Ari South Atoll on Google Maps.
The encounter with the violin fish, (Rhinobatos rhinobatos) it is not common in the seas but in the South Ari atoll, and precisely in the Emboodhu shoal in the western top of the great Alifu Dhaalu atoll (Ari South), but it is not so rare. Suddenly appears on the reef, moving slowly as if it likes to be observed. Between 10 and 15 meters deep in a water sometimes darkened by the sand moved by the currents, the violin fish (also called guitar fish), is one of the most unexpected encounters in this area of Maldives. Similar to a shark with large dorsal fins, with the body of gray color is not immediately distinguishable among the coral reef but when you turn a few meters from the diver intrigued by this strange fish, appears all his body that sometimes exceeds one meter in length. Feeding with small crustaceans and molluscs the violin it is not dangerous even if its appearance inspires a certain fear. A fish with an unmistakable profile for an unforgettable encounter that only Maldives islands, especially if you travel by boat, can give.
Useful links for more informations:
Cruise in Maldives: www.albatrostopboat.com
Tourism Board: www.visitmaldives.com