Vaavu Atoll · Maldives · Wall · Cave & cavern · Reef · Drift
Fulidhoo Caves
Wide soft-coral overhangs under table corals along a 4 km back reef
Area photo: TANAKA Juuyoh (%u7530%u4E2D%u5341%u6D0B) · CC BY 2.0
The central part of Fulidhoo's back reef, a sloping wall that starts at 6 m under table corals and drops past 30 m, undercut by wide overhangs from 15 m down. The overhangs at around 25 m are lined with soft corals and shelter batfish when the current runs, and the reef carries moray eels, humphead wrasse, reef sharks and rays.
Where it is and how deep
3.6831° N, 73.4177° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The back reef of Fulidhoo runs roughly 4 km from west to east, and Fulidhoo Caves is its central part. You descend onto the reef top at 6 m, which PADI describes as covered with table corals, and then follow the slope over the edge, where the wall drops away to 30 m and beyond. PADI lists it as a cave, drift, reef and wall dive, so expect to move along the wall with whatever current is running rather than hold one spot.
The overhangs are what the name refers to. They cut into the wall from 15 m and continue beyond 30 m, and at around 25 m there are many of them, lined with soft corals; PADI notes that fish such as batfish search for shelter in them during currents, so that is where to look when the flow picks up. Along the slope the reef hosts an abundance of small reef fish, moray eels, humphead wrasse, batfish, reef sharks and rays. Work back up the slope to finish under the table corals near 6 m before ascending.
Marine life and season
- Napoleon wrasse
- Reef sharks
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Vaavu Atoll: November to April brings the strongest channel flow and the clearest water; mantas pass through on plankton-rich currents from May to September, peaking May to July.
Know before you go
- The overhangs continue beyond 30 m; keep to the 25 to 30 m band the sources describe rather than following them deeper.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Fulidhoo Caves?+
The reef top starts at 6 m under table corals and the wall drops to 30 m and beyond, with the overhangs running from 15 m down and concentrated around 25 m.
Are the Fulidhoo Caves real caves?+
Both sources describe wide overhangs in a sloping wall rather than enclosed caves; PADI lists the site as a cave, drift, reef and wall dive.
Sources
- Fulidhoo Caves - Scubago — Scubago
- Fulidhoo Caves Dive Site - PADI — PADI
More dive sites in Vaavu Atoll
Night
Hundreds of nurse sharks feeding under a resort pier at night in 3 to 5 m
Pinnacle
A circular giri you can swim right round, top at 1 m and coral to 20 m
Channel & pass
Schools of grey reef sharks in a channel cut with caves from 8 to 40 m
Channel & pass
Overhangs and cavities from 10 m to beyond 30 m on the channel's south side
Channel & pass
Sharks holding mid-channel in the drift that gave the site its name
Similar dives elsewhere
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