Maldives, the land of a thousand atolls. Beautifully covered coral gardens, countless different species of marine life you will find almost everywhere in the Maldives. The North Malé Atoll however has a few very special sites. The administrative atoll Kaafu has four natural atolls collectively called the Malé Atoll: (from north to south) Kaashidhoo, Gaafaru, the North Malé Atoll and the South Malé Atoll. The whole Kaafu Atoll consists of 109 Islands of which 9 are inhabited (Resort islands, Airports and Industrial Islands are also considered uninhabited). Among the Islands of the North Malé Atoll are Furanafushi, Hembadhoo, Ihuru, Medhufinolhu, Vabbinfaru, Vihamanaafushi and the capital Malé to name just a few.
Diving in the North Malé is a real treat and offers something for everybody. There are sites that manage to stick out even with this fantastic offer. One of these sites is Girifushi Thila. Just off the main reef of Himmafushi Island, this site truly offers one of the best dives in the Maldives. While the thila presents several overhangs, caves, crevices, house-sized boulders and a chimney from 25 m (80 ft) to the reeftop at 12 m (40 ft) it is the abundant variety of soft corals this place is world famous for. The whole area is covered in blue, yellow and orange soft corals as well as stunning sea fans and black coral trees. This thila also offers perfect environment for reef and pelagic fish as the currents flowing in and out of the atoll wash the thila. Grey reef shark, eagle rays, tuna and barracudas are just a few of the spectacular variety of fish that can be encountered at Girifushi Thila. Please keep in mind that to enjoy this dive you must be confident in strong currents; it is not suitable for beginners or snorkellers. If a red flag is shown from the island it is forbidden to dive the channel.
If you are looking for manta rays, Lakanfinolhu Faru is the one place in the North Malé Atoll that you will definitively have to visit. In the southwest season this place is a cleaning station for an astonishing number of these beauties. The top of the reef starts at 12 m (40 ft) and gently drops down to 40 m (130 ft). Porites corals have completely covered the reef and are homes to the colonies of cleaner fish. Coming in from the deep water, the mantas hover over the coral heads while the wrasse set to work. Try to position yourself close to, but not on top of, the coral heads. If you do not crowd the mantas they will perform their cleaning ritual in front of your eyes. It is common for encounters to last half an hour or more, but if you try to touch the mantas you will scare them away.
And even without the sighting of mantas, Lakanfinolhu Faru is still a tremendous dive site: huge schools of bullseyefish, sweet lips, napoleon wrasse, various species of moray eels and heaps of turtles. Further to the west of the reef are several caves and beautiful table corals. Strong currents can make this dive an uncomfortable one for novices and snorkellers.
If wrecks is what you are looking for, you definitively have to dive the Maldives Victory. The wreck of this 3500-tonne, 110 m (360 ft) cargo ship lies parallel to the reef of the airport island. Bolt upright, the vessels bow is pointing due north just 70 m (230 ft) off the reef. The midships mast stands intact, reaching to 12 m (40 ft), where a shotline is attached. You descend to the crosstrees of the mast at 15 m (50 ft), then down to the deck, at 25 m (80 ft), where you are sheltered from the current. Here you can either look at the open holds or stay on the ship's rail and survey the outside. At the bow, where one of the main anchors lies on the sand, you can see turtles, large groupers, jackfish, giant trevallies and masses of fusiliers. You can explore the accommodation block and bridge, but take great care when entering the wreck. There is much speculation about the cause of the sinking of the Maldives Victory. All known is that on Friday 13 February 1981 the vessel made a navigational error as it approached the deep channel between Hulhule and Malé. The 35 crew members escaped unhurt.
Lions Head is just thrilling. The overhang, shaped like a lion's head, is the pinnacle of a natural break and home to schooling grey reef sharks as well as some superb hard and soft corals and a mass of colourful reef life. Starting at the reeftop at 3 m (10 ft) it steeply goes down to 40 m (130 ft), with caves and overhangs in the first 25 m (80 ft), before the reef plunges into the depths
From the point of entry, where most of the sharks are seen, you can follow the reef either west or east, depending on the direction of the current. On the reef wall you can find a huge variety of invertebrates and fishes. Look out for the unusual leaf fish and the false stonefish or the common Hawksbill turtles.
Looking for sharks? If so, head for Finger Point. This is probably one of the best shark dives in the Maldives during the southwest season, when the current flows into the atoll through the narrow channel. It is rather a small thila and sticks out from the main reef like a finger, hence its name. A saddle of sand links the main reef with the thila and should be your point of entry. Descend quickly and aim for the southern tip of the thila always keeping the thila to your right. In doing so, you will be protected from the strong current. As usual, the current point is where you will find the action.
This is a natural cleaning station for grey reef and white-tip sharks, and you can often see cleaner wrasse going right into the sharks' mouths. At times a squadron of up to 20 eagle rays patrol here. Heading back from the thila to the reef, you will see and abundant variety of fish and coral life. In the northeast season, when the currents are flowing out of the channel, this is a good site for coral and reef fish, but the pelagic are absent.
Last but surely not least, there is Helengeli Thila. Shaped like a teardrop, this site has some of the best hard-coral formations in North Malé Atoll. There are three very large massive coral heads in the central area of the reef top. On the northern side the thila drops vertically down to meet the atoll plate, and here grey sharks, eagle rays and large schools of jackfish are often seen. The best time to dive is when the current is coming in from the ocean, bringing clear waters and a great profusion of fish life.