ONE OF THE OCEAN’S GREATEST NATURAL SPECTACLES
The northern Baa Atoll is a particularly great example of conservation and was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 2011.
Swimming amongst the feeding aggregations of manta rays and whale sharks at Hanifaru Bay is one of the most exciting and mind-blowing thing you can do. It is the largest known aggregation of Manta Rays in the world!! We will go snorkelling alongside them as they barrel-rolling and ‘fly’ in formation through the dense plankton - a behaviour that has become known as cyclone feeding.
US$1,880 / £1,510 / €1,640
DURATION
6 nights
7 days
COST
Per Person
HOTEL
Milano hotel (for Maafushi) and Biosphere hotels (for Baa atoll 4 nights)
LOCATION
Hanifaru Bay / Airport:
Velana International
Biosphere Hotels, Baa Atoll — Manta expedition accommodation.
Biosphere Hotels, Baa Atoll — Manta expedition accommodation.
Biosphere Hotels, Baa Atoll — Manta expedition accommodation.
Biosphere Hotels, Baa Atoll — Manta expedition accommodation.
Biosphere Hotels, Baa Atoll — Manta expedition accommodation.
Milano Hotel, Maafushi — expedition accommodation.
Milano Hotel, Maafushi — expedition accommodation.
Milano Hotel, Maafushi — expedition accommodation.
YOUR 7 DAY EXPEDITION
( 6 DAYS ON THE OCEAN )
FOLLOWING THE MIGRATION
7 DAYS. 6 NIGHTS. BUILT AROUND THE MIGRATION.
This expedition takes us north to Baa Atoll, where we spend four nights following one of the Maldives’ most extraordinary seasonal wildlife movements.
Our days are shaped by the ocean. We follow the tides, currents, recent sightings and local conditions, searching across the atoll for manta rays and whale sharks wherever the activity is strongest.
When the conditions come together, we may find mantas gathering in extraordinary numbers. And when daylight disappears, the expedition doesn’t necessarily stop — Baa Atoll also gives us the chance to search for whale sharks after dark, one of the most surreal encounters we can experience in the Maldives.
There is no fixed wildlife schedule. We move with what is happening in the ocean, guided by a local team that knows these waters.
Four nights in Baa Atoll. One migration. And an ocean that decides what happens next.
Your arrival day is your first day on the ocean, followed by five full expedition days. Day 7 the expedition ends and no ocean activities are scheduled.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE
ARRIVAL — BEFORE 12:00 PM
After arriving at Terminal 1, walk approximately 5 minutes to Terminal 2 and meet our airport team at Counter E4. From there, we'll guide you to the earliest available speedboat to Maafushi, where every expedition begins.
Speedboat transfers operate regularly throughout the day, from approximately 7:15 AM until 10:00 PM.
Your arrival day is also your first day on the ocean, so we strongly recommend arriving in Malé before 12:00 PM to join the first expedition activity.
Want to arrive a day early? No problem. You can arrange your own accommodation or contact Kandu and we'll help you organise a room.
DEPARTURE — 9:30 AM OR LATER
Day 7 is the end of your expedition and there are no ocean activities scheduled.
The earliest speedboat leaves Maafushi at 6:30 AM and reaches the airport by approximately 7:15 AM. Please book your departing flight for 9:30 AM or later.
INFORMATION
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Six nights’ accommodation in shared rooms at Milano Hotel in Maafushi and Biosphere Hotels in Baa Atoll, including four nights in Baa Atoll. The expedition lasts seven days; Day 7 is departure day.
All breakfasts and lunches, plus two dinners.
Round-trip airport speedboat transfers on official expedition dates and scheduled inter-island transfers.
Local guides, ocean expeditions and transfers to Hanifaru Bay when conditions and access permit.
Two scuba dives for certified divers, or one discovery scuba dive for non-certified guests.
Snorkelling and scuba-diving equipment.
Action-camera photos and videos captured by the Kandu team, at no extra charge. Our focus is exploring and understanding the ocean; specific photographs or footage cannot be guaranteed.
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International flights.
Dinners other than the two included dinners.
Compulsory travel and diving insurance.
Optional solo-room supplements: Milano Hotel, US$65 extra per room per night; Biosphere Hotels, US$130 extra per room per night.
Optional professional underwater photography: US$15 per edited, colour-graded photo.
Optional professional underwater video: US$30 per colour-graded video.
Optional drone videos: US$15 per person.
Personal expenses and optional purchases.
DATES 2027
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AUGUST 6TH - 12TH. 12 PLACES AVAILABLE
AUGUST 16TH - 22ND. 12 PLACES AVAILABLE
SEPTEMBER 4TH - 10TH. 7 PLACES AVAILABLE
SEPTEMBER 15TH - 21ST. 13 PLACES AVAILABLE
FAQ
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Send your preferred expedition, departure date, full name and number of guests to Kandu on WhatsApp at +960 9970856. Our team will confirm availability and send a secure bank payment link. A 40% deposit secures your booking, and you will receive a payment confirmation receipt.
The remaining 60% can be paid on arrival by cash, card or bank transfer. Trip payments are accepted in USD, EUR or GBP. MVR is also accepted for optional purchases such as merchandise and photography.
Payments are non-refundable. To request a move to another departure date or year, contact Kandu at least three months before your original departure and retain your payment receipt. Requests received after this deadline cannot be transferred and require a new booking.
Kandu’s own scheduled expeditions have no minimum guest requirement. Departures proceed even with one booked guest.
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It is a requirement to be able to know how to swim in the ocean!
Please remember this is an ocean safari!
You do not have to be a scuba-diver nor a free-diver, you just need to know how to swim!!
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In all our trips, each room has 2 people!
If you are coming with your partner / friend, then you will be put in the same room together!
If you are travelling solo, you will be put with another solo traveller of your same gender!
Rooms alone can always be requested at an extra price.
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We do! This would fall under our “Private” trips category.
We have created and run over 10 private family trips with children ages ranging from 2 - 16! We customise the tour depending on the number of kids, their ages and what you want to see & experience!