12-Days Explorer Tour – Hondaafushi to Male

It’s Sheena’s second trip of the season. We are starting from Hanimaadhoo (Haa Dhaalu Atoll) and exploring all the way back to Male (Kaafu Atoll).

During this trip we will be exploring the following northern atolls and revisiting some dive sites we explored while coming to the north – Haa Dhaalu Atoll, Shaiviyani Atoll, Raa Atoll, Baa Atoll, Lhaviyani Atoll, Kaashidhoo and Kaffu Atoll.

Today our tour starts with 10 guests on the boat: 2 from Austria, 3 from Switzerland, 2 from Russia and 3 from Germany. They all will be arriving into Hanimaadhoo where we will pick them up from the airport and take them to their home for the next 12 days.

Once arrived on boat they were provided with a welcome drink and a welcome briefing and later shown their cabins which later followed upon with a lunch. After lunch the guests had the opportunity to set up their diving equipment and relax for the rest of the day, snorkelling at the back of the boat where there was a baby manta just swimming around hoping someone would give him the attention he needs.

Later after dessert a general boat briefing about the full boat was given and then we

presented to the guests the itinerary we had for the next 12 days. At the end we had a crew introduction where the guests are introduced to the crew which ended with a huge round of applause.

Soon later the guests started to head towards their cabins to get must needed rest and prepare themselves for the next 12 days of adventure.

As the sun rose over the horizon the guests started gathering up eagerly waiting for their upcoming adventure. Ting and the bell rings for the first dive briefing which is later followed on with a Dhoni briefing and the check dive where the guests could check all their equipment and make sure they are weighted properly. They are also divided into two groups with Ved and Hampeck leading each group.

Dive 1 – Hanimaadhoo Corner (Haa Dhaal Atoll) (Check Dive)

After the check dive Ved gave a current briefing where he explains how to dive in the current and the difference between a kandu, a thila and a giri

Dive 2 – Finey Thila (Haa Dhaal Atoll)

Dive 3 – Theefaridhoo Thila (Haa Dhaal Atoll)

The second dive at Finey Thila and the third dive at Theefaridhoo Thila was outstanding.

Both the thilas starting at the depth of around 15m going to a depth of 30m + full of soft coral and big schools of fish like fusiliers, snappers, barracudas and some grey reef sharks. Good dives!

Dive 4 – Nellaidhoo Thila ( Haa Dhaal Atoll)

Dive 5 – Keylakunu Thila ( Haa Dhaal Atoll)

Dive 6 – Noomara Outreef (Shaviyani Atoll)

Today the plan was to 3 dives but there was one dive which reminded us why we love diving so much the site was Keylakunu Thila. A thila starting at a depth of 17m full of staghorn coral on the top and around the thila are some small overhangs where we saw a massive nurse shark, then swimming around on the top were some eagle rays cruising along with some barracudas chilling in the distance and then came the grey reef sharks around 15 of them together. It was madness underwater.

Dive 7 – Feydhoo House Reef (Shaviyani Atoll)

Dive 8 – Naain Faaru Outreef (Shaviyani Atoll)

Dive 9 – Maroshi Thila (Shaviyani Atoll)

Some highlights on today’s dives were at the first dive we had  some nurse sharks and a small school of eagle rays while on the third dive we visited Maroshi Thila. A site where we went looking for guitar sharks and I tell you this: we were not disappointed. On the dive we had schools of barracudas, some jacks, a lonely napoleon and a guitar shark. Beautiful day.

Dive 10 – Komandhoo Thila (Shaviyani Atoll)

Dive 11 – Rasgtheema Outreef (Raa Atoll)

Dive 12 – Kottafaru Thila (Raa Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 1 dive in Shaviyani then cross to Raa Atoll to do 2 more. Some highlights on Komandhoo Thila was this dive site was a coral heaven full of gorgonians and soft corals all around. The dive site started at the depth of 16m and went down towards 30m+ around the site there was 4 massive blocks that looked like asteroids that had landed underwater creating a canyon like swim throughs. On the dive we saw some big schools of jacks, barracudas, trevallys and some grey reef sharks. Later in the day we crossed towards Raa Atoll to explore some more dive sites and Kottafafu thila was also a very beautiful thila full of fish and coral. Good day again.

Dive 13 -Beriyam Thila (Raa Atoll)

Dive 14 – Undoodhoo (Baa Atoll)

Dive 15. – Kihadu Thila (Baa Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 1 dive in Raa Atoll then cross towards Baa atoll to do the other 2 dives. Some of the highlights of today’s dives were Beriyam Thila where the thila starts at 14m and has some massive overhangs full of soft coral and loads of fish and at the end of the dive cruising along with a family of 3 eagle rays. While at Kihadu thila we did a night dive where we the current was small the visibility was perfect and the dive as full of octopus and a nurse shark hiding under an overhang hoping not to be spotted. Beautiful end to the day.

Dive 16 – Dhonfanu Thila (Baa Atoll)

Dive 17 – Daravandhoo Manta Point (Baa Atoll)

Dive 18 – Dhonfanu Manta Point (Baa Atoll)

Today the plan was 3 dives. The first dive being Dhonfanu thila where the current was a medium outgoing and the dive had schools of giant trevallys hunting the fusiliers. While on the second and the third dive we visited the manta points but there weren’t any mantas but loads of other fish and rays were spotted on the dive.

Dive 19 – Kihadu Thila (Baa Atoll)

Dive 20 – Shipwreck (Lhaviyani Atoll)

Dive 21 – Kffc Kandu (Lhaviyani Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 1 dive in Baa atoll and then cross towards Lhaviyani atoll and do 2 more dives. The first dive at Kihadu thila was beautiful with a gentle current we were able to drift along and see the complete dive site. On the dive there were 2 nurse sharks, some schools of fusiliers and loads of soft coral under the overhang. Once we crossed to Lhaviyani atoll we dived 2 shipwrecks which were inside the channel. One of the ship wrecks is around 50m in length while the other was 35m both full of hard coral and under the big wreck there was a nurse shark hiding. While for the last dive we visited Kffc Kandu the current on the dive was a strong incoming current. We decided to jump in the blue and drift towards the drop off were there were around 10-15 grey reef sharks all curious who these divers are. Good day of diving.

Dive 22 – Kuredhoo Caves (Lhaviyani Atoll)

Crossing towards North Malé Atoll

Dive 23 – Iruvai Outreef (North Malé Atoll)

The plan today was to do 1 dive in Lhaviyani Atoll and then cross towards north Male and do another dive there. The first dive at kuredhoo caves was absolutely stunning. The topography of the site was the following:  it had loads of overhangs and in them there were loads of green turtles and some tunas. After that we crossed towards north Male atoll and did a dive at Iruvai Outreef where when we descended, we had a massive manta that cruised along on top of the reef giving the divers some ultimate happiness. Beautiful day of diving.

Dive 24 – Shipwreck (North Male Atoll)

Dive 25 – Olhahali Caves (North Malé Atoll)

Dive 26 – Finger Point (North Malé Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 3 dives. Some of the highlights of today’s dives were, on the first dive we discovered a shipwreck starting at a depth of 5m going all the way down to 30m+. It seemed the wreck had hit the reef in a storm and sunk. While the second dive at Olhahali caves was very beautiful with a gentle current getting a bit strong around the tongue the dive site had some massive caves where there were some longnose hawk fish waiting to be spotted. On the dive we also did see some grey reef sharks and some white tip sharks. For the third dive we went to Werner’s highly recommend dive site finger point where the reef looked like a finger where we saw some big schools of barracudas, tunas, fusiliers and sitting on the bottom were some white tip sharks.

Dive 27 – Helengeli Thila (North Malé Atoll)

Dive 28 – Fairytale (North Malé Atoll)

Dive 29 – Hp Reef (North Malé Atoll)

Dive 30 – Together Strong Blocks (North Malé Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 4 dives. Some of the highlights of today’s dives were starting with Helengeli thila a beautiful thila full of gorgonian fan coral under the south side of the thila while on the north end of the thila around the split there were sharks cruising along and at the end of the dive we had a visit from an eagle ray. Then another memorable dive was at HP reef. The dive site was full of soft coral, it looked like a coral garden under the water where we saw some napoleons, tunas, fusiliers, a hawksbill turtle and some white tip sharks cruising along. The last dive was a night dive. We went to a place to explore and named it Together strong blocks. The dive site was special in its own way, it looked underwater as if some small asteroids had hit the sea millions of years ago. Even though it was a shallow dive, it was full of macro subjects which made the dive very special. Beautiful day of diving.

Dive 31 – Lankan Manta Point (North Malé Atoll)

Dive 32 – Fish Factory (North Malé Atoll)

Today the plan was to do 2 dives and then spend the rest of the time relaxing. The first dive was a very special dive as we went looking for mantas again and were not disappointed. We had 4-5 that came along and gave a beautiful show to the divers. While for the last dive we visited the dive site fish factory where we encountered multiple honeycomb moray eels and some rays cruising along. A great end to the diving adventure.

Once back the guests washed their equipment and relaxed until bed time.

Today is the day we say goodbye with heavy heart as all our guests will be heading back home.

A memorable 12 days of complete fun and some awesome diving. Until next time, keep diving and happy bubbles.