Coral garden

Location: Meeru Island, North Malé Atoll, Maldives Depth: 2–25 m Difficulty: Intermediate Entry: Shore

Overview

Coral Garden is a house reef dive site at Meeru Island Resort in North Malé Atoll, accessible directly from shore. The name reflects the abundant and diverse hard coral coverage that characterises this section of the reef. As a shallow, accessible house reef dive, Coral Garden is suitable for divers at multiple experience levels and makes an excellent site for multiple daily dives without the need for a boat.

Diving

The reef begins in just 2–3 m of water and extends down through a coral garden zone to a sloping outer reef at 25 m. The shallows are ideal for snorkelling and photography, with intricate coral formations sheltering juvenile reef fish, nudibranchs, and crustaceans. The mid-depth zone (8–18 m) is where coral coverage is most impressive, with table corals, brain corals, and staghorn formations.

Turtles are resident and predictably present, moving calmly through the coral garden during daylight hours. The outer reef slope is where more open-water species are encountered, including occasional Napoleon wrasse and passing reef sharks.

Marine Life

Resident hawksbill turtles
Nudibranchs and crustaceans (macro life)
Juvenile reef fish in coral formations
Napoleon wrasse (outer slope, occasional)
Moray eels in coral crevices

Practical Notes

Shore diving allows flexible timing — early mornings and late afternoons are especially productive. Night diving from the shore entry point reveals different species. Suitable for intermediate divers; the shallows are appropriate for beginners accompanied by an instructor. No boat fees required.