Raa Atoll in Maldives

[Pulmcc]

We are planning a trip to Maldives in July 2024. Currently, we have a reservation at a resort in Raa Atoll which seems like a less traveled diving area. Is it worth diving there and is the diving good enough to spend 5 days there or should we go more south split days between areas? We recently dived in French Polynesia this past July at Moorea, Tikehuau, and Rangiroa so have done the island hopping thing. We just became divers last December at the GBR so while I know each dive is unique, I want to try and provide new dive experiences for my sons.

 

[R4Dives]

There are few very good dive sites in Raa Atoll (I was working for Joali Maldives couple of years ago). Manta sightings are pretty common in that area. You will definitely love the Labyrinth Thila, which is a pinnacle that is kind of segmented (cracked) and you can swim from one compartment into another. There are pockets that are full of fish and the top of the pinnacle is teeming with life.
Fugiri channel is pretty decent too. Very steep walls with overhangs and lots of fish inside the channel. Cora Cora has a decent housereef.
On the west side of the atoll should be a bay nearby to Alila Kottaifaru, where you can find mantas pretty much all year long.
The rest of dive-sites are pretty mediocre in comparison with the south of Maldives.

 

[Pulmcc]

There are few very good dive sites in Raa Atoll (I was working for Joali Maldives couple of years ago). Manta sightings are pretty common in that area. You will definitely love the Labyrinth Thila, which is a pinnacle that is kind of segmented (cracked) and you can swim from one compartment into another. There are pockets that are full of fish and the top of the pinnacle is teeming with life.
Fugiri channel is pretty decent too. Very steep walls with overhangs and lots of fish inside the channel. Cora Cora has a decent housereef.
On the west side of the atoll should be a bay nearby to Alila Kottaifaru, where you can find mantas pretty much all year long.
The rest of dive-sites are pretty mediocre in comparison with the south of Maldives.

Thank you for the feedback. How many dives do you think would suffice for that area? We are staying at the Amari Raaya but am thinking 6 days might be too long, at least, as far as diving goes. Max three days per day so could potentially see everything we want to see in half the time?

 

[R4Dives]

Sounds about right. Just remember, that as per Maldivian regulation, you can't fly in less than 24 hours after your dive.
And there are obviously more dive-sites available. On our liveaboard map "7 Blocks" has a star rating, but I don't remember diving it. There's also a couple of manta cleaning stations in the area, but that's a one time thing in my book (looking at mantas rotating over the same rock gets boring very fast.
If you visit the Labyrinth on a first dive, you will "spoil" the rest of the week and other sites will look meh