Maamigili Beyru

Maamigili Beyru is a submerged reef and pinnacle with gently sloping coral gardens that lead into a steep outer wall with soft corals, overhangs and ledges. It lies within the South Ari Marine Protected Area and is famous for frequent whale shark encounters; divers also commonly see reef manta rays, napoleon (humphead) wrasse, reef sharks, eagle rays and sea turtles. Depths range from about 5–6 m on the reef top down to around 25 m on the wall, with the wall continuing deeper in places. Visibility is typically very clear, often 20–25 m or more, and water temperature is around 27–30 °C. Currents vary from calm to moderate or strong, especially during plankton blooms that attract whale sharks, so dives are commonly drifted along the reef and entry is by dive boat only. On calm days the site is suitable for all certified divers, but stronger currents make parts of the dive more challenging; as a protected site there is no fishing or anchoring on the reef and divers must follow strict no-touch rules and maintain respectful distances from whale sharks and other large animals.