Dive center ARI DIVERS RANVELI VILLAGE Name of the dive center is ARI DIVERS. The dive center is a PADI international dive center and the management is Maldivian. The staff s currently working at the dive center are one Maldivian Dive Instructors, one Maldivian dive Master and one compressor boy from Bangladesh. In the season at least one or two European instructors will be joining our team. Type of rental equipment: Mares MR 12 regulators ScubaPro MK 2 regulators Aladdin Sports Plus dive computers Compass Wet suits short Mares BCD Mares & ScubaPro- size (XXS, XS, S, M, L, and XL) Masks Mares and Seakodive Fins Mares Snorkel-Seakodive Surface balloon ScubaPro Dive lamps Tanks 12 liters aluminum Compressor small KB 13762-994 Compressor big KB 65329-994 Diving programs: House Reef Dives Night dive, boat and house reef Early morning dive, boat and house reef Single dive, Morning and afternoon, boat Two tank dive trip, boat Full day dive trip, boat Page 1 of 14
N Dive spots: Mahibadhoo Kuda thila Ranveli wreck Dhigurah thila Mahibadhoo Bodu thila Machafushi wreck Ari Beach Beyru Uravalhi thila Orimas faru Mamigili Beyru Velagli thila Fana faru Bodufinholhu thila Kuda thila Napoleon thila Manta point Black coral Alico thila(five Rock) Angaga thila Orimas thila Hani thila Dhigurah Beyru Vilamendhoo thila Dhigu thila Ranveli house reef Kalhu thila Hudhu thila Kudarah thila Baru thila Broken rock Ranveli Bodu thila Sailing thila Thinfushi thila Stingray City Ranveli Kuda thila Fun thila Coloseum The closest dive site (Ranveli wreck,ranvli kuda thila,ranvli Bodu thila and Vilamendhoo thila) you can reach in 5 to 7 min by boat. And many more other dive sites in 35 to 45 min. Ranveli house reef: One of the best house reefs in South Ari Atoll. As Ranveli lies just inside a channel, the rich ocean currents which runs into the channel attracts a lot of marine life to the house reef and the coral growth is extensive because of this. On the house reef lays a barge which went down 15 years ago. It is only 70m away from our main jetty. The top is 20m and the bottom is 30m with a sandy bottom. Groupers, Snappers, Sting Rays are found on this barge. And also White Tip Reef Sharks patrol nearby. Very often we see turtles, napoleons, eagle rays, scorpion fish, stone fish, different types of morays, different types of nudibranchs and even sometimes frog fish can be seen. The house reef is very good for snorkellers and divers. Ranveli House Reef 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 Page 2 of 14
Ranveli wreck (Al Karim) Sunk: on 24 April 2000 Length: 47.5m Tonnage: 500 tons Top of the wreck starts at 20m and the bottom is 32m. Marine life found on the wreck includes schools of Batfish, Snappers, Trevallys, school of sweet lips and Fusiliers. Also on the bottom underneath the bow of the ship there are Nurse Sharks, Leopard Sharks and Sting Ray. The coral life is very beautiful and very colorful. Page 3 of 14
More information about some of the dive sites. 1. Ranveli Kuda Thila: This is the closest dive site to Ranveli. The oval shaped submerged reef top is at 4 meters and goes all the way down to a depth of 35 meters. At 12 meters and 20 meters there are lots of overhangs. The coral and fish life here is abundant. Turtles, schools of Dog Toothed Tuna, Trevallys, Fusiliers, Snappers and on the sandy bottom you can see a lot of Garden Eels. 2. Ranveli Bodu Thila: A very long submerged reef. Just 8 minutes from Ranveli. The top of the reef is at 5 meters and the deepest is 27 meters. Lots of soft corals and sponges underneath the overhangs which are at 15meters. You can see large schools of Tuna, Snappers and Glassfish. Here you can try your luck to find the elusive Frogfish. Gobies and also Garden Eels can be found on the sandy bottom. Page 4 of 14
3. Broken Rock: This is one of the most beautiful dive sites in the atoll. Two huge coral blocks separated by a canyon in the middle. The top reef starts at 15 meters. The canyon in between the two coral blocks has a depth of 24 meters. The bottom of the reef is 25 meters. You can see schools of Barracudas, Eagle Rays, Skipjack and Yellow Fin Tunas, Sailfish, and if the current is just right, you will be able to watch the Grey Reef Sharks. 4. Hani Thila: The top of this narrow reef starts at 8 meters and goes down to a depth of 35 meters. The coral life is very good here, lots of table corals and other hard corals. At this site you will find a lot of small Nudibranchs and Flatworms. Also Hawksbill and Green Turtles, Sting Rays and Grey Reef Sharks. Page 5 of 14
5. Faana Faru: The is a very long outside reef with the reef top starting from 4 meters and going all the way down to 40 meters. The marine life here is abundant. You will be able to see Grey Reef Sharks, White Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, Potato Groupers, Dog Tooth Tunas, and Turtles. The perfect site to make a drift dive. 6. Napoleon Thila: One of the best sites to watch Napoleon Wrasses hence the name Schools of Napoleon Wrasses are seen here. Top reef is at 7 meters and the deepest part is at 27 meters. Other fish to see here are Snappers, Groupers and Sweetlips. The best time to dive here is in slight to medium current..! ( BEGINNER,ADVANCED & PROFS ) Page 6 of 14
7. Five Rock: A very interesting and exciting dive site, five big coral blocks in a circular formation separated from each other by a deep canyon. The top of the coral blocks start at a depth of 12 meters. The depth of the canyon between each coral block is about 26 meters. The coral blocks are full of gorgornias and underneath the overhangs is full of soft corals. White Tip Sharks and Grey Reef Sharks can be seen here. Also Giant Trevallys, schools of Tuna and Snappers. 8. Dhigu Thila: This is a very long submerged reef which start at a depth of 8 meters and goes down to a depth of 30 meters. Overhangs at 12 meters and 17 meters. Extensive coral life. You can see a variety of hard corals on the top reef and different colors of sponges around the reef. This site is good for watching small creatures such as Shrimps, Nudibranchs, Sea Snails. Page 7 of 14
9. Black Coral: One of the best dive sites nearby to Ranveli. The top of this submerged reef starts at 8 meters and goes down to a depth of 35 meters. The reef is full of Black Corals and also other types of hard corals. A large school of Batfish will follow you all throughout the dive. Other marine life you will be able to see here are White Tip Reef Sharks, Tunas, Fusiliers, Snappers and Trevallys. If you watch closely into the Black Corals you will be able to see the Longnose Hawkfish. Green Turtles and Hawksbill Turtles can be seen resting near the Black Corals. 10. Kuda Rah Thila: One of the best dive sites in South Ari Atoll. Full of Fusiliers, schools of Blue Striped Snappers, Napoleon Wrasses, Giant Trevallys. Grey Reef Sharks can be seen during the incoming current. Big Gorgornias are all over the reef and underneath the overhangs you can see soft corals and small gorgonias. You can see Eagle Rays flying by too. It takes 40 minutes from Ranveli to go to this site. The reef top starts at 14 meters and the deepest is 35 meters. Page 8 of 14
11. Kalhu Thila: It takes only 15 minutes from Ranveli to this site. A round submerged reef. The top reef is at 5 meters and gently slopes down to a depth of 35 meters. There are overhangs at 15 meters and 20 meters. You can see a resident Nurse Shark inside an overhang at 17 meters. You can see a lot Moray Eels, Octopus and Anemone Fishes here. Groupers, Titan Triggerfish, Parrotfish and lionfish all around the thila. 12. Vilamendhoo Thila: This is also one of the best dive sites in South Ari Atoll. The reef top starts at 7 meters. Large coral blocks on the top reef, full of Anemone Fishes and Fusiliers, and Moray Eels. The reef gently slopes down to a depth of 35 meters. At 20 meters there are overhangs full of soft corals underneath. White Tip Reef Sharks and Grey Reef Sharks can be seen here. Large schools of Bigeye Trevallys, Snappers, Sweetlips, Groupers and Dog Tooth Tunas can be seen too. Eagle Rays and Sting Rays are seen very frequently. Page 9 of 14
13. Orimas Thila: A circular submerged reef which start at 5 meters. Lots of hard corals such as Acropora and Brain Corals can be found here. Sting Rays and Turtles are seen all a lot here. White Tip Reef Sharks can be seen resting on the sandy bottom at 30 meters. 14. Orimas Faru: The corner of an outside reef which goes into the channel, Grey Reef Sharks and White Tip Reef Sharks can be seen at 25 meters. Moray Eels, Sting Rays and Turtles can be seen on the top reef which is at 6 meters. There is always a small to medium current going into the channel. That is the best time to watch the Sharks here. It takes about 10 minutes from Ranveli to go to this site. Page 10 of 14
15. Stingray City: The is a very long inside reef with the reef top starting from 4 meters and going all the way down to 30 meters. 100% you will be able to see marble spotted stingrays, yellow stingrays and lots of friendly remoras. Lobsters can be seen very often. A very easy dive site with slight current Page 11 of 14
Dive Sites a little bit far from the island 16. Manta Point: The Manta Point is on the West side of South Ari Atoll and it takes 1 hour 45 minutes from Ranveli to go there. This is a long reef and the reef top starts at 8 meters. Mantas can be seen from the surface while snorkeling and also from a depth of 25 meters. The best depth to see them is at 12 15 meters. Other marine life seen here are White Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, School of Barracudas, Tunas and Napoleon Wrasses. (BEGINNER, ADVANCED & PROFS ) 17. Maamigili Beyru: It takes 1 hour 50 minutes from Ranveli to go to this site. This site is very famous for Whale Sharks. There is a 70 % chance you will see a whale shark in this reef, Other things you can see here are Manta Mobulas, Pilot Whales, and Sting Rays. The reef is very long and starts at 5 meters and goes down to a depth of 30 meters. Page 12 of 14
18. Coloseum One of the best sites to watch Grey Reef shark, Top reef is at 7 meters and the deepest part is at 30 meters. Other marine life seen here are White Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle Rays, School of Barracudas, Tunas and Napoleon Wrasses. It takes 1 hour 45 minutes from Ranveli to go to this site. The best time to dive here is in strong current. (ADVANCED & PROFS ) 19.Ari Beach Beyru It takes 1 hour 30 minutes from Ranveli to go to this site. This site is also very famous for Whale Sharks. Other things you can see here are Manta Mobulas, Pilot Whales, Napoleon Wrasses and Sting Rays. The reef is very long and starts at 5 meters and goes down to a depth of 30 meters. Page 13 of 14
20. Bodufinholhu thila It takes 2 hour from Ranveli to go to this site. This site is also very famous for Whale Sharks, Manta Mobulas and even Manta Rays can be seen. Two beautiful thilas 3meters away from the main reef where lots of White tip Reef Sharks can be seen resting on the sandy bottom. The current is medium to strong. The best time to dive here is in slack high tide. (ADVANCED & PROFS ) Page 14 of 14