Information
Landmark: Kandooma ThilaCity: Maafushi
Country: Maldives
Continent: Asia
Kandooma Thila, Maafushi, Maldives, Asia
Overview
Kandooma Thila, a renowned dive site in the Maldives, sits near Maafushi in the South Malé Atoll, where divers drift past swaying sea fans and schools of silver fish.Famous for its rich marine life-think schools of bright parrotfish darting through coral-it’s a top spot for both divers and snorkelers.Kandooma Thila sits in the South Malé Atoll, just a short boat ride from Maafushi Island and roughly 27 kilometers from Malé, the Maldives’ bustling capital where fishing boats line the harbor.You can reach the site from nearby islands like Maafushi, making it a favorite spot for diving and snorkeling.Kandooma Thila itself is a towering underwater pinnacle-what locals call a “thila”-rising steeply from the seafloor.Kandooma Thila is a vast submerged reef, its sheer walls plunging into deep blue water and shaping breathtaking underwater cliffs.It juts up like a tiny island, climbing from more than 20 meters (66 feet) below until it’s close enough for snorkelers and divers to brush their fingers across its sunlit surface.Kandooma Thila teems with life, from darting reef fish to coral gardens glowing in shades of pink and gold.At Kandooma Thila, divers can look forward to an incredible range of marine life-from sleek gray reef and white-tip sharks, with the occasional hammerhead cruising past, to hawksbill and green turtles drifting lazily through the blue.The reef bursts with color as parrotfish, napoleon wrasse, groupers, and snappers dart between corals, while moray eels peer from narrow crevices.On lucky days, mantas and stingrays glide in like shadows, and beneath it all, thriving hard and soft corals create a living mosaic.These reefs shelter a dazzling mix of marine life-schools of bright fish flashing past coral-and they’re a magnet for underwater photographers and nature lovers alike.Strong Currents: This dive site’s famous for water that can pull hard, shifting from a steady push to a fast, rushing sweep.Although the shifting currents can challenge newer divers, they sweep in nutrient-rich water that draws in big fish and sleek pelagics, sometimes flashing silver just beneath the surface.This spot’s ideal for seasoned divers who feel at ease letting the current carry them, like gliding past a wall of bright coral.Around Kandooma Thila, the water stays crystal clear, with visibility often stretching 20 to 30 meters-far enough to watch a reef shark glide past bright coral.Diving at Kandooma Thila isn’t for beginners-strong currents sweep through its deep channels, making it a challenge better suited for intermediate and advanced divers.To dive here safely and make the most of it, you’ll need certification and solid drift-diving experience.Most dives are the kind where the current carries you past reef walls alive with darting fish and bright coral fans.For the best conditions, plan your trip between November and April, when the dry season brings calm seas and crystal-clear water.You can dive here any time of year, and even in the wet season from May to October the water’s still inviting, though visibility drops a bit.Snorkelers can enjoy Kandooma Thila too, sticking to the shallower spots where bright coral gardens sway and schools of fish flash past.Still, snorkelers need to be ready for stronger currents, especially near the reef’s outer edges where the water can pull hard around jagged coral.For the safest, most memorable trip, join a guided snorkeling tour-you’ll have someone watching the currents and pointing out the bright flash of a parrotfish as it darts past.You can reach Kandooma Thila from Maafushi with a quick boat ride, the kind where the salt spray catches your face before you’ve even settled in, making it a favorite stop for dive trips run by local guesthouses and resorts.Many luxury resorts across the South Malé Atoll also whisk guests there for guided dives.It’s one of the Maldives’ top sites, famous for its vivid coral gardens, schools of reef fish, and the rush of its drift dives.Just a short boat ride from Maafushi Island in the South Malé Atoll, its easy-to-reach spot draws seasoned divers eager to glide past reef sharks, watch turtles drift by, and glimpse massive pelagic fish in the blue.If you’re heading to the Maldives, don’t skip Kandooma Thila-it’s a thrilling dive site where schools of silver fish flash past in the blue.
