Dharavandhoo

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.

Highlights

• 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.

Good to know

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.

Key facts