Learn and Assist With Manta Research and Conservation on This Unique 12 Day Liveaboard Trip
August 11-22, 2027
This Maldives Manta Research snorkeling trip is an educational and hands-on research expedition. You will be accompanied by researchers with years of expertise in marine conservation, who will help you understand the importance of the marine life, its fragility and what you can do to protect it. Through engaging presentations, photo ID workshops, and island clean-ups, you can become a citizen scientist and contribute to the preservation of the fragile marine environment in the Maldives.
On this safari you can expect a wide range of experiences like swimming with schools of manta rays, sharks, and curious sea turtles, and snorkeling on coral reefs. This tour is carefully timed to take place when the numbers of mantas are at their highest and during the best lunar currents, which affect the movements and feeding habits of Reef Manta Rays. Using the expertise of the researchers on board, feeding aggregations will be located, and you will be in the water surrounded by these gentle giants during feeding frenzies.
The Black Manta Liveaboard will be your home for this journey. It sports all the luxuries and amenities of a comfortable resort, and serves as a functional base for your exhilarating snorkeling sessions. The crew is experienced with these manta conservation tours and will help provide an unforgettable experience.
This 12 day trip is being run by our partner and friend Ben and his team. Based in the U.K., they are experts at running amazing snorkel excursions, and have a great appreciation for the underwater world. Two guides from Ben’s team, along with two from the conservation group, will be with your 22 person group for the duration of your trip.
The Maldives Manta Research Snorkeling Trip Itinerary and Map
The Maldives are a chain of atolls and islands in the Indian Ocean, just southwest of the southern point of India.
You will book your international flight to arrive in the capital of the Maldives, Male (MLE). After arrival you will be met and transferred to a comfortable hotel. In the evening you will meet your fellow expedition members and your guides at a group dinner.
After breakfast the next morning you will be met by staff from the liveaboard and transferred to the boat. You will have 10 nights aboard the Black Manta, exploring numerous atolls.
On the final morning you will wake up in Male. After breakfast you will be transferred back to the airport for your flight home.
What Will the Snorkeling and Other Activities Be Like?
The beauty of a liveaboard is that the itinerary can change to experience the best weather and water conditions, and the best times for viewing marine life. A flexible itinerary will be maintained in order to maximize opportunities for unforgettable encounters with mega fauna. So while there is a route on the map above, the order of things and specific spots will be based on current conditions.
There will be three snorkel sessions offered most days, and you might be able to swim with feeding mantas at night as they come to feed on the plankton that is attracted to the boat’s lights.
On most evenings, the marine biologists from Manta Trust will host presentations and workshops on a variety of subjects that center around manta rays, turtles, and reef ecology and conservation. They’ll also go over the day’s manta ID photos to check the results of the individual mantas encountered on your snorkel sessions. On several occasions, you will also visit deserted islands where you are invited to help with a beach clean-up.
There are four main atolls on this tour’s itinerary, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo Atoll, Baa Atoll, and Raa Atoll. The main attraction for visiting Ari Atoll is the magical experience of swimming with feeding mantas at night, but you will also snorkel the coral reefs with their colorful fish and creatures.
Just north of Ari is the small Rasdhoo Atoll, home to one of the first ever Marine Protected Areas in the country. The site called Rasdhoo Madivaru is renowned for its richness of diversity with great chances for encounters with reef sharks, giant Napolean Wrasses, and elegant eagle rays.
Baa Atoll is the next one to the north. Reef Manta Rays can be found in large numbers on the many cleaning stations scattered throughout the atoll. It is also home to the famous Hanifaru Bay, where manta rays aggregate to feed in huge numbers, occasionally also accompanied by a whale shark, the largest fish on the planet. This atoll is home to coral reefs with many sea turtles, curious clownfish, and much more.
Just north of Baa is Raa Atoll. This atoll hosts another large population of mantas, and also has reefs filled with multicolored tropical reef fishes, schooling butterflyfishes and hawksbill turtles.
You will be reaching most of the snorkeling sites via a tender boat or the boat’s large dhoni, a classic Maldivian tender boat, complete with toilet, full hard canopy, and plenty of space to store your dry goods. There is a ladder and the crew are on hand to assist with water entry and exit.
What Will the Black Manta Liveaboard Be Like?
The Black Manta is 138 feet (42 meters) long and boasts a range of facilities designed for comfort, convenience, and safety. She has been chartered exclusively for this snorkeler-only expedition.
Each cabin is equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning, private en-suite bathrooms with heated water showers, and ample storage space, ensuring a comfortable stay.
The Lower Deck Cabins have either two twins or one double bed and porthole windows. The Main Deck cabins have one double bed and windows.
The Upper Deck Cabins either two twin beds or one double bed and large sea view windows.
The Main Deck has an air-conditioned indoor lounge with an entertainment system, offering a perfect space to relax between snorkels. The High Deck provides ample space for relaxing in the sun, and is the place to treat yourself to a massage.
The outdoor dining area allows you to enjoy meals while taking in the stunning views. The menu boasts delectable dishes prepared with fresh, local ingredients, with dietary preferences accommodated on request.
Trip Details and How to Sign Up
This is a small group charter and we expect it to fill quickly. Your spot is reserved with your deposit. Contact Ben below for deposit instructions.
Trip Date:
August 11-22, 2027 – Trip full, request to be waitlisted below.
Trip Price:
Upper Deck Cabin: $6350 US per person sharing
Main Deck Cabin: $6250 US per person sharing
Lower Deck Cabin: $5850 US per person sharing
Lower Deck Cabin Single Supplement: $2000 US
The initial deposit for this trip is $800 US per person. At 12 months before departure there is a $1000 US per person interim deposit, and at six months there is another $1000 US per person interim deposit. The final balance will be due three months before departure. A few payment options are available including debit and credit cards.
Individual travelers – Ben will happily find someone of the same sex for you to share a room with. If he cannot find you someone, no single supplement surcharge will apply.
Inclusions:
- Round trip transfers: airport – hotel – liveaboard – airport or local hotel
- 1 night accommodation at a Male hotel with group dinner
- 10 nights accommodation and full board (all meals) on the Black Manta Liveaboard
- Drinking water, tea, and coffee
- 2-3 guided snorkel sessions per day with local snorkel guides
- Two guides from Ben’s team
- Two Manta Trust experts offering daily marine biology presentations/workshops
- Government Green Tax and all Marine park fees
- GST Tax included at 17%
Exclusions:
- International flights and visas
- Snorkeling equipment rental
- On board WiFi
- All personal expenses on board or during visits to local islands
- Crew Gratuities
- Travel and cancellation insurance (recommended)
- Health insurance (compulsory)
Trip Organizers
Ben and his U.K. based team are the organizers and leaders of this trip (more about them below). Galen and Nicole from TropicalSnorkeling.com are promoting this trip, but all signups, trip organization and payments are made to and managed by Ben’s team. TropicalSnorkeling.com does receive a referral fee in exchange for promoting the trip, at no extra cost to attendees.
How to Sign Up or Learn More?
Use the contact form below to contact Ben and his team to request more information about them and express your interest in signing up. They will get back to you shortly with full details.
More About Ben and Our Partnership
Ben (pictured with Nicole) is our friend and snorkeling trips partner. He and his team are based in the U.K. and have over 20 years of experience guiding in Asia and beyond. He has been running his own business since 2010 and is primarily offering guided snorkeling trips, but he started with diving. He began offering snorkeling specific trips because he was aware that snorkelers often get the short end of the stick when thrown in with divers. He and his team love the freedom and low stress of snorkeling, and are very aware of the different needs of snorkelers versus divers, in terms of the reef depth, and calm surface conditions needed.
From our experience going on some of his snorkeling trips we found them very well organized, the guides were fantastic and very helpful, and the underwater experiences were exceptional. Snorkeling groups really get the benefit of all of Ben and his guides’ years of experience in the water, and with different resorts and liveaboards.
All of his trips are small groups of 12-18 guests, or with a similar ratio of snorkelers to guides. These are premium trips including nearly everything you will need, accommodation, meals, transportation, and more.
His company is licensed and insured. Barring extreme circumstances they do not cancel trips.