Maamigili Beyru
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.
Maamigili Beyru is the outer edge of the South Ari Marine Protected Area and the only stretch of the Maldives where whale sharks can be looked for twelve months a year. Juvenile sharks of four to eight meters cruise the shallow shelf, likely using the warm surface water, and boats run search patterns while spotters watch for shadows. Encounters happen as much on snorkel as on scuba, and etiquette is regulated: distance kept, no flash, no touching, one group at a time. Between sightings the reef itself is easygoing — turtles, garden eels, and passing mantas in season keep the drift honest, because the sharks owe nobody an appearance.
The moment you come for: Year-round juvenile whale sharks over an easy drift reef
Topography: Gently sloping outer-reef shelf running kilometers along South Ari's rim
Current: A long, gentle drift along the outer reef; the search happens in the top 10 meters.
Know before you splash
Hazards: Heavy boat traffic during sightings; long surface swims chasing reports.
Conservation: Inside the South Ari MPA; whale shark contact rules are enforced and boat congestion is the main welfare issue — insist your operator follows the code.
Who you'll meet
Garden Eel
Green Sea Turtle
Grey Reef Shark
Reef Manta Ray
Whale Shark
For photographers
Wide angle: ★★★★★ · Macro: ★☆☆☆☆ — editors' 1–5 rating of what this site gives each style of shooting