Vattaru Kandu

Vattaru Kandu is a deep, dramatic drift dive on the southern edge of Vattaru Atoll near the uninhabited island of Vattarurah. The site features steep walls, large caves and overhangs carpeted with soft corals, sea fans and black coral trees in clear, open-ocean water within a Marine Protected Area. Marine life is abundant and includes large schools of fusiliers, tuna and bigeye trevally, barracuda, reef sharks (including white-tip reef sharks), zebra (leopard) sharks, green sea turtles and occasional reef manta rays. Dives are typically run as strong incoming-current drift dives, entering at the channel mouth around 32 m with the outside corner dropping to about 45 m and reef features from roughly 10–30 m. Visibility is usually good, often over 20 m, and water temperatures remain around 27–29 °C year-round. Divers hold on at the reef edge or drop-off and drift through the channel with a planned safety stop on the drift. Main hazards noted are strong currents, deep drops to about 45 m and the site’s remote, boat-access-only location, so advanced training and drift-diving experience are recommended.