We are all excited to have spotted the first manta rays of the season in Hanifaru Bay. As every year, the gentle giants gather in the world-famous bay in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve during ‘Hulhangu’ Monsoon. From June to November, we are again offering Manta Ray Excursions to Hanifaru Bay, just a 45-minute boat ride from InterContinental Maldives.
The island-based Manta Trust team is ready to take you out on a mantastic adventure, snorkelling with these beautiful creatures while they’re feeding on the plentiful plankton in Hanifaru Bay.Every year, when the South-West Monsoon flushes all the good plankton into the bay, we can expect the mass immigration of manta rays to follow. If you are lucky enough, you might get to swim with hundreds of them, observing their underwater acrobatics, rolling and spinning about.In 2011 Baa Atoll was announced as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; Hanifaru Bay is known worldwide as the largest known manta ray feeding spot. Travellers from all over come here to swim with them, learn all about them, and to witness the feeding frenzy. Some very lucky snorkellers even get to see Whale Sharks, which are also frequent visitors in the area.A true spectacle for the entire family – if you are fit and can safely snorkel. Accompanied by our knowledgeable Manta Trust team, you will get a short introduction to manta rays and how to behave and stay safe while joining them in the water. While we want you to have the best time, we also want to ensure the manta rays are not disturbed and treated with respect while we swim with them in their natural habitat.
Visit InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort now for the ultimate Maldives manta ray experience. Launched for the World Ocean Day on 8 June 2023, The Manta Ray Experience is a new offer in our portfolio which evolves all around mantas. You’ll learn about mantas, the manta research conducted by the Manta Trust on the island, and of course, get to snorkel with them. As a highlight, you even get to name your own manta and will receive an update on their whereabouts if sighted by the Manta Trust team even after your departure. Learn more here.
