Hanifaru Bay - World Tour

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Hanifaru Bay

Baa Atoll in northern Maldives is designated as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve as it houses incredible marine biodiversity. The abundance of coral reefs make the waters rich in nutrients, thus attracting various underwater species to congregate in this region.

The highlight of Baa Atoll is the Hanifaru Bay, widely regarded as the world’s largest manta ray feeding site. The amount of marine wealth that this bay holds is simply unbelievable. The bay can be easily accessed from the nearby Dharavandhoo Airport.

Multiple factors including the geography of the bay, ocean currents and some of the world’s richest coral reef systems, make the Hanifaru Bay a hotspot for giants of the sea. The bay is roughly the size of a football field and during the ‘happy hours’ or meal time, you will see the waters completely filled with these majestic creatures.

Activities

Reading about the wonderful underwater life of Hanifaru Bay might have you excited to dive right in. Sadly, diving of all sorts is strictly prohibited here since 2017. Before the ban, the bay was thronged by hundreds of tourists for diving and snorkelling, which caused a decrease in the number of mantas that visited here. In order to protect and restore the grandeur of the site, it was decided to ban diving and allow only snorkelling.

Note that even snorkelling is strictly limited to only 80 people in the water at a time, for a duration of 45 minutes each. The bay is heavily monitored and no one is allowed to touch the mantas or disturb the natural system in any way. Indulging in activities that violate the rules of this protected zone will result in serious consequences.

Despite all these rules, Hanifaru Bay is a popular attraction as it offers an unparalleled experience. As you snorkel, you will find yourself above hundreds of magnificent manta rays and observe their feeding process. The mantas swim with their mouths wide open and take in plankton, shrimps, krill and small fish. These are then filtered by the gill plates in their mouths. Mantas swim in large circles, to create a cyclonic effect that allows them to draw in feed easily. However, as their numbers increase, you can see how the systematic feeding chain breaks and chaos ensues. Truly, a memorable and breathtaking sight.

In addition to mantas, the bay also boasts a rich population of whale sharks, grey sharks, sting rays and five out of seven species of marine turtles.

Best time to visit

If you are keen on witnessing the feeding frenzy of the mantas, then the best time to visit the bay is between May to November/December. During this period, the currents in the Indian Ocean are strong and the reefs are stocked with plankton, thus attracting the mantas.

Why should you visit?

Watching hundreds of huge manta rays feed by creating a whirlpool is a splendid natural spectacle that will leave you speechless. The wonders of nature never fail to impress and this memory is something that you will cherish forever.

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