HP Reef, North Male Atoll, Maldives | Diving, Best Time to Visit, How to Reach

HP Reef, Maldives Overview

One of the most beautiful diving sites in the Maldives, the HP Reef, located at the North Male Atoll, is also referred to as the 'Girifushi Thila' and the 'Rainbow Reef', the latter owing to the plethora of brightly coloured corals that adorn the seabed. The resplendent reef is full of astonishing formations, which include crevices, splendid caves, huge blocks, and a whopping vertical swim-through chimney which reaches up to a height of 25 metres.

A large portion of the HP Reef is laden with bright blue, orange, and yellow corals, including gorgonians, sea fans, and sea whips, while hundreds of small fish, eagle rays, barracudas, grey reef sharks, and dog-toothed tunas throng the place on a frequent basis. The HP Reef is a year-round site for diving. With dives that reach up to the depths of 40 metres, this reef is an ideal spot for those who seek to uncover the fascinating mysteries of the world underwater. At present, this is a Protected Marine Area in the island nation of the Maldives.

Best Time To Visit HP Reef

Being situated at the tropical monsoon climate zone, the weather in the Maldives can be distinctly divided into two - the dry season and the wet season. While the wet season begins from May and lasts till September, the dry season, from October to April, is pleasant with an average temperature of thirty to thirty-three-degree centigrade. Even though the HP Reef is a diving site that remains open throughout the year, the best time to visit will be somewhere between October and April, if you wish to avoid heavy rainfall.

Tips for Diving in HP Reef

The underwater current may be deceptively strong, which makes diving difficult. It is advised not to go diving unless you have had sufficient training for it.
Look out for the red flags in some areas, which may be seen flowing in the jetty. These signal the presence of strong currents owing to which diving at that spot remains prohibited for the time being.

Diving at HP Reef

Close your eyes and imagine yourself transported into a world where colourful shoals of fish surround you as they move past you, where the clear, turquoise water envelopes you as you get to see a whole new world that thrives in the depths of the sea. Sounds like a real treat, doesn't it? Well, you can experience this and much more in the HP Reef in the Maldives. The HP Reef is situated close to a narrow channel where they receive nourishment from the currents that flow through the Somosomo Strait towards the Taveuni Island, located a few miles away. The nutrients which are provided by the current enhance the growth of soft, colorful corals, and also support the lives of the schools of fish and the diverse range of other oceanic creatures.
The Rainbow Reef is so much more than a natural wonder. It is a window which gives us a glimpse of the unexplored realms of water and gives an opportunity to us for having a quick encounter with the diverse range of creatures living and breathing in the depths of the turquoise sea. HP Reef place is a fusion of adventure, frolic, enthusiasm and wonderment, all at once.