Housereef Rannalhi - One of the best Diving Spots in Maldives

Kandhooma Thila

Kandooma Thila is one of the top 5 dive sites in the Maldives.

It’s a teardrop-shaped thila situated in the middle of the channel, running from west to east for a length of 300 meters. The top lies at 15 meters, making it a typical dive for advanced divers. Occasionally, when the current is weak, it can also be dived by open water divers.

It is one of the few (around 10) marine protected areas in the Maldives where fishing is forbidden, even for locals. Everything can be seen here: barracuda, huge Napoleon wrasse, schools of eagle rays (up to 50 together), guitar sharks, giant green turtles, hawksbill turtles, leopard sharks, and occasionally, mantas.

The main attraction is a school of grey reef sharks that reside near the northwest corner, which can be seen as shallow as 25 meters in groups of up to 100. The best conditions are with an outgoing current (west to east), where the typical dive profile is a descent to 18 meters, followed by a 10-minute swim to the shark point. There, divers descend to 30 meters, hook into the reef, and enjoy the show.

When the current is incoming (east to west), a channel crossing from Cocoa Corner to Kandooma is feasible at a depth of 30 meters. The bottom sits at 40 meters, making it a very special dive reserved for experienced divers only.

Magu 2 ( Vaagali Bodu Thila)

Magu is located 15 minutes away by boat from Rannalhi. It is a square-shaped thila that sits in the middle of the Vagaali channel. It stretches from east to west for about 200 meters. The top lies between 5 and 9 meters, making it perfect for all diving levels.

As it sits on the edge of the atoll, the main sightings include grey reef sharks, white-tip sharks, Napoleon wrasse, and pelagic species, including large yellowfin tuna.

The thila can be dived on two sides—the north wall and the south wall. The north wall is the place for “big stuff,” while the south wall hosts incredible coral life, where ghost pipefish, leaf fish, and Halimeda ghost pipefish can be seen.

The best conditions occur with an incoming current, where visibility can reach 40+ meters. On the other hand, with an outgoing current, visibility can drop to as low as 10 meters.

The normal dive profile involves a descent on the north corner and a hold-and-wait profile.

Guraidhoo Corner

Guraidhoo Corner is a large corner on the Guraidhoo Channel, located on the southern side. The corner begins at a depth of 1 meter, gradually slopes down to 12 meters, and then drops vertically to a drop-off at 40 meters.

The unique formation of this corner, when combined with strong currents, makes it the most difficult dive in this atoll—one of the toughest dives in the region. At the same time, it offers some of the clearest water visibility in the Maldives. On clear days, while diving at 20 meters, it’s common to clearly see the bottom of the channel at 72 meters.

Main encounters include mantas, grey reef sharks, and an incredible number of pelagic species. Hammerheads and whale sharks are sometimes spotted.

The primary dive is done with an incoming, moderate current. On days with a southeast to northwest current, the channel crossing can be done—offering a breathtaking experience for every diver.

Manta Point

Located in front of Guraidhoo Island, this site features a sandy bottom between 15–20 meters where a large coral block serves as a cleaning station during manta season (May to November).

Mantas can often be seen here being cleaned by reef fish. It is a perfect dive site for both beginners and experienced divers. The current is normally very mild, making it accessible even for snorkellers.