Guraidhoo Corner

The southern corner at the mouth of Guraidhoo Kandu, on the outer edge of South Malé (Kaafu) Atoll's reef just south of Guraidhoo island — part of the Guraidhoo Kandu Protected Marine Area, reached by boat from Guraidhoo, Maafushi and the South Malé resorts. It's first and foremost a shark dive: the corner is one of the Maldives' recognised grey reef and white-tip reef shark aggregation sites, with both present year-round across both monsoons. The reef edge starts shallow, around 3–5 m, and drops to 30–40 m; with little to hold onto at mid-depth, divers usually drop to about 30–35 m at the corner to watch the sharks patrol, then drift the wall. Alongside them come eagle rays, schools of barracuda and trevally, fusiliers, rainbow runners, tuna, napoleon wrasse, groupers and green turtles, while inside the channel caves and overhangs are dressed in soft corals, sea fans and sponges with moray eels and lionfish. Current ranges from gentle to strong on both tides and can throw up turbulence and downcurrents; visibility is clearest on an incoming current and murkier on the outgoing. An advanced, current-swept channel dive. Boat entry.

Also known as: Guraidhoo Kandu