On June 8, 2009, the Maldives government designated Hanifaru Bay as a marine protected area. In June 2011, UNESCO inscribed the entire Baa Atoll into its global network of biosphere reserves.
These two dates change the way you prepare your trip. In the most famous bay of the atoll, you will not dive with tanks. Only guided snorkeling is allowed there.
We have revised our old page, removed figures we could not verify, and corrected a site that was placed in the wrong atoll. What remains is a simple framework: level, current, season, supervision, and fallback plan.
Why is Baa Atoll a UNESCO biosphere reserve?
Because the atoll combines reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, and inhabited islands. UNESCO designated it in 2011 under its “Man and the Biosphere” program, which aims to reconcile environmental protection with the lives of inhabitants, fishing, and tourism. Its official profile lists 75 islands, including 13 inhabited, and nearly 143,000 hectares of marine surface.
Beware of a common shortcut. A biosphere reserve falls under a different UNESCO program than the World Heritage List, with its own criteria and an organization into zones that allow for fishing and tourism. The official profile cites about 250 coral species. It also records nearly 1,200 reef-associated fish species, as well as sea turtles, manta rays, whale sharks, and seabirds. Our previous version announced more than 2,000 fish species. We found no source for that figure anywhere. And the “20 shark species” and “6 turtle species” from the old page had no references, so we are removing them.
The UNESCO label describes a territory and its management, and nothing in this label tells you the current tomorrow morning.
What are the rules at Hanifaru Bay?
Scuba diving and fishing are prohibited there. You can only snorkel, with a guide certified by the Maldives Environmental Protection Agency for a maximum of ten swimmers. The management plan finalized in 2011 also limits the number of boats and visitors present simultaneously in the bay, according to a fact sheet published in 2016.
This fact sheet, written by Manta Trust, Project AWARE, and WWF for the Convention on Migratory Species, sets precise limits. No more than five boats. No more than eighty visitors at the same time, rangers on site, and heavy fines in case of violations. The entrance fee was then $20 per visitor, paid to a conservation fund for the atoll. These figures date from 2016.
However, limits and fees may have changed over the past ten years, and it is impossible to decide here without written confirmation from your center or the Baa biosphere reserve office.
Why so many rules? The bay is the size of a football field, and reef manta rays come there to feed on plankton, sometimes with whale sharks nearby. A swimmer who dives down toward them or chases them disturbs them during their meal. What we explain on why you should never touch marine life applies here literally.
When to go to Baa Atoll to see manta rays?
The 2016 fact sheet places the Hanifaru season from May to December, during the southwest monsoon. The biosphere reserve describes a rainy season from May to November and a dry season from January to March. Manta rays remain wild animals. No date guarantees their presence.
This calendar creates a dilemma. The period when mantas frequent the bay falls right in the rainy season, with monsoon months that can bring more wind, more swell, and less comfortable boat crossings for you. Our old page praised November to May for visibility. It forgot that the other half of the year matters more for Hanifaru. It also announced water temperatures of 27-29 °C and visibility over 30 meters, without date or source, so we are removing these two figures.
But visibility says nothing about your safety, and clear water can hide a strong current.
If you hesitate between Baa and another spot to swim with fins and snorkel, our selection of the 12 best snorkeling destinations compares other options. Keep the same framework.
What diving sites are in Baa Atoll, and for what level?
Away from Hanifaru, scuba diving is practiced on thilas, these reef pinnacles that rise towards the surface, and in the channels that connect the lagoon to the open sea. Dharavandhoo Thila and Dhonfanu Thila are often mentioned. The required level mainly depends on the current of the day and the depth that the guide chooses on site.
Our old list placed Fish Head among the sites of Baa. Mistake. This well-known site is located in the Ari Atoll, further south, and it appears in our Maldives diving sites guide with the other atolls. We also removed Maavaru Kandu and “Manta Point” due to the lack of dated public descriptions precisely locating them within Baa. For the two remaining thilas, we have no dated and sourced current data.
| Criterion | Hanifaru Bay (snorkeling) | Thilas and channels (scuba) |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Comfortable with fins, mask, and snorkel. The guide decides the entry. | Set by the center according to depth and current of the day |
| Current | No dated public data | No dated public data, to be requested the day before |
| Season | May to December for mantas (CMS sheet, 2016) | To be confirmed with the center |
| Supervision | One certified guide for up to 10 swimmers (2016) | Center guide, group size to be confirmed |
| Fallback plan | Another day with access to the bay | A more sheltered site in the lagoon |
Thus, ask the center for the planned depth, the direction of the current, and the tide time before signing up for a thila.
How to choose your center and fallback plan in Baa?
Choose a center that answers in writing five questions: what level it requires for each site, how it manages the current, who supervises and how many, what access it has to Hanifaru, and what it offers if the outing is canceled. A center that remains vague leaves you to bear the risk alone.
The 2016 sheet describes a rotation. Some days, the bay is reserved for hotel guests, other days for cruise boats. If you are going on a cruise, ask which days your boat will have access to Hanifaru. Ask the same question at your hotel. On a one-week stay, a missed outing due to schedule or weather may never be made up, and the guide reserves the right to cancel if conditions are judged poor.
However, your PADI, SSI, or CMAS certification indicates the training you have followed, and the center remains the sole judge of your comfort level on the day of the outing.
For sunscreen, reread what we wrote about sunscreen and marine environments. A bay frequented by dozens of swimmers per day inevitably receives some. A long-sleeve lycra solves much of the problem.
The cost of this caution is concrete: you need one or two days of margin in your stay for Hanifaru, and sometimes to give up the cheapest offer if it does not have access to the bay during your dates. Would you book it this way?
FAQ
Can you scuba dive at Hanifaru Bay?
No. Scuba diving and fishing are prohibited there, according to the 2016 sheet published for the Convention on Migratory Species. Only snorkeling with a certified guide is allowed.
What is the manta ray season at Hanifaru?
From May to December according to the same sheet, during the southwest monsoon. Mantas remain wild animals and no date guarantees their presence.
Is Baa Atoll a World Heritage Site?
No. It has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 2011, under the “Man and the Biosphere” program. This program is distinct from the World Heritage list.
Do you need a diving certification to see Hanifaru Bay?
No, since the bay is only visited by snorkeling. You must be comfortable with fins, mask, and snorkel, and the on-site guide remains the sole judge of your entry.
How much does access to Hanifaru Bay cost?
The 2016 sheet mentioned 20 dollars per visitor, paid to a conservation fund for the atoll. This amount may have changed since. Ask your center or hotel for the current rate.
Sources
- Baa Atoll – Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) (UNESCO, designated reserve in 2011)
- Hanifaru Bay, Maldives: Shark & Ray Tourism, MPAs and Sustainable Financing (Manta Trust, Project AWARE and WWF for the Convention on Migratory Species, 2016)
Photo: Frédéric Ducarme, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
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