Kudarah Thila
Depth is the range from the top of the site to its usual maximum; "recommended cert" is the mainstream-agency level operators usually ask for, not a legal rule. Currents and visibility change daily — treat everything here as planning ranges.
Kudarah Thila compresses more life per square meter than almost anywhere in Ari. Its four rocky heads are seamed with gorgonian-hung gullies and a celebrated swim-through, and the resident school of bluestripe snapper is so thick it reads as a single yellow organism sliding over the reef. Eagle rays and whitetips pass in the blue, sweetlips sulk under the table corals, and the walls crawl with nudibranchs for those who slow down. Protected status, small footprint, and heavy liveaboard traffic mean you dive it with company — the fish outnumber everyone regardless.
The moment you come for: The yellow wall of bluestripe snapper; gorgonian swim-through; dense macro
Topography: Four coral blocks separated by sand gullies, joined by a common base near 30 meters
Current: The four-rock cluster splits and accelerates the tidal flow; slack windows make for an easier circuit.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Current between the blocks and depth at the surrounding base.
Conservation: Protected marine area; no hooks on coral, no gloves.
Nitrox: Worth it here — profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).
Who you'll meet
Napoleon (Humphead) Wrasse
Nudibranchs
Oriental Sweetlips
Spotted Eagle Ray
Whitetip Reef Shark
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★★★★☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting