Dharavandhoo
A local island in Baa Atoll with an airport, close to the Hanifaru manta site.
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Dharavandhoo is a village island in Baa Atoll with a domestic airport on it, which makes it the easiest base for reaching Hanifaru Bay, the site where hundreds of manta rays and sometimes whale sharks gather to feed on plankton concentrated by the currents between May and November. Baa Atoll is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, and access to Hanifaru is controlled with permits and set numbers.
What you actually see
- The Hanifaru trips - the boats to the manta feeding site in the season.
- The manta aggregation - hundreds of rays feeding when the plankton concentrates.
- The biosphere reserve - the atoll's protected status and managed access.
- The village island - the local community the guesthouses sit in.
When to go
May to November is the manta season at Hanifaru, peaking around the full and new moons. Outside it the site is quiet. The dry season runs November to April.
Honest expectations
Hanifaru access is by permit with limited numbers and snorkelling only, no diving. Manta numbers vary enormously and some trips see very few. Local island rules on dress and alcohol apply.
Nearby
Hanifaru Bay is nearby, and Malé is south.
What to pack for Dharavandhoo
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
