The Cathedral - South Ari Atoll
The Cathedral in South Ari Atoll is a solid, easy dive, perfect for getting back in the swing of things. It’s a shallow pinnacle, topping out around 22 meters, with a nice coating of corals that give it its name. Think of it less as a grand cavern and more like a gentle underwater dome. We often see reef sharks cruising by and schools of fusiliers here, especially when there’s a mild current. It’s a really relaxed dive, good for beginners or anyone looking for a pretty spot without much fuss.
- Location
- South Ari Atoll, Maldives, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- 3.152900, 73.001600
- Type
- cave
- Maximum Depth
- 22m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Filitheyo Kan'du
Best Time to Dive in South Ari Atoll
The warmest water temperatures in South 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: 27.9°C)
- April: 28.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- May: 28.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- June: 28.7°C (air: 28.4°C)
- July: 28.7°C (air: 28.1°C)
- August: 28.7°C (air: 27.9°C)
- September: 28.7°C (air: 27.7°C)
- October: 28.7°C (air: 27.7°C)
- November: 28.7°C (air: 27.3°C)
- December: 28.7°C (air: 27.5°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in South Ari Atoll
- 1000 Rocks - 27m
- Aah Thila - 10-30m (pinnacle)
- Aiyabe Thila (pinnacle)
- Ali Thila (pinnacle)
- Amazing reef s (reef)
- Ari Beache Beru - 5-20m (reef)
- Ariyadhoo Corner - 15-30m (reef)
- Biledhdhoo Kandu - 24m (drift)
- Bobana Thila - 5-30m (pinnacle)
- Bodu Beru - 21m
- Bodufinolhu Thila (pinnacle)
- Bodumiyarugau
- Bulaloghi Faru - 21m (reef)
- Chapati Tilas - 30m (pinnacle)
- Dangheti Port
Nearest Dive Centres to The Cathedral
- Aquaholics-Kandima - ["PADI"]
- Aquaholics-Nova - ["PADI"]
- Best Dives Machchafushi - ["PADI"]
- Coral - ["PADI"]
- diveOceanus Villa Park Sun Island - ["PADI"]
- Endheri Marine Center - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in South Ari Atoll
Home to 152 recorded species including 85 hard corals, 50 reef fish, 7 sea snails & nudibranchs, 3 seagrass & algae, 2 sharks & rays, 2 other.
Notable Species
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Table coral (Acropora clathrata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora secale) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora solitaryensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora austera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora paniculata) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora acuminata) - Hard Corals
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aculeus) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora tenuis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora horrida) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora donei) - Hard Corals
- Wrinkle coral (Coscinaraea monile) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora humilis) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for The Cathedral
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