Baa Atoll - UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Hanifaru Bay Trips
Snorkel one of the planet's greatest marine spectacles - just a short boat ride from Violet Inn. Hanifaru Bay sits about 1.9 km from Dharavandhoo, in the heart of Baa Atoll, the only UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives.
Manta rays and whale sharks
When lunar tides and currents trap dense clouds of plankton in the bay, reef manta rays arrive to feed - sometimes more than a hundred in a single gathering, looping and barrel-rolling through the shallows. Whale sharks, the largest fish in the ocean, are known to join the feast. It is a truly unforgettable sight.
When to go
Manta season runs roughly from May to November during the southwest monsoon, with the largest aggregations usually around the new and full moon. We watch the conditions daily and take guests out when the mantas are in.
A protected marine reserve
Hanifaru Bay is a strictly protected Marine Protected Area. Snorkelling only - scuba diving is not permitted - and visits are time-limited and managed by rangers to keep the mantas safe. As locals on Dharavandhoo, we know the bay and the season intimately.