Maldives
Vilamendhoo Island
Located on the Southeast corner of Ari atoll, Vilamendhoo lies in the heart of some of the most thrilling dive sites in the Maldives. Situated between two channels this long oval island boasts an exceptional house reef that attracts both divers and snorkellers back year after year. Vilamendhoo is well-managed and maintains one of the best environmental programmes in the Maldives, which contributes to the natural appearance of the island.
House Reef
Vilamendhoo is a long, thin island that lies parallel with the prevailing seasonal currents. The house reef encircles the island and at 900m in length is one of the largest accessible house reefs in the Maldives. At various points down either side of the island, the edge of the reef is just metres from the shoreline and beach. There are 10 entry points on to the house reef, which varies in depth from 28 to 35 metres.
The reef is beautifully formed with several shallow caves and overhangs. Owing to its location gentle currents sweep down either side of the island attracting many pelagic species in towards the reef, which itself supports an abundance of marine life. The dive centre operates a tank service to the various entry points and allows access to experienced divers.
Boat Diving
More than 40 dive sites are located within 60 minutes Dhoni ride of Vilamendhoo. The award winning Werner Lau dive base on Vilamendhoo operates between 3 to 4 boats two times a day to a variety of sites. Renowned Maldivian sites like Kuda-Rha-Thila, Broken Rock and Shark point are regularly dived.
Kuda-Rha-Thila is an unusual reef, which supports four rock pinnacles encrusted with soft corals and sea fans. Large schools of snapper and batfish are regularly seen in the gullies between the pinnacles. Broken Rock’s most distinctive feature is a 50 metre canyon that runs through this beautiful Thila. The canyon is encrusted with sponges and soft corals and attracts large volumes of reef fish within its protective walls
Price List Maldives 2010.xls
