Maamigili Beyru
The outer reef of Maamigili island on the southern edge of Ari, the core of the South Ari Marine Protected Area created to protect whale sharks, which can be met here year-round. A thin fringing reef slopes gently to sand at about 30 m and is dived as a long drift, with moray eels, napoleon wrasse, turtles, whitetip reef sharks and occasional manta rays.
Facts
- Region: Maldives – North & Central Atolls
- Area: South Ari Atoll
- Depth: 5–30 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: reef, drift
- Coordinates: 3.46485, 72.8173
- Highlights: whale shark, manta rays (occasional), whitetip reef shark, napoleon wrasse, turtles, moray eels, eagle ray, mobula, blue-lined snapper
- Tips: Keep the reef on your right shoulder on an incoming current and on your left on an outgoing one. Whale shark code of conduct (government rules announced Sept 2024): keep at least 3 m from the shark's head/body and 4 m from the tail, never touch, ride, feed or block it, no flash or lights, no selfie sticks; boats max 5 knots in the 250 m contact zone and 2 knots within 50 m, max three boats per zone.