Swim with manta rays at The Nautilus Maldives this manta ray season!

The manta season is back and The Nautilus Maldives offers an exclusive gateway to Hanifaru Bay, known for the world's largest gathering of manta rays. Just as an FYI, it offers visa free entry to Indians.

In the serene heart of the Maldives, where time seems to pause, lies The Nautilus Maldives – an ultra-luxe haven not only for relaxation but also for diving enthusiasts seeking aquatic marvels. Located within the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll, The Nautilus offers free-spirited underwater experiences, each dive revealing a mesmerising aquatic world. Imagine treasure hunting in the deep, drifting beside a gentle giant of the sea, or engaging in exhilarating water sports in Maldives. Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, lies just outside your door – a kaleidoscopic wonderland of incredible marine life.

Swim with manta rays and join in their timeless dance | PADI women’s dive Day on July 15

Marvel at our house reef at the edge of the lagoon, or dive into the world-renowned Hanifaru Bay and swim amongst whale sharks and whirling manta rays. With endless ways to explore Baa Atoll, your adventure of discovery can begin the moment you arrive. Experience Hanifaru Bay, one of the largest manta-feeding hotspots in the world, and witness the majestic manta rays perform their timeless, mesmerising dance during the manta season.

The Deep Dive as you ID the Manta

Just beyond the shores of The Nautilus exists a world beyond time, rich in natural beauty and elemental freedoms. Slip just beneath the surface to deep blue waters and experience freedom without care. Hunt for natural treasures, explore hidden reefs or float weightlessly alongside gentle giants of the sea. The UNESCO Biosphere of Baa Atoll is home to kaleidoscopic marine life unique to Maldivian waters, a wonderland of breathtaking experiences just waiting to be explored. 

With access to over 40 dive sites, run by AquaNautica PADI dive centre, we offer a variety of Maldives diving excursions in Baa Atoll and further afield, with many of our dive trips being private. Our multi-lingual team run diving courses in the Maldives, refresher and advanced diving for divers of all levels and experience. Let our resident marine biologist introduce you to the wonders of the local reefs. You can participate in their rehabilitation by planting your own corals during your stay.

ID the manta with Manta Trust

As you explore the deep azure, you are bound to meet the graceful manta rays that glide the waters. You can now take a picture to identify the manta you swam with and reunite with the ones you have encountered. Simply click a picture of the Manta’s belly and send it to Manta Trust’s ‘ID the Manta programme’ and learn more about the mantas you have seen. If it’s a new manta that’s not in the system, you will be offered the chance to pick a name for it! (ID THE MANTA)

Snorkel in a world beneath the crystal waves

Don your fins and mask before slipping into the sparkling seas that envelop our house reef.

Glide above a vivid world that defies imagination. There is nothing more liberating than spending time among the corals and sea life of our UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

Guests are free to borrow snorkelling equipment free of charge throughout your stay and experience snorkelling in Maldives. The majesty of the Baa Atoll begins where the water meets the sands, just steps from the deck of your Beach House. And if you’re staying in an overwater Ocean House, the steps from your deck descend directly into this underwater world. Vibrant corals and teeming sea life frame every snorkelling adventure, with opportunities to witness dolphins, mantas and other marine life at every turn – all within easy swimming distance of The Nautilus.

Meet the expert

Jeff Milisen is a distinguished marine biology scientist and award-winning blackwater photographer, renowned for his captivating imagery capturing elusive species. Jeff’s book “A Field Guide to Blackwater Diving in Hawaii” is used to train dive professionals and scientists worldwide. Complementing Jeff’s passion, Sarah Milisen, Director of Education at a 5-Star PADI Dive Center in Hawaii, channels her extensive in-water experience of 23 years into nurturing environmentally conscious ocean stewards.

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