Baa - Raa - Noonu - Lhaviyani - Baa

• Requires a domestic return flight from Male to Dharavandhoo and back to Male.
• Hanifaru Bay snorkeling on Monday and Friday.
• You'll enjoy an idyllic picnic island BBQ and daily trips to various white sandbanks each week.
• Kayaks and paddleboards are available throughout to glide through the Indian Ocean's various shades of blue.

Our Far North itinerary offers you an experience like no other. Not only will you visit remote tropical locations off of the typical tourist grid, you'll also get to experience the most magnificent assemblage of manta rays in Hanifaru Bay.

Hanifaru Bay is based in the Baa Atoll, which is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve that facilitates sustainably led tourism and habitat protection for manta rays and whale sharks. This is a sublime spot for encounters with these ocean greats and makes this expedition a must if manta rays are your priority.

Besides once-in-a-lifetime manta experiences, the Northern atolls offer numerous pinnacles that come with their unique topography and hidden treasures such as canyons, swim-throughs, and overhangs. During both these pinnacles and a few channel dives, you'll enjoy spectacularly diverse coral, reef life, and schools of fish.

These calm waters are scattered with sandbanks and picnic islands with huge shallow lagoons that we're likely to have just to ourselves.

Possible Destinations:

• BAA ATOLL
  You'll spend two days anchored in the Hanifaru Bay area, alongside the biggest seasonal congregation of manta rays in the world. Throughout the day our liveaboard will be in contact with rangers monitoring the area by drones. When the mantas arrive, we'll cruise the dive dhoni into the bay for an hour of guided snorkeling alongside these gentle giants. You can repeat this excursion by dinghy as many times as your heart desires (additional entry fees apply). This is a real privilege as diving here has been forbidden since 2012. The surrounding underwater playground offers multiple shallow manta cleaning stations that can be accessed by both diving and snorkeling. Additionally, you can experience the famous Dhonfanu Thila and Dharavandhoo Thila - Maldivian underwater mountains that are covered in vibrant soft corals and rich, macro life.
  • DETAILS
    Only one entrance fee/guest is included in this package. In Hanifaru Bay a snorkeling excursion replaces a scheduled dive from the package. Our itineraries are flexible so that we can maximize your experiences with manta rays and other pelagics. We'll adapt the route depending on what we find, and try to avoid repeating excursions unless specifically requested by those onboard of course.
• RAA ATOLL
  The Raa Atoll is made up of unique topographical and geographical features, and of its 88 islands, 15 are inhabited. The small pinnacles are home to a proliferation of corals and multifarious schooling fish, with the occasional visits from turtles or eagle rays. Again, this atoll is sandbank galore.
• NOONU ATOLL
  Of Noonu's 71 islands, 13 are inhabited, this atoll is famous for its density of swarming fish huge spinner dolphin population, and abundant soft coral life. Home to both Orimas Thila and Xmass Rock, you'll take part in deep pinnacle diving with breathtaking reef life. You'll experience a resort visit and a whole day's access to the picnic island Dhifuraam where you'll enjoy sun, serenity, and solitude. If you're looking to fill your time here with adventure, you can enjoy kayaking, paddle boarding, and fun tubing. In the evening, there will be a night dive at Maafaru wreck, where you'll glide alongside stingrays and maybe even guitar sharks.
• LHAVIYANI ATOLL
  Lhaviyani's picturesque island and sapphire lagoons are home to many turtle research and recovery centers. If there's an outgoing current, you'll dive into their unique turtle caves and leave having experienced countless big green sea turtles. You'll plunge into one of the famous dive sites in the Lhaviyani atoll, Kuredu Express. This channel dive is named after the strong currents that can flow here, frequenting schools of sharks and eagle rays, with occasional turtles and stingrays.

(*) the itinerary description provided by the boat operator.

Sample itineraries and maps are for illustrative purposes only. The exact route and sites visited are subject to change based on local regulations, guest experience, weather, and logistics, and are at the Captain’s discretion.