on a sandy corner among coral blocks

Area photo: Samee Shafeeg · CC BY 3.0

Thiling Faru is a reef corner in Raa Atoll, about 20 minutes by boat from You & Me Maldives, with a manta cleaning station on a sandy patch surrounded by coral blocks. The top reef lies at 10 m and a coral slope runs down in two steps, first to 15 m and then to 30 m, so a group can split the dive between the slope and the wait at the station.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Thiling Faru: 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.

5.6293° N, 72.8308° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Thiling Faru is reached in about 20 minutes by boat. Descend onto the top reef at 10 m and follow the coral slope, which steps down first to 15 m and then to 30 m. The deeper part of the slope is where to use bottom time early in the dive, before working back up toward the corner so that no-decompression time is not the thing that ends the wait for mantas.

On the corner a sandy area surrounded by coral blocks is the manta cleaning station. Settle on the sand at the edge of the blocks rather than on them, keep low and wait; mantas on the station pass over the blocks to be cleaned and will tolerate a still group far better than one that moves toward them. Ascend up the slope to the 10 m top reef for the safety stop.

Marine life and season

  • Manta rays
Month-by-month season rating for Thiling Faru
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

How deep is Thiling Faru?+

The top reef is at 10 m and the coral slope steps down to 15 m and then to 30 m. The manta cleaning station is on a sandy corner among coral blocks.

Sources

  1. Thiling Faru — Scubago

More dive sites in Raa Atoll

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

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Fuggiri Wall

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Gaagandu Faru

Gentle coral slope with overhangs, 8 m to 20 m

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Ifuru Thila

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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

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Maafaru

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

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Madi Gaa

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

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