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Banana Reef

Intermediate/Advanced 📍 South Male Atoll, Maldives
Photo: Unsplash / Jeremy Bishop

Scuba diving – photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash

# Banana Reef, Ari Atoll, Maldives

Dive Conditions

⬇️
Depth
12m – 30m
👁️
Visibility
22m
🎯
Level
Intermediate/Advanced
💨
Current
Moderate

Banana Reef is a premier diving destination located in Ari Atoll, Maldives, offering exceptional underwater experiences in the Indian Ocean. Named for its distinctive curved shape, this reef is ideal for both intermediate and advanced divers, with depths ranging from 12 to 30 meters.

Divers encounter vibrant coral formations and thriving marine ecosystems featuring reef sharks, eagle rays, and schools of jacks and trevally. The site’s sloping reef structure provides excellent opportunities for observing groupers, snappers, and colorful reef fish among healthy coral gardens.

The reef’s currents make it suitable for drift diving, allowing divers to explore larger areas while observing marine life in their natural habitat. Visibility typically ranges from 15 to 30 meters, depending on seasonal conditions, providing clear views of the underwater landscape.

Banana Reef’s combination of diverse marine life, well-preserved coral systems, and moderate to challenging conditions makes it a favorite among experienced divers seeking adventure in the Maldives’ pristine waters.

🐠 Marine Life at This Dive Site

Midnight Snapper — seen at this dive site
Midnight Snapper Macolor macularis ingorogalla
Amblygobius semicinctus — seen at this dive site
Amblygobius semicinctus Amblygobius semicinctus vasilis_stergios
Humpnose Bigeye Bream — seen at this dive site
Humpnose Bigeye Bream Monotaxis grandoculis julienclaude2
Indian Garden Lizard — seen at this dive site
Indian Garden Lizard Calotes versicolor arnovandervyver
Blue-spotted Cornetfish — seen at this dive site
Blue-spotted Cornetfish Fistularia commersonii ob1963
Swarthy Parrotfish — seen at this dive site
Swarthy Parrotfish Scarus niger martinholladay

Species data from iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)

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Max Depth 30 m
Min Depth 12 m
Difficulty Intermediate/Advanced
Current Moderate
Visibility 22 m
GPS 3.6304°, 72.9317°