Shaab Samadai Dolphin House

Shaab Samadai, the Dolphin House, is a large horseshoe-shaped coral reef with a shallow inner lagoon that serves as a protected resting and socializing area for a resident pod of spinner dolphins. The reef offers rich hard and soft coral gardens, pinnacles, swim-throughs and steep drop-offs, making it a popular and biodiverse dive site. Dives are boat-access only with mooring lines on the reef; the site is open-water and slopes from very shallow in the lagoon to about 20-40 m on the outer walls. Visibility is typically very good, often 20-30 m, and water temperatures range from the low 20s to high 20s °C. Currents are usually low to moderate and drift dives along the outer reef are common. The inner lagoon is off-limits to divers to protect the dolphins, cave passages in one pinnacle are reserved for experienced divers due to narrow passages, snorkelers must wear lifejackets by law, and divers should follow local regulations and be aware of often busy boat traffic.