Biyadoo Kuda Giri
3.9065°N 73.4488°E · reef
Overview
Biyadoo Kuda Giri is a small giri — a compact submerged coral head or reef mound — off the coast of Biyadoo Island in South Malé Atoll. Kuda means “small” in Dhivehi, and the site lives up to its name as a contained but richly inhabited reef structure. Despite its compact size, the giri harbours a surprising density of marine life, making it a favourite for repeat dives.
Diving
The giri tops out in shallow water and falls to sand at around 25 m. The sides are encrusted with hard corals and decorated with sea fans, and the overhangs around the base provide shelter for resting nurse sharks and moray eels. The sandy areas between the giri and the nearby reef are home to garden eels and occasionally blue-spotted stingrays.
Schools of glassfish periodically swarm the giri’s exterior, and their presence invariably draws trevally and lionfish hunting through the shoals. The site is well suited to a leisurely, unhurried dive focused on marine life observation.
Practical Notes
A calm, sheltered site well suited to intermediate divers. Good for a second or third dive when larger current sites have been done in the morning. Visibility 15–25 m. Accessed from Biyadoo Island Resort and nearby South Malé Atoll operators.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
123 verified species observations (78 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1984 and 2023, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Gnatholepis
- Trimma emeryi
- Trimma flammeum
- Trimma striatum
- Hetereleotris zanzibarensis
- Eviota nebulosa
- Trimma naudei
- Ascidiacea
- Gempylus serpens
- Naria
- Phyllidiella rosans
- Phyllidia alyta
Scientific survey records skew toward sampled taxa (molluscs, corals) and do not reflect what you are guaranteed to see on a dive.
Source: OBIS (obis.org), aggregated Darwin Core occurrence records.
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