Kandooma Thila

A teardrop-shaped pinnacle around 300–400 m long, just north of Kandooma island in South Malé (Kaafu) Atoll, in the channel between Kandooma and Guraidhoo — reached by boat from the South Malé resorts, Maafushi and Guraidhoo. It's one of the atoll's premier shark dives: the top sits around 12–16 m and the sides drop to a sandy base near 35–40 m, with hard corals on the cap and soft corals, sea fans and overhangs down the flanks. The west and north sides are the showpiece — 'Jack Corner' on the western edge is the prime spot when the current runs — where loose groups of grey reef sharks (dozens in the right flow) gather with white-tip sharks, eagle rays, dogtooth tuna, bluefin and big-eye trevally, barracuda and green turtles; at a cleaning station near 30 m the grey reefs hang vertical while wrasse pick them clean. Napoleon wrasse, groupers and black snapper hold on the reef. It's an advanced, deep, current-swept dive — plan a negative descent, carry a reef hook, and Nitrox helps with bottom time, with overhangs and ravines for shelter when the current rips. Boat entry.

Also known as: Cocoa Corner, Cocoa Thila