Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on June 24, 2024
Dhidhdhoo Island is a quiet local island with one shop, one guesthouse, and two cafes. It is very close to Whale Shark Point, so is ideal for boat excursions to see them and Manta Rays as well. When not out on excursions, there is some nice snorkeling opportunity on the house reef. The coral is not stunning, but there is plenty of marine life to see across the reef and over the drop off.
Dhidhdhoo is a small inhabited island in the southern part of Ari Atoll. It is frequently called Adh Dhidhdhoo (for Alif Dhaal Atoll, also known as South Ari Atoll).
Dhidhdhoo Island is just 2 miles east of Maamigili, a larger inhabited island known for hosting the Whale Shark Point snorkeling location along its southern coast. The best snorkeling area in Adh Dhidhdhoo is located on the inner reef, east of the harbor.
The water entrance is only from the harbor. Walk out atop the harbor wall to the corner where there is a gap in the wall and a sloping entrance over large rocks. There is no beach access.
The current usually flows towards the southwest along the coast, so most of the time swimming out from the harbor takes a little effort, and coming back in is a breeze.
The main snorkeling area at Adh Dhidhdhoo extends east of the island’s harbor. It comprises a large reef flat covered with seagrass and small corals, as well as an almost vertical drop off.
The reef flat is very shallow, with a maximum depth ranging between 1 and 6 feet (0.5 to 2 meters) depending on tides. In this area, you may spot boxfish, batfish, and occasional stingrays, and nurse sharks.
The reef top ends at a drop-off, the wall dropping down to more than 33 feet / 10 meters.
The wall is full of corals, sea fans, sea anemones, and clams. A diversity of colorful reef fish, including surgeonfish, angelfish, triggerfish, and butterflyfish, can be seen in this area.
In the blue, you may spot blacktip reef sharks, as well as schools of fusiliers and Indian mackerels.
Dhidhdhoo Island has only one guesthouse: The White Tern Maldives.
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
