Explore Scuba Diving &
Dive Spots in Famous Lhaviyani Atoll
Varu Deep Dive would guide you to the beautiful underwater world to fathom how beautifully nature has created stunning coral gardens and its beautiful formation with amazingly colors ranging from yellow to purple, scarlet to crimson red and multicolor.
Lets Explore Hot Dive Sites
#LhaviyaniAtoll
Hinnavaru Outreef
SUITABLE FOR:
All experiences
DEPTH:
5m top reef dropping off to 30m and beyond, maximum dive depth 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Soldier fish, moray eels, cleaner shrimps, triggerfish, tuna, jacks and eagle rays
The outreef at Hinnavaru offers divers a steep drop off with numerous small caves and overhangs. Check out the soldier fish swimming upside down along the roof of the overhangs and keep an eye out for moray eels together with cleaner shrimps in the nooks and crannies. Different varieties of triggerfish can be found all along this reef – sometimes hidden with just the tails sticking out! Look out into the blue water to see tuna, jacks and eagle rays passing by.
ShipWreck
SUITABLE FOR:
Intermediate level
DEPTH:
0m where the wreck breaks the surface, dropping to 30m at the bottom of the channel
EXPECT TO SEE:
Two wrecks, small blennies, emperor angelfish, anthias, damsels, butterfly fish, glassfish, scorpion fish and stingrays
ABOUT
A unique dive site with two wrecks on one dive site. Skipjack 1 and 2 have been lying in this channel since the early 1980’s and are now encrusted with colourful hard and soft corals. Small blennies nest in the ends of broken pipes, emperor angelfish, anthias, damsels and butterfly fish are found all around the wrecks. Thousands of glassfish and some well-camouflaged scorpion fish can also be seen. There are sometimes stingrays sleeping under the wreck. Don’t forget to look up and see the stunning silhouette of the winch arm with the sunlight streaming behind it.
Gaerifaru Kandu
SUITABLE FOR:
Intermediate divers
DEPTH:
5m – 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Stingrays, eagle rays, batfish, hawksbill turtle, lion fish, soldier fish, nurse sharks
ABOUT:
A sandy channel between two outreefs with a thila touching the channel edge. You can cross the channel from one corner to the other whilst looking out for stingrays lying in the sandy areas and formations of eagle rays above you. A school of batfish can often be seen approaching the reef from the blue water. Towards the end of the dive you can explore the thila where hawksbill turtles can be found. There are small overhangs along the thila with lion fish and soldier fish inside. Across the other side of the channel there is a ridge and a long overhang where the occasional nurse shark have been seen.
Felivaru Kandu
SUITABLE FOR:
Advanced level
DEPTH:
5m at the corners, 30m on the channel edge dropping away, maximum dive depth 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Eagle rays, barracuda, sharks and stingrays
ABOUT
Prepare for the adrenalin rush. This channel is quite large and although it can be hard work finning against the current, the action that can witnessed makes it worth the effort. Squadrons of eagle rays can be seen ‘flying’ in formations, schools of barracuda congregate near the corners and sharks can also be seen passing by. If the currents are running well, expect to see large numbers of grey reef sharks. If the current is more gentle, take your time and look around the sandy channel where there are often stingrays lying. There is also a old, coral covered anchor close to the Felivaru side of the channel.
Aquarium
SUITABLE FOR:
All experiences
DEPTH:
3m top reef descending to 20m close to the bottom of the reef
EXPECT TO SEE:
Schooling blue stripe snappers, humpback snappers, octopus, hawksbill turtles and guitar sharks
ABOUT
Aquarium is a sheltered dive spot located on Huravalhi island. Being sheltered from strong currents, Aquarium is suitable for all levels of experience. One end of the dive site has a steep drop off, which gives way to a sloping reef dropping down to 25m. Schooling blue stripe snappers and humpback snappers swarm around the coral big coral blocks sticking out from the reef. Octopus can be found hiding away along the length of the reef. Hawksbill turtles are often seen feeding on algae and sponges growing on the reef. Aquarium is also a spot which throws up regular sightings of Guitar Sharks. They are often seen on or close to the sandy bottom, using one of the coral blocks as a cleaning station. Aquarium offers great subjects for both photos and video.
Latheef
SUITABLE FOR:
All experiences
DEPTH:
5m top reef dropping down to 30m and beyond, maximum dive depth 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Soft corals, leopard sharks, nudibranches, shrimps, moray eels, green turtles and bat fish
ABOUT
Latheef reef has a spectacular formation with a very steep drop-off with some large caves and overhangs. The ceilings of the caves are covered in brightly coloured soft corals – bright blue and purple in the deeper caves and bright yellow in the shallower ones. The sandy bottoms of the deeper caves offer the chance to find leopard sharks resting. Spend a lot of time inside the caves as you can find unusual nudibranches, shrimps and moray eels. Green turtles and a large school of bat fish are also usually seen. Occasionally the large hump head parrot fish has been spotted feeding here.
Coral Garden
SUITABLE FOR:
All experiences
DEPTH:
3m at the top of the coral blocks gently sloping to 20m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Hard and soft corals, stingrays, green turtles, moray eels and schooling snappers
ABOUT
Coral Garden is a very protected dive site close to the Kuredu House Reef. Being protected from strong currents, the site is suitable for all levels of experience. As the name suggests, Coral Garden offers some great growth of both hard and soft corals. In addition to the good coral covering, stingrays and green turtles can be found nestling behind the coral blocks and even on the soft corals themselves. Moray eels fill the gaps between the corals, while schooling snappers complete the picture.
Kuredu Caves
SUITABLE FOR:
All experiences
DEPTH:
3m top reef descending to 30m and beyond although the best part is 25m and shallower
EXPECT TO SEE:
Green sea turtles, soft corals, soldier fish, stingrays, napoleons, porcupine fish, lion fish, moray eels, scorpion fish and leaf fish
ABOUT
Kuredu Caves, is also known as ‘Turtle Airport’ due to the large population of green sea turtles that live here. There are a series of overhangs starting at 8 metres and dropping down to 20 metres. The ceilings of the overhangs are covered in soft corals and soldier fish swimming upside down. Stingrays can also be spotted on the sandy areas on the deeper ledges and big napoleons can also be seen cruising by. Porcupine fish, lion fish, moray eels, leaf fish and scorpion fish all make the overhangs their home.
Fushifaru Corner
SUITABLE FOR:
Intermediate level
DEPTH:
8m at the top of the corner, dropping to 30m and beyond, maximum dive depth 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Snappers, jack fish, napoleon wrasse, tuna, barracuda, moray eels, eagle rays and grey reef sharks
ABOUT
Fushivaru Corner dive site lies within a ‘Marine Protected Area’ with a staggering amount of fish life. On the corner large schools of snappers and jack fish can be seen swimming mid-water while big napoleon wrasse cruise on by. At the channel edge larger pelagic species, such as tuna can be spotted hanging in the current. A large school of barracuda is usually found just inside the channel while various moray eels hide under the coral blocks. As you swim along the channel edge, keep an eye out for eagle rays and grey reef sharks.
Vavvaru Kandu
SUITABLE FOR:
Intermediate level
DEPTH:
4m on the corner top reefs, 30m on channel bottom dropping away, maximum dive depth 30m
EXPECT TO SEE:
Stingrays, barracuda, eagle rays, groupers, green turtles and gorgonian fans
ABOUT
Vavvaru Kandu has a series of small steps along the edge of the channel that offer some protection from the current while diving here. Beneath each step there are small overhangs with groupers hanging out. Below the steps, the reef gives way to a steep drop off with large gorgonian fans attached to the wall. While crossing the channel, look out for stingrays in the sandy areas, barracudas and squadrons of eagle rays in the blue water. Green turtles are often also found resting on the ledges.
