MALDIVES
BAA-NORTH
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Location Baa -Raa-Lhaviyani-Male
Duration 7 nights
Vessel MY Duke of York
Level Open Water
Manta Expert TBC
HIGHLIGHTS
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Start your journey in Baa Atoll, home to the famous Hanifaru Bay and its spectacular manta aggregations.
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Encounter graceful mantas and whale sharks along pristine northern reefs.
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Explore Raa Atoll’s dramatic pinnacles, channels, and thilas, teeming with marine life.
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Drift along Lhaviyani Atoll’s vibrant walls and coral gardens, ideal for manta and pelagic sightings.
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Conclude in Malé Atoll, with dynamic thilas, drop-offs, and abundant reef fish.
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Dive less-visited northern atolls for a sense of discovery and pristine underwater wilderness.
Feeding Mantas
Whale Sharks
Cleaning Mantas
Embark on an extraordinary journey through the northern atolls of the Maldives, starting in Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve renowned for its Hanifaru Bay. Here, plankton-rich waters attract hundreds of graceful mantas in magnificent feeding aggregations, often accompanied by whale sharks. Drift along pristine reefs and channels, where vibrant coral walls teem with reef fish, turtles, and gentle giants gliding past cleaning stations — a spectacular introduction to the northern Maldives.
From Baa, we navigate westward to Raa Atoll, where sweeping outer reefs, pinnacles, and dramatic channels create ideal feeding grounds for mantas. Drift dives along thilas reveal eagle rays, napoleon wrasse, and the occasional passing whale shark. These less-visited northern reefs offer a sense of discovery, serenity, and pristine underwater landscapes.
Next, venture into Lhaviyani Atoll, where colorful walls, coral gardens, and expansive channels continue to draw manta rays and other pelagics. The dynamic currents here create perfect conditions for drift diving and close encounters with the ocean’s giants, all while exploring rarely visited reefs alive with marine biodiversity.
The expedition concludes in Malé Atoll, the gateway to northern Maldives waters. Here, dramatic thilas, channels, and drop-offs host abundant reef life — schools of fusiliers, turtles, reef sharks, and mantas gliding gracefully along vibrant coral slopes. Every dive offers the thrill of exploration and the magic of encountering these gentle giants in their natural habitat.
The weather in the Maldives at this time of the year is likely to be more changeable, the monsoonal conditions are exactly what create the planktonic blooms upon which the mantas and whale sharks aggregate to feed. Whilst we can never guarantee these natural events, we have put together an expedition that maximises our chances of being in the right place at the right time, guided by the expertise of a Manta Trust scientist!
Between dives, relax aboard the expedition vessel, share insights from your onboard manta expert, and contribute to photo-ID research programs. Experience the less explored, pristine northern gems of the Maldives, a journey out of the ordinary!
Note: The inclusion of Hanifaru Bay is dependent on the time of year, the number of mantas in the bay (or lack thereof) as well as the availability of government-licensed guides and restrictions imposed by the rangers.
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A TYPICAL ITINERARY
Day 1:
Embarkation followed by introductions, boat and safety briefings, lunch, check-dive (time permitting) and dinner.
Day 2-6:
Up to 3 dives a day, typically scheduled as follows:
- Light Breakfast followed by a briefing & Dive 1
- Full Breakfast, relax, briefing & Dive 2
- Lunch, relax, briefing & Dive 3*
- Snack, relax
- Workshops & presentations by onboard Manta Expert
- Dinner
* in case of a sunset or night dive, the schedule will be slightly amended
The itinerary of the cruise is kept flexible to adapt to best conditions and manta sightings
Day 7:
One morning dive
Day 8:
Breakfast on board followed by disembarkation and transfer to the
airport
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One of my best expeditions in 40 years of diving the oceans.
Just great, wonderful !
Marcus Koch, Manta Passion 8
MEET YOUR MANTA EXPERT
As on all Manta Expeditions, a Manta Trust scientist will be onboard for its entire duration, offering everyone the opportunity to interact and learn from a leading manta expert. The presence of a Manta Trust scientist onboard will enhance your experience in a number of ways: • motivate and inspire you, by learning about the marine ecosystems you will be exploring • gain access to an accumulated wealth of knowledge and expertise, providing you the opportunity to become actively involved in cutting-edge scientific research. • offer you an educational and much more rewarding experience by making your underwater encounters more personal, and by involving you first-hand in marine research and conservation. • be environmentally aware and proactive and become an active member of an initiative which stands to have strong implications for the on-going persistence for manta rays worldwide. Collectively the Manta Trust and Manta Expeditions teams possess over two decades of experience working in the Maldives, studying its manta population and marine life and have assembled a vast amount of knowledge and expertise, knowledge you will have access to on this expedition. A core focus of the expeditions is not only to provide close encounters with manta rays but to enthuse and educate divers in marine conservation issues and the environment surrounding them. Through a series of activities and presentations on topics covering local marine species and habitats led by the Manta Trust expert, you are sure to leave with an increased awareness of the threats facing our oceans and, perhaps more importantly, how you can help. Using the knowledge of the Manta Trust scientists you will gain a brand-new perspective to diving and experiencing the underwater world; by understanding what you see you will gain a better appreciation and love for the ocean and its creatures. Ultimately, with the guidance of the Manta Trust researcher you will have the chance to give something back to the ocean which we believe is fundamental considering how much we take from it!
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The enthusiasm and flexibility of the
crew, the knowledge from Niv and the camaraderie of participants
made this trip magnificent.
Tracey Dennis, Manta Passion 8
YOUR IMPACT
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