Rasdhoo Try Dive Area - North Ari Atoll
Forget the name, this isn’t just for try dives. Rasdhoo Try Dive Area is a fantastic spot for shaking off the dust or getting comfortable with your buoyancy. It’s a gentle, sloping coral reef that rarely pushes past 13 meters, meaning plenty of bottom time to simply float and watch. We've often seen small reef sharks here, tucked under ledges, and the usual suspects like parrotfish and triggerfish are always busy. It’s a calm, easy dive, perfect for newer divers or those who just want a relaxed splash in the Maldives.
- Location
- North Ari Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 4.262200, 72.990200
- Maximum Depth
- 13m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Rasdhoo-Madivaru Sarahahdhu
Best Time to Dive in North Ari Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in North Ari Atoll occur in January, averaging 28.7°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.7°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
- February: 28.7°C (air: 27.8°C)
- March: 28.7°C (air: 28.0°C)
- April: 28.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- May: 28.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- June: 28.7°C (air: 28.5°C)
- July: 28.7°C (air: 28.1°C)
- August: 28.7°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 28.7°C (air: 27.6°C)
- October: 28.7°C (air: 27.6°C)
- November: 28.7°C (air: 27.3°C)
- December: 28.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in North Ari Atoll
- Bathala Maaga Kan
- Bathala Tila
- Bodu Ashey
- Bodu Gah
- Cambra Beach - 18m
- Caves (cave)
- De faru
- De faru reef (reef)
- Fushi Faru - 23m (reef)
- Gangehi Kandu North - 21m (drift)
- Hafsa Thila - 15-30m (pinnacle)
- Hammerhead Point
- Hammerhead Point, Rasdhoo Atoll
- Holi Faru
- Kuramathi Caves - 24m (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Rasdhoo Try Dive Area
- Azure Dive and Water Sports Centre - ["PADI"]
- Bodu Manta Diving
- Coco Dive Dhuni Kolhu - ["PADI"]
- Dive Butler Finolhu - ["PADI"]
- Dive Club Buoyancy - SSI
- Drop Dive Maldives - SSI
Marine Life in North Ari Atoll
Home to 138 recorded species including 82 hard corals, 38 reef fish, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays, 2 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Long-beaked Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
- Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora acuminata) - Hard Corals
- Wrinkle coral (Coscinaraea monile) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora paniculata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora horrida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora echinata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Rasdhoo Try Dive Area
Based on average water temperature of 28.7°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories