South Malé Atoll · Maldives · Channel & pass · Cave & cavern
Kandooma Caves
An overhang whose ceiling opens to a window at 10 m
Area photo: Saaremees · CC BY-SA 4.0
A channel dive lined with overhangs at around 20 m, one of which opens through its ceiling to a window at 10 m. Many turtles are seen here, and a torch is highly recommended for the dark terrain. The channel runs deep — 18 m average, 50 m maximum — and wannadive rates the current strong, above two knots, so it is dived as an advanced drift.
Where it is and how deep
3.9002° N, 73.4751° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive drifts the channel past a series of overhangs cut into the reef at around 20 m. The set piece is the overhang with an opening in its ceiling — a window through to 10 m that lets light drop into the dark space beneath. A torch is highly recommended, because the overhangs are where the life concentrates: many turtles are seen on this site.
Treat the numbers with respect. The average depth is 18 m but the channel bottoms out at 50 m, and the current is rated strong, above two knots. That combination makes it a dive for experienced divers, run on the guide's read of the water like the atoll's other channel sites, with the overhang line as the route rather than open mid-channel.
Marine life and season
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows South Malé Atoll: The dry northeast monsoon, late December to May, is the main season; mantas clean May to August and whale sharks are reported in August on the outer reef.
Know before you go
- Strong current, rated above two knots through the channel — planned and dived as a drift for experienced divers.
- Dark overhang terrain at around 20 m — a torch is highly recommended.
Questions divers ask
Do I need a torch at Kandooma Caves?+
Yes — a torch is highly recommended. The overhangs sit at around 20 m and are dark inside, including the one whose ceiling opens to a window at 10 m.
Sources
- Kandooma Caves — Scubago
- wannadive.net — Kadooma Caves — wannadive.net
More dive sites in South Malé Atoll
Drift
One of the best shark shows around Malé on the right incoming current
Channel & pass
A channel protected for its grey reef and whitetip sharks
Channel & pass
Collapsed reef blocks sheltering sharks in a protected channel
Pinnacle
A current-swept thila where barracuda stack in groups
Wreck
An artificial-reef wreck beside a hard-coral giri
Manta cleaning station worked from April into November
Reef
Coral blocks from 5 to 15 m above a drop-off to 30 m
Reef
A one-way drift along the atoll's southeast outer reef
Similar dives elsewhere
Schools of grey reef sharks in a channel cut with caves from 8 to 40 m
More than 100 grey reef sharks can patrol the channel mouth
Drift the channel corner on either tide, 5 to 25 m
Table, mushroom and brain corals down a steep slope to 25 m