Mirihi
Mirihi Island · Mirihi Island Resort
3°34.6'N 72°45.9'E
Depth
5–18m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
75m
Holding
Good
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
75m
75m radius — sand holding in the lagoon area. Mirihi house reef is directly adjacent so anchor carefully to avoid dragging toward reef. Tidal current in Rangali Channel can affect swing.
About This Anchorage
Mirihi is a tiny private island resort in South Ari Atoll — one of the smallest resort islands in the Maldives, measuring just 250 metres in length. The surrounding waters in the Rangali Channel are internationally celebrated for manta ray cleaning stations and whale shark encounters. The anchorage off the island in the channel provides good sand holding with spectacular underwater scenery. The Mirihi channel area is one of the most biodiverse stretches of water in the Indian Ocean — nurse sharks rest on sandy patches in the shallows, eagle rays cruise the channel edge, and manta rays visit the cleaning stations daily during the NE monsoon season.
Protected From
NE · N · E
Exposed To
SW · W · S
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Permit fee applies
- Permit required
- Yes
- Permit details
- Maldives Yacht Cruising Permit required. Resort island — no landing without resort permission. Manta ray and whale shark encounter rules apply in this area.
Restrictions: No landing on resort island. No touching or feeding manta rays. Maintain minimum distance from cleaning stations to avoid disrupting manta ray behaviour.
Hazards
- !Channel currents 1–2kt from tidal flow
- !Resort dive boats operating at all hours
- !House reef immediately adjacent — anchor with care
- !Remote location 85nm from Malé
Skipper's Tips
- →Manta ray cleaning station is accessible by dinghy — extraordinary snorkelling
- →Dawn and dusk are best for manta ray activity at cleaning stations
- →Whale sharks commonly sighted in this channel — report sightings to research station
- →Anchor early — afternoon sea breeze and chop makes anchoring more difficult
Facilities
Nearest provisions: Dhigurah (8nm)
Best Months & Season
December, January, February, March
December to March in the NE monsoon. Manta ray cleaning station activity peaks in January–February. SW monsoon brings strong currents and swell — depart by April.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 75m
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