Hawksbill Sea Turtle — see destinations where it is seen
Eretmochelys imbricata
Indian Ocean · Maldives
Baa Atoll
Essentials
- Dive difficulty
- Intermediate
- Best months
- May – Nov · Feb
- Access
- Day boat
- Liveaboard recommended · Liveaboard possible
- Experience & eligibility
- Advanced Open Water recommended
- 1 of 2 sites
Wildlife
Documented presence, never a guaranteed sighting.
Reef Manta Ray — see destinations where it is seen
Mobula alfredi
Whale Shark — see destinations where it is seen
Rhincodon typus
Dive sites
Dharavandhoo Corner (Manta Point)
- Depth : 8–20m
- Level : Advanced
- Dive type : Drift · Reef
- Access : Day boat · Liveaboard recommended
Main wildlife : Reef Manta Ray
Advanced Open Water recommended — also accepted: SSI Advanced Adventurer, NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver, CMAS 2★
A real, scuba-diveable manta cleaning station elsewhere in Baa Atoll — the actual dive site to name when Hanifaru Bay itself is snorkel-only. A… Read moreShow less
A real, scuba-diveable manta cleaning station elsewhere in Baa Atoll — the actual dive site to name when Hanifaru Bay itself is snorkel-only. A current-exposed channel/corner site; both resort day-boats and liveaboards reach it, so liveaboard is recommended for full-atoll coverage rather than strictly required.
Hanifaru Bay
- Depth : 3–15m
Main wildlife : Reef Manta Ray, Whale Shark
The bay itself — snorkel-only. Scuba diving (any compressed-air diving) has been prohibited here since ~2011/2012 to protect feeding mantas and whale… Read moreShow less
The bay itself — snorkel-only. Scuba diving (any compressed-air diving) has been prohibited here since ~2011/2012 to protect feeding mantas and whale sharks from bubbles and gear; entry is permit/token-gated via the Baa Atoll Conservation Fund. For the atoll's actual scuba manta encounter, see Dharavandhoo Corner (Manta Point).
When to go
Choose a month
Documented best months
Conditions in May
Water29–31°C
VisibilityNot documented
CurrentNot documented
In season this month: Reef Manta Ray
Water temperature: NOAA OISST satellite sea-surface normals (2020–2024, typical range for the month). It can be cooler at depth or below a thermocline — check with your operator for exposure protection.
Experience & eligibility
- Recommended
Advanced Open Water
Site concerned (1/2): Dharavandhoo Corner (Manta Point)
also accepted: SSI Advanced Adventurer, NAUI Advanced Scuba Diver, CMAS 2★
A required level is a floor: a more experienced diver always qualifies.