Diving – Veligandu Island
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Dive into the Manta Spa at Veligandu

Imagine the feeling of indulging in a spa day, the ultimate self-care experience. Well, guess what? Mantas are no strangers to the allure of relaxation either! Prepare to witness nature’s very own pampering session, and it’s a spectacle you won’t want to miss.

Welcome to the Manta Ray Spa, a haven for mantas, just 200 meters northwest of Veligandu – accessible via a quick 3-minute boat ride. Locally known as ‘Madi Gaa’ (Dhivehi for Ray Rock), this underwater oasis sits at a depth of 10-13 meters below the surface.

The area is a solitary boulder star coral block, rising about 2 meters from the seabed. It’s surrounded by sandy stretches and scattered coral patches, creating the perfect stage for a fascinating performance by the Mantas.

Picture this: majestic mantas gracefully circling above the coral block while tiny wrasses and parasitic copepods meticulously remove parasites, dead skin, and infected tissues from the mantas’ skin, gills, and teeth in a cleaning symbiosis. It’s a choreographed ballet of health and well-being, with the cleaners feasting on their hard-earned rewards.

You can spot mantas year-round around Veligandu House Reef, neighbouring reefs, and lagoons. However, the best time to catch this symbiotic show is from December to April during the Northwest Monsoon Season when zooplankton congregates in the Rasdu atoll’s western part, attracting scores of hungry mantas. These gentle giants filter-feed on zooplankton and krill, consuming massive quantities to sustain their colossal size.

Snorkelers can float gracefully beside the coral block at Madi Gaa, while adept free divers can venture deeper for a closer look. Scuba divers must stay low on the sandy bottom, keeping a safe distance of 3-5 meters from the coral block’s outer edge to avoid damaging the reef or startling any hidden Flounder fish.

Meet the elusive Leopard Flounder, locally known as “Velimadi” in Dhivehi. These unique creatures sport both eyes on one side and camouflage themselves beneath a thin layer of sand. With pigmented scales for disguise, they’re ambush predators that strike with stealth. Keep your eyes peeled for them but remember, no touching!

Unlike turtles, mantas are perpetual swimmers, incapable of stopping or reversing. Respect their path by approaching from the side and maintaining a minimum 3-meter distance. If they come your way, drift low or move aside, allowing these graceful giants to glide past.

Mantas are so tempting to touch due to their sheer beauty but resist the urge. Their delicate mucus layer is essential for their well-being, and your touch could harm it. So, let nature’s marvels mesmerize you by taking the Manta excursion on your next visit to Veligandu and allow these captivating sights to fill your eyes and heart with pure wonder. 


Visiting Veligandu?

The island will reopen on November 1, 2024. Contact reservations@veligandu.com for future reservations.

When the resort reopens, guests can directly access the house reef to see turtles from their villa or islands beach by taking an excursion with Veligandu or with the Veligandu dive centre.

Turtle Behaviour and Facts

The Maldivian archipelago is home to five of the seven species of sea turtles, green (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea). The waters around Veligandu Island is frequented by the critically endangered Hawkbills and endangered Green Sea turtles.

Green sea turtles are the largest of all hard-shelled sea turtles. They can grow to about 120cm long and weigh between 135 and 160 kg. It reaches adulthood between 15 to 50 years of age.

Turtle Courtship

As seen at 1.29 seconds on the video
During mating season, males may court a female by nuzzling her head or gently biting her neck and rear flippers. If the female does not flee, the male attaches himself to the back of the female’s shell by gripping her top shell with claws in his front flippers. He then folds his long tail under her shell to copulate.
A unique communication method utilized by turtles is biting.

When some male turtles try to woo females to mate, they approach them underwater, and then the turtle will face the other and flutter or vibrate its front claws around the female turtle’s head. When the female turtle catches sight of this and is amenable to the invitation, they drop to the aquatic floor.

Sleeping and Resting

As seen at 2.38 seconds on the video
Turtles generally sleep for about 4 to 7 hours each night. They might also nap during the day or sleep for long periods if they’re hibernating. They may also rest in their basking area for long hours.

They swim to the ocean surface to breathe.
Sea turtles breathe air with their lungs. Even when they sleep, expect them to wake up frequently to breathe.

When snorkelling and diving, maintain distance from the turtles
Avoid touching turtles and corals
Avoid chasing turtles
Turtles can hold their breath for hours, but if we stress them by blocking or chasing them, they can drown in a few seconds.

Sometimes, they can be very curious

Turtles are solitary hunters

The hawksbill sea turtle has a narrow head adapted to get food from coral reef crevices. The jaws of a loggerhead sea turtle are adapted for crushing and grinding.

They are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems and help to maintain the health of our coral reefs and the sea grass beds.

In Veligandu house reef, mostly hawksbill sea turtles are seen, and the Hotspots for turtles are In front of the main restaurant and Athiri Bar.

[Related: Veligandu’s Scuba Diving and Snorkelers Calendar For North Ari Atoll Maldives » ]


Visiting Veligandu?

The island will reopen on November 1, 2024. Contact reservations@veligandu.com for future reservations.

When the resort reopens, guests can directly access the house reef to see turtles from their villa or islands beach by taking an excursion with Veligandu or with the Veligandu dive centre.

Veligandu’s Scuba Diving and Snorkelers Calendar For North Ari Atoll Maldives

Scuba Diving and Snorkelers Calendar for North Ari Atoll Maldives

Veligandu is renowned as a top romantic hotel in Asia and the Maldives. Besides the seclusion on a charming tropical palm fringe isle with its own sandbank, long beach encircling the island and turquoise lagoon, the waters around Veligandu is well-loved by the guests for diving and snorkelling.

Blessed with two house reefs of its own with frequent turtle sightings, Veligandu offers over guided 15 dive excursions with the resorts dive operator Ocean Dive & Sports Centre for divers and snorkelers of every skill level.

When is the best time to dive in Veligandu?

Veligandu is a year-round dive destination and offers dive enthusiastic the pleasure of witnessing a variety of marine creatures, soft and hard corals.

Veligandu Dive Calander

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Whale Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hammerhead Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Low Low Low Low Low Yes Yes Yes
Manta Rays High High High High Low Low Low Low Low High High High
Eagle Rays Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Sting Rays Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Silvertip Sharks High High High High Low Low Low Low Low High High High
Grey Reef Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
White Tip Reef Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Blacktip Reef Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Nurse Sharks Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Dogtooth Tuna Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Napoleon Wrasses Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Hawksbill Turtles Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Green Turtles Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Night Diving Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ideal for new divers Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Guests of Veligandu have ease of access to a range of dive sites from the famed Madivaru Corner in the south of Rasdhoo Atoll where the currents attract pelagic fish in large numbers, such as sharks, rays, tunas, jacks and Napoleons. Also, small ocean creatures can be found here, like the resident leaf scorpionfishes.

Advance divers enjoy the weekly early morning dive to the Hammerhead Shark Point – Big Blue, where advanced divers with luck, have the chance to spot Hammerheads in the deep blue water at 30m depth. Weekly excursions are also arranged to spot the elusive and gentle giants, the whale sharks.

View Snorkeling Map

Dive Site Distance by boat
Veligandu East 5 minutes
Madivaru Beyru 15 minutes
Madivaru Corner 15 minutes
Big Blue 15 minutes
Madivaru Thila 15 minutes
Rasdhoo Reef 20 minutes
Kuramathi Thila 20 minutes
Holhi Faru 20 minutes
Three Palms 25 minutes
Bodu Gaa 25 minutes
Caves 40 minutes
Bodu Miyaru Faru 30 minutes
Miyaru Faru 25 minutes
Beyru Kandu 12 minutes
North Channel 10 minutes
Veligandu North 8 minutes
Veligandu Beyru 5 minutes
Veligandu House Reef West 0 minutes

The Ocean Dive Centre in Veligandu is one of the Maldives’ most experienced dive operators and as a PADI 5 Star Centre, they offer the full range of PADI courses catering to all experience levels – from beginner to professionals. Guests can also enjoy speciality courses such as underwater digital photography, DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle), night diving and underwater naturalist during your Maldives vacation.

Veligandu’s underwater gardens, the House Reefs

The beautiful house reefs provide an underwater garden for leisurely divers, snorkelers and for underwater photographers.

As explained by Nicola (Nic) Stratmann, Dive Manager of Ocean Dive & Sports Centre in Veligandu;
“Veligandu Island is very fortunate to have two house reef sites which are located at different ends of the island. The first house reef option is located directly in front of the dive centre facing west, towards the inside of the atoll. You can especially see the juvenile blacktip reef sharks having a stroll on the reef as well as an abundance of different types of coral, with the most colourful reef fish all around.

The second house reef is located on the south-east side of Veligandu Island, facing the outside edge of the atoll. This site is the perfect place to go snorkelling if you want to spot turtles! Of course, here you can also find all other fish and coral types seen at the west side. Please be aware of the current here, as it can get a bit stronger due to the location of the reef. For scuba diving purposes we only access the south-east side by boat, but for snorkelers it is just a 5-10 minutes swim off the beach.

All dive activities are guided dives.”


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