When and Where to Spot Whale Sharks and Manta Rays in the Maldives

The Maldives are roughly 1,200 islands divided into 26 main atolls. Throughout the year, they are an excellent destination for whale sharks, manta rays, and other fascinating marine life. You simply need to know the best areas and when to spot them. You do not need to buy a guidebook; just read my three Maldives Guides, watch our YouTube video and start planning your best journey ever.

I make a difference because everything is written and updated from my own experiences. I travelled to the Maldives again with my husband Markus and brother René in 2024.

The Maldives are a bucket list destination, but most think these islands are too expensive. In my new additional guide from our last trip in 2024, I will show you how to explore the Maldives for those who can afford to stay on a resort island and travellers like me on a budget. How to travel the Maldives on a budget?

Best Time and Best Dive and Snorkel Spots

The best places to snorkel or dive with whale sharks and manta rays are the South Ari Atoll and the Baa Atoll with the famous Hanifaru Bay. I will give you all details of where to stay, which tours you are able to book and fascinating information about the gentle giants.

• South Ari Atoll or also Alifu Dhaalu Atoll - October-May
• Baa Atoll and Hanifaru Bay - May/June-October

I added a Table of Contents for a quick overview, and you can jump to the topics you are most interested in.

South Ari Atoll

The South Ari Atoll, officially named Alifu-Atoll, is the second biggest atoll with 105 islands. Eighteen of the islands are inhabited by locals, and roughly 30 are resort islands.

Whale sharks are present throughout the year at the South Ari Atoll. However, we decided to travel in the driest month: February, when manta rays appear in South Ari too. More about the dry and rainy season is below.

 Island Transfer to Your Resort

To get to the Maldives, you fly via Velana-Male Airport, the capital of the Maldives. The airport is situated on the "airport island" Hulhule. You usually have to plan a night here at the beginning or end of the journey as either there are no flights offered late in the day or the plane leaves Male too early in the morning. We had booked a night flight and arrived early in the morning, but for the return, we booked a night in the Marukab Plaza Hotel, which picks you up and drops you off the following day.

1. Taking a plane to Maamigili - with its airport and harbour, is situated 100 km south of Male and from here a speedboat. Google Maps Location
2. By Seaplane - fly to your island via Velana-Male Airport, the capital of the Maldives.

Where to See Whale Sharks and Manta Rays in the South Ari Atoll

Whale sharks frequently appear between Dhigurah and Huruku Felhi, while Manta Rays are spotted at specific places. At some spots, mantas come up to the surface for feeding, and at other locations, they are 5-8 meters deep.

Mantas do not usually appear in the South Ari Atoll from May to October, but they are often not far away. There is the Manta Rock Point close to Mahibahoo, the capital of the Ari Atoll, where they frequently appear during this season. So, there is never a bad season for the Ari Atoll.

I took fantastic footage of our whale shark, manta rays and nurse sharks, which you can watch on YouTube. Subscribe to our channel to stay informed.

To spot a whale shark while diving is rare. If a whale shark is found, everybody needs to hurry to get into the water, and the fastest is to grab your snorkel and mask. As long as the whale shark does not feel disturbed, he continues to swim at the surface to feed on plankton.

You should not get too close to it - 3 meters away- and never be in front of a whale shark. However, he is so fast that you can only follow him for a short period before returning to the boat. If the whale shark does not feel disturbed, you will get several opportunities to glide into the water and observe the fascinating fish.

Mantas appear at spots where currents provide a plankton feast. Here, you are able to snorkel and dive with plenty of time to enjoy the majestic manta rays. Nevertheless, from time to time they change from one spot to another and it may happen that you either do not see any or the boat has to check out another spot in the distance which happened to us this time.

Top Resorts - Closer to Manta Rays and Whale Sharks

These are my two top tips if you would like to book a luxury stay. The advantage of these resorts is that they are closer to the spots where we spotted whale sharks and manta rays, the gentle giants.

• Hotel: Lux South Ari Atoll by booking.com - Thanks for booking via my website. With your support, I am able to provide all the information for free.
• Island: Dhidhdhoo between Maamigili and Dhigurah
• This island and hotel is a little slice of heaven; you do not have to worry about anything.
• The hotel offers many activities so it’s hard to get bored.
• The diving and snorkel tours are fantastic.
• There are top restaurants spread around the island.

We were close to this fantastic resort when we spotted and snorkelled twice with a whale shark. Not many tour operators go that far and search for a whale shark. 

For those who want a comfy bed, a rich breakfast buffet, absolutely amazing staff, and a great location, I highly recommend the Whale Shark Beach Hotel in Dhigurah. Dhigurah is famous for its breathtaking long sandbank and is one of the longest Maldivian islands. More in my guide about the Top Islands in the South Ari Atoll.

You do not need to break the bank for a vacation in the Maldives, but of course, the above mentioned five-star luxury resorts looked fantastic.

Great Diving Spot Close to Male

If you are limited in time and want to check out just one island and resort, I recommend the "North Male Atoll" or North Kaafu. Whale sharks and manta rays are present from May/June until October/November - June to October is the safest for sightings of the gentle giants. In addition, you can dive into wrecks, too. Transport to the island by speedboat is organized by your hotel/resort and takes 10-30 minutes.

Check out booking.com for the best hotels and guesthouses in the North Male Atoll. Thanks for booking via my website. With your support, I am able to provide all this information for free.

Best Time North Male Atoll for whale sharks and manta rays - June to October

Baa Atoll - Hanifaru Bay

This atoll is located about 120 km north of Male. It takes around 2 1/2 hours by speedboat or less than half an hour by plane to Dharavandhoo Airport in Baa Atoll. Dharavandhoo, Dhonfanu, and Kihaaduffaru Island are the closest around Hanifaru Bay. Parts of this atoll were declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2011. This atoll has about 75 islands.

In Hanifaru Bay, regulations are in place: only snorkelling is permitted in small groups with a limit of 5 boats and a maximum of 80 snorkellers to protect manta rays and whale sharks. Also, the snorkelling time is limited to 45 minutes. From May/June until October, huge numbers of manta rays occur here. During one trip, you may swim and see 50 or even more than 100 manta rays. Nevertheless, you can dive at all other spots and frequently spot whale sharks and manta rays there, too. 

Why are there so many Manta Rays in Hanifaru Bay?

Strong currents provide an excellent rich plankton meal in Hanifaru Bay. Due to the geographical location and the currents the plankton stays in the bay. It is a feeding frenzy in the size of a football field only. This bay has one of the highest concentrations of mantas in the world the reason for the conservation efforts.

Best Time Baa Atoll for whale sharks and manta rays - June to October

Resorts, hotels, and guesthouses at the Baa Atoll via booking.com with an excellent cancellation policy. Thanks for booking via my website. With your support, I am able to provide all the information for free.

My Underwater Camera

I have been using the Olympus TG for years already and am super happy about the photo quality. It is essential to clean the camera with fresh water to remove the salt or use an underwater chassis (more details about the new TG 7 at my affiliate partner Amazon). You need an underwater chassis for depths higher than 15 meters. 

6 Whale Shark Facts

1. Whale sharks are found in warm tropical oceans around the world.
2. They are the largest fish and a filter feeder, like the basking shark, the second largest. Both are called sharks and are members of the shark family, but gentle ones. Classified: Chondrichthyes, where rays also belong to.
3. Reaching, on average, a length of 12 meters. 
4. They can get over 70 years old and even older. 
5. Whale sharks usually swim in shallow water, as they feed mainly on plankton and small fish close to the surface. They are often found around 200 m in depth but are able to dive a thousand meters deep.
6. Juvenile whale sharks with an average length between 4 to 8 meters are often spotted.

9 Manta Ray Facts

1. The Maldivian manta ray species belongs to the Manta Alfredi, like in Kona, Hawaii.
2. In the Maldives, manta rays occur seasonally - related to the monsoon. Therefore, you can spot them at Hanifaru Bay roughly from June to October and at the South Ari Atoll from November to May.
3. These manta rays migrate between the eastern and western atolls.
4. They typically have a 3-5 meter wingspan.
5. Manta rays are filter feeders, consuming large quantities of plankton and filtering through their gills as they swim.
6. They are cooperative feeders, which means feeding in groups called "chain feeding" one by one on a fair share basis.
7. They have the most giant brains amongst all species of fish.
8. Manta Rays can heat up and cool down due to their "heat exchange system".
9. A female gives birth after 13 months. The young one feeds independently immediately after it is born.