Nelivaru Thila
A thila in south-eastern Baa whose top lies around 14 m, sloping to about 30 m. Star-shaped canyons, small caves and overhangs draped in hard and soft coral shelter groupers, batfish, sweetlips and dense schools of glassfish. In the southwest monsoon the whole reef works as a manta cleaning station.
Facts
- Region: Maldives – North & Central Atolls
- Area: Baa Atoll
- Depth: 14–30 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: pinnacle, manta
- Coordinates: 5.1248, 73.0759 (approximate)
- Highlights: manta rays (cleaning station, May–Nov), glassfish, sweetlips, batfish, groupers, hard coral, soft coral, swim-throughs/overhangs
- Tips: Deeper top – plan bottom time (nitrox helps). Nelivaru was among the Baa areas given protected status in October 2023.