12/6/2023 0 Comments Are manta rays dangerous![]() Read more about how to visit Fuvahulah here. The best place to go scuba diving with manta rays in the Maldives, in my experience, is Fuvahmulah island in the south of the Maldives. This is because in Baa Atoll, Hanifaru Bay is a protected area and therefore no scuba diving is allowed inside the bay. While it is possible to go scuba diving with manta rays in Maldives, the best way is to go snorkeling with mantas instead. If it is a new manta to the database then you are given the privilege of naming the manta! For more information about the amazing work that Manta Trust do in the Maldives, check out their website. If you take a photo of a manta’s spot pattern you can send it in to Manta Trust for IDing. So far there are over 4700 mantas in the Manta Trust database. They collect manta IDs for their database by taking photos of the underside of the manta, they can ID each manta individually. In Baa Atoll, they have a base in Four Seasons resort Landaa Giraavaru and they also have staff in various other resorts across the Maldives. Their motto is research, education and collaboration. Manta Trust are a UK non-profit organisation founded by Guy Stevens, which works to protect the mantas, research their behaviour and educate others about these animals. Showing off her spot pattern in Hanifaru Bay – this is how the Manta Trust team ID each manta – using their spots! Maldives Manta Trust – NGO protecting the mantas They are completely harmless and therefore it is safe to snorkel and swim with them. They do not have sharp teeth and nor are they sting rays so they have no sting or barb in their tail. Manta Rays Maldives: Are mantas dangerous? You can go manta snorkeling in Maldives during these 6 months with an extremely high chance of seeing the mantas. July, August and September are the best months to visit the Maldives in order to view mantas and whale sharks in Hanifaru Bay. In Baa Atoll, the Maldives manta season is between May-November. When is the best time to see manta rays in Maldives? To go manta ray snorkeling in Maldives, tourists are permitted 45 minutes of snorkelling time inside the bay which you must access by boat with a qualified guide. Hanifaru Bay is a marine protected area and there are strict rules about how many boats can enter the bay at any one time. You can go swimming with manta rays Maldives in Hanifaru Bay. Snorkelling with mantas in Hanifaru Bay Where can I snorkel with mantas in the Maldives? ![]() Researchers have recorded up to 200 mantas in the bay at any one time making this one of the best places to visit in the Maldives for manta ray snorkelling. The mantas come to this area in manta ray season to feed on the plankton that becomes trapped in the bay. Hanifaru Bay is the best site in the Maldives, possibly one of the best places in the world to see mantas. Where is the best place to see manta rays in the Maldives? For more information about diving with oceanic mantas in Fuvahmulah read my post here. I have also scuba dived with oceanic mantas in the South of the Maldives. Diving with manta rays Maldives – Oceanic Mantas in Fuvahmulah Island The Maldives boasts the highest population of reef mantas that we know about which makes it one of the top manta viewing countries in the world. You can experience swimming with reef mantas and you have a high chance of seeing mantas as this is a very popular area for mantas feeding. In Baa Atoll, you can swim and snorkel with manta rays in Hanifaru Bay during manta ray season. Oceanic mantas we do not know as much about but they can reach a length of 7 metres! Manta Snorkeling Maldives – Baa atoll Manta Rays It is possible to see both types of rays in the Maldives.Reef mantas are found near coral reefs and are often around 3-5 metres in length. There are two types of rays in the Maldives when we are talking about manta rays, reef mantas and oceanic mantas. Scuba diving with mantas here was an amazing experience and nothing beats the first time you see the sheer size of a manta underwater! Since relocating to the Maldives in 2018, I have been swimming with manta rays in Baa Atoll and scuba diving with mantas in Fuvahmulah island. They are incredible, curious, gentle giants of the ocean and I have experienced scuba diving and snorkelling with manta rays in Indonesia – Komodo National Park and Nusa Lembongan off of Bali. Manta rays are on every divers and snorkellers’ bucket list to see.
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