The Reefs, Mantas and Whale Sharks

Beneath the Maldives' turquoise surface lies one of the world's great underwater realms, drawing divers and snorkellers from across the globe. The atolls' reefs, channels and sandy lagoons teem with life, vibrant corals, reef sharks, turtles and clouds of tropical fish. The Maldives is especially famous for its majestic manta rays and gentle whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea, both regularly encountered on snorkelling trips. Baa Atoll's Hanifaru Bay, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, hosts spectacular seasonal manta and whale-shark feeding gatherings.

What you actually see

• The manta rays - the graceful giants, spectacular at Hanifaru Bay.
• The whale sharks - the gentle giant fish of the atolls.
• The coral reefs - the vibrant house reefs and dive sites.
• The turtles and reef sharks - the abundant marine life.

When to go

Diving and snorkelling are good year-round, but manta and whale-shark hotspots shift with the monsoon; Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll is best from around May to November. Visibility is generally clearest in the dry season from November to April. Liveaboard trips reach the finest, remotest sites.

Honest expectations

The best marine encounters often require excursions or liveaboards beyond a single resort's house reef, adding cost, and manta and whale-shark sightings, while frequent, are never guaranteed and are seasonal by region. Coral has suffered bleaching from warming seas in places. When the reefs are healthy and the mantas gather, though, the Maldives offers some of the most magical snorkelling and diving on earth.

Nearby

The resorts and local islands across the atolls are the diving bases.