Ram Faru
3.8832°N 73.3574°E · reef
Ram Faru is an outer reef (faru) site in South Malé Atoll, a section of the atoll’s main reef wall where consistent currents maintain healthy coral cover and attract the grey reef sharks and pelagics that characterise the exposed outer reef environment.
Overview
Ram Faru sits on the outer rim of South Malé Atoll where the reef face drops from the surface to around 25 metres in a sequence of coral terraces and overhangs. The wall structure creates a diverse range of micro-habitats: the upper terraces are dominated by hard coral gardens, the mid-section features overhangs draped with sea fans and soft corals, and the base meets a sandy slope populated by garden eels and the occasional resting shark. Grey reef sharks and white-tip sharks patrol the outer wall when current is running, while the terrace overhangs shelter large sweetlips, grouper, and glass-fish clouds that scatter explosively when disturbed. The site represents South Malé Atoll outer reef diving at its accessible best.
Site Information
- Location: Maldives, Asia
- Entry Type: Boat dive
- Site Type: Reef
- Difficulty Level: Intermediate
- Maximum Depth: 25 meters
- Typical Visibility: 15-30 meters (50-100 feet)
- Current: Moderate, can strengthen on tidal flow
Marine Life
Grey reef sharks, white-tip reef sharks, sweetlips, grouper, sea fans, garden eels, glass fish, eagle rays, moray eels, parrotfish, and surgeonfish.
Diving Tips
- Follow the wall from the shallower terraces down to the base for a natural multi-level profile.
- Check the sandy base carefully for resting sharks and stingrays before ascending.
- The overhangs at 15–20 metres are the best zones for shelter fish (sweetlips, glassfish) and close coral photography.
- Moderate current on the incoming tide keeps the water clear and makes this the optimal time to dive.
Getting There
Ram Faru is in South Malé Atoll, accessible by boat from local resorts or from Malé, approximately 30–60 minutes by dhoni or speedboat.
Sea-surface temperature and wave height from Open-Meteo Marine (ERA5 reanalysis, monthly averages).
40 verified species observations (25 species) logged within ~11 km of this site between 1984 and 2010, from the Ocean Biodiversity Information System.
- Phyllidia alyta
- Pteraeolidia ianthina
- Phyllidia ocellata
- Cyphastrea microphthalma
- Favites pentagona
- Coscinaraea monile
- Galaxea astreata
- Actinodendron arboreum
- Goniastrea pectinata
- Leptodius sanguineus
- Leptodius gracilis
- Leptodius nudipes
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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