One of the most spectacular nature spots in the Maldives, Hanifaru Bay belongs to the uninhabited island, Hanifaru that is situated on the southeastern edge of Baa atoll. Approximately 115 km north of Male’ and Velana International Airport, you can take a 20-minute flight or a two-hour speedboat ride from Velana Airport to Dharavandhoo Airport. Hanifaru Bay is just ten minutes from Dharavandhoo island.

The small enclosed, underwater bay is locally known as ‘Vandhumaafaru Adi’ and its 1,300-metre section of the reef that is shaped like a keyhole, acts like a sanctuary for the plethora of marine life that gathers every year to breed and feed. The Southwest Monsoon (between the months May and December) coincides with a lunar tide which results in dense build-up of plankton that attracts hundreds of filter feeders to the bay – you can witness over a hundred manta rays accompanied by whale sharks, making Hanifaru Bay the world’s largest manta feeding station known to exist!

Today, Hanifaru is a Marine Protected Area (declared in 2009) and incorporated into UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2011. The bay and the island itself are preserved and it is prohibited to get on the island without prior written permission from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA). Boats other than taxi vessels are not allowed to visit for fishing or other activities and any boat permitted to enter the area must maintain speed limits in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the marine life. There are also rangers monitoring the feeding station and surrounding areas.

From a bird’s-eye view, Hanifaru Bay looks like any other island of the Maldives, a tiny patch of white sand surrounded by shades of blue water; what sets it apart from the rest is the grandeur that comes from the hundreds of manta rays and whale sharks that give a fascinating performance whilst devouring zooplankton. The reef manta rays (Mobula alfredi) and whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are remarkably large yet graceful marine animals.

The bay is believed to be one of the few places in the world where whale sharks congregate to mate. Little is known about these massive gentle giants and the bay serves as a sanctum for the extremely shy sharks.

It was not always the case; for centuries the fisherfolk of Baa atoll Dhonfanu and other inhabited islands caught whale sharks for its liver oil or fins and was an important source of livelihood for them. In 2008, the Fisheries Ministry had an agreement to lease Hanifaru to a private party for industrial development purposes. The island was not put to tender, no Strategic Environment Impact Assessment (SEIA) was completed and it lacked clauses to ensure the lessee respects the wildlife in the area. After successful protests from Bluepeace and other interested parties, things finally settled in favour of the marine animals, in 2009 with the declaration of Hanifaru as a Marine Protected Area.

A manta ray has an average wingspan of 3.5 metres and whale sharks grow up to 10 metres, yet these massive creatures are harmless to humans and are filter feeders only. They feed on microorganisms by filtering tons of water and capturing krill, shrimp, tiny fish, jellyfish and other plankton with their gills.

When the manta rays enter nutrient-rich waters they perform a backward somersault, also known as a barrel roll – this movement maximises their food intake and saves energy. It is quite a sight to see swarms of over fifty manta rays feeding together. They form a chain and swim in a vortex with their maws open and this is often called cyclone feeding – a scene that is almost hypnotic. When the number increases to over a hundred, they spiral out in different directions causing the sedative chain to break and a feeding frenzy ensues as they bump into each other.

British marine biologist and director of the Manta Trust, Guy Stevens, once shared his experiences: “Just after high tide you’ll see a few manta rays turn up, then poof, a whole group will move in, and you’ll get as many as 200 feeding for two to four hours in a bay no bigger than a soccer field.”

It is estimated that every year tourists spend an average of US$ 140 million to see the magnificent feeding performance. Tourism can help to combat the issue of global manta and whale shark fisheries, providing many countries and governments with an evident economic incentive to protect these animals. A snorkel in the Maldives with a manta or whale shark can help conserve one of the ocean’s greatest treasures.

These marine animals are sensitive to disturbance and if proper measures are not taken tourism has potential to do more harm than good. There are some simple precautionary steps that can be taken as an individual when snorkelling at the bay.

You have to keep a proper distance from the whale sharks and manta rays, avoid taking flash photography, strobes and lights are not allowed in the marine park. Touching or stroking is prohibited and you should never approach the animals from front or cross its path. Visitors are always briefed with detailed guidelines on how to approach and the proper behaviour to approach the giants, before they are taken to the bay. Subsequently the local government is working towards implementing sustainable tourism around the biological jewel of Baa atoll.

The Maldives reopened to international visitors in July 2020, with travellers being offered free 30-day tourist visas upon arrival. Many airlines have now resumed flights to Male, offering connections to and from destinations such as Doha, Dubai, Colombo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Istanbul, London, Zurich and Frankfurt. To book your holiday in paradise, please visit www.perfectvoyage.travel, email [email protected], or contact us on our hotline +960 7770802 directly or on WhatsApp.