Velidhoo coral gardens - Rasdhoo Atoll
Velidhoo coral gardens in Rasdhoo Atoll offers a pleasant, relaxed dive. We've found the corals here quite healthy, providing good shelter for a variety of smaller reef dwellers. Keep an eye out for the shell life – we've spotted cowries nestled amongst the branches, and it’s a good spot to search for Variable Strombs and the occasional Frigid Cone on the sandy patches. It’s a gentle drift on most days, making it a good choice for newer divers or those looking for an easy second dive, perhaps to practice their macro photography.
- Location
- Rasdhoo Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 4.201256, 72.814354
- Type
- reef
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 Velidhoo coral gardens
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 Velidhoo coral gardens
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