Potato Reef, Thulusdhoo - North Malé Atoll
Potato Reef is exactly what it sounds like – a gently sloping, relatively shallow patch reef off Thulusdhoo. It’s an easy entry for new divers or anyone wanting a relaxed second dive. You’ll find plenty of smaller reef fish here, parrotfish grazing away, and sometimes a few garden eels popping their heads out of the sand. It’s not a dramatic drift or a high-octane pelagic spot, but we’ve spent many a pleasant hour spotting nudibranchs and admiring the simpler side of Maldivian reef life. For an easy afternoon dip, it absolutely does the trick.
- Location
- North Malé Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 4.400000, 73.662300
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 15m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: K.Huraa Kan'doo Faa Sarahahdhu
Best Time to Dive in North Malé Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in North Malé Atoll occur in April, averaging 30.9°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.6°C
- February: 28.9°C
- March: 29.8°C
- April: 30.9°C
- May: 30.1°C
- June: 29.6°C
- July: 29.6°C
- August: 29.6°C
- September: 29.4°C
- October: 29.2°C
- November: 29.3°C
- December: 29.0°C
Nearby Dive Sites in North Malé Atoll
- 5 Palms, Thulusdhoo - 18m
- Abaandance Faru - 21m (reef)
- Ahmedbe Thila - 24m (pinnacle)
- Airport Beyru - 25m
- Akirifushi - 5-20m (reef)
- Akirifushi Kandu - 25m (drift)
- Ali Giri (pinnacle)
- Amin Faru - 21m (reef)
- Amingiri Sandbank Reef - 17m (reef)
- Amra - 26m
- Anemone Thila - 19m (pinnacle)
- Anniela Thila - 20m (pinnacle)
- Asdhoo Wreck - 21m (wreck)
- Asdu House Reef (reef)
- Back Faru
Nearest Dive Centres to Potato Reef, Thulusdhoo
- Agua Zone
- Amba Dive Maldives - ["PADI"]
- Amphibuzz Dive
- ATD Conte Max and Duke of York - ["PADI"]
- Best Dives Centara Mirage Lagoon - ["PADI"]
- Best Dives Olhahali - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in North Malé Atoll
Home to 101 recorded species including 42 reef fish, 41 hard corals, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 seagrass & algae, 3 sharks & rays, 2 sea cucumbers.
Notable Species
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora paniculata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora cytherea) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Potato Reef, Thulusdhoo
Based on average water temperature of 29.5°C, currents 10 cm/s.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°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