Ari Atoll

A large atoll on the western side of the Maldives, where whale sharks can be seen year-round in South Ari, with manta and grey reef shark dive sites, an undersea restaurant, and guesthouses on local islands alongside resorts.

Ari Atoll lies about 60–100 km west of Malé, the Maldivian capital, and is one of the largest atolls in the country. Administratively it is divided into North Ari (Alif Alif) and South Ari (Alif Dhaal), and the small Rasdhoo atoll at the northwest corner is usually visited together with Ari. Dozens of resort islands are concentrated here (including Conrad Maldives Rangali Island with its Ithaa Undersea Restaurant, Lily Beach, W Maldives and Kuramathi), as well as more than ten local islands with guesthouses (Rasdhoo, Ukulhas, Dhigurah, Dhangethi, Mathiveri, Thoddoo and others), so there is something for every budget. Ari is the heart of Maldives diving: the marine protected area around Maamigili and Dhigurah in South Ari offers whale shark encounters year-round; reefs and channels such as Rangali, Fish Head, Maayaa Thila and Kudarah Thila are home to manta rays, grey reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks, and Rasdhoo has hammerheads in the early morning. In the dry season (Dec–Apr, northeast monsoon), seas are calm and visibility is best; during the southwest monsoon (May–Nov) there are occasional rough seas, but mantas and whale sharks can still be seen. Getting there: 1–2 hours by speedboat or 25–40 minutes by seaplane from Malé; for South Ari you can also fly to Maamigili domestic airport and transfer by boat. Public ferries between local islands are infrequent and slow, so charter a speedboat for inter-island trips. Notes: alcohol is prohibited on local islands and bikinis are allowed only on designated beaches; keep your distance from whale sharks and mantas and do not touch them. Suggested stay: 5–7 days, combining one local island with one resort island.

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