MANTA PASSION

This expedition has been specifically designed for people who are IN LOVE with manta rays, and are eager to see as much of them as possible!

 

The trip is timed to coincide with the most productive monsoon winds and lunar currents, which strongly influence the movements and feeding habits of reef manta rays. The aim of this trip is to use the knowledge of Manta Trust experts to find feeding aggregations, and allow guests to experience the wonder of immersing themselves amongst a feeding frenzy of these gentle giants. Differing from other Manta Expeditions, on this trip we aim to dive almost exclusively with mantas, carrying out long surveys on both cleaning and feeding sites, exploring and looking for new manta aggregation sites and undertake more in-depth research activities. Activities planned to be undertaken on this special expeditions include animal wing span measurements, ultrasound scanning for pregnancies and photo identification!

 

The route​

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Baa Atoll is off the main route for the majority of dive liveaboards. We will venture into this more northern atoll for a few days specifically to seek out the spectacular feeding mantas of Hanifaru Bay (and hopefully a few whale sharks as well!). To see one of the world’s largest f ish feeding amongst dozens of one of the world’s largest rays is something most people will never forget. On this particular expedition we will venture further north into Raa and Noonu Atoll. Here we will conduct surface and in-water surveys, with the aim of identifying new manta aggregation sites whilst gathering critical data on the mantas inhabiting these remote atoll, of which little is currently known.

 

Ari Atoll hosts the second largest manta population in the country, and we will have chances of finding both manta feeding and cleaning aggregations. The highlight of this atoll is the opportunity of swimming with mantas feeding at night within one of the local lagoons. While the weather in the Maldives at this time of the year is likely to be more variable, these monsoonal conditions are exactly what create the planktonic blooms upon which the mantas and whale sharks aggregate to feed. Furthermore, we can never guarantee these natural events, but we have put together a trip which maximises our chances of being in the right place at the right time, guided by the expertise of the Manta Trust scientist Niv Froman.