Hanifaru

Get ready for the annual gathering of manta rays in the Maldives - SilverKris

"Every year, starting in May and running until November, I note that Hanifaru Bay — at the heart of Baa Atoll in the Maldives — becomes the site for an immense gathering of manta rays. As many as 200 individuals, which can grow to as large as 7 m across, sweep across the bay in dramatic feeding chains, making it the largest concentration of mantas on earth. They’re drawn by the plankton-rich waters, a result of tropical krill being swept up to the surface of the Indian Ocean by the southwest monsoon currents and strong tides. The bay was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2011 to minimise human impact, but visitors are still able to snorkel alongside these majestic beasts." - Nadia Haensel