Maaya Thila - Rasdhoo Atoll
Maaya Thila can get busy, being a popular spot in Rasdhoo. We usually drop in early morning to beat the crowds, or try for a late afternoon dive when some boats have cleared out. The reef itself is a small thila, a pinnacle rising from the seabed. You'll often find white tip reef sharks circling the top, and schools of fusiliers are usually hanging around the overhangs. For photographers, the soft corals here can be lovely, especially when the light is right. Just be aware, visibility isn't always the clearest, sometimes more like 15 metres than the flat 30 you might expect elsewhere in the Maldives.
- Location
- Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 4.091362, 72.861970
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 10-30m
Marine Protected Area: Aa.Maayaa Thila
Best Time to Dive in Rasdhoo Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in Rasdhoo Atoll occur in April, averaging 30.7°C. The coolest conditions are in January at 28.6°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.6°C
- February: 28.8°C
- March: 29.6°C
- April: 30.7°C
- May: 30.1°C
- June: 29.7°C
- July: 29.8°C
- August: 29.8°C
- September: 29.6°C
- October: 29.3°C
- November: 29.4°C
- December: 29.1°C
Nearby Dive Sites in Rasdhoo Atoll
- Ari Atoll
- Bathalaamaagaa Kanthila - 10-30m (pinnacle)
- Bathala Maga Khan Faru - 24m (reef)
- Bathala Maga Khan Thila - 25m (pinnacle)
- Bidu Thila (pinnacle)
- Bojaha Madi (Moofushi Rock) - 25m
- Divebase - 5-15m (reef)
- Dive base Albatros House Reef (reef)
- Ellaidhoo Chaaya Reef (reef)
- Ellaidhoo house reef (reef)
- Etheremadivaru house reef (reef)
- Fesdhoo - 15-30m (channel)
- Fesdhoo thila - 10-30m (pinnacle)
- Fesdu Wreck (wreck)
- Fish Head (pinnacle)
Nearest Dive Centres to Maaya Thila
Marine Life in Rasdhoo Atoll
Home to 104 recorded species including 42 hard corals, 42 reef fish, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Lineated Butterflyfish (Chaetodon trifasciatus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) - Starfish
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) - Sharks & Rays
- Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Cloudy Dascyllus (Dascyllus carneus) - Reef Fish
- Staghorn coral (Acropora paniculata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Maaya Thila
Based on average water temperature of 29.5°C, currents 16 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