Dune Black Manta Itinerary

Central and South Atolls

Day 1:
Dune’s staff will pick you up at Malé International Airport and bring you to the boat. Enjoy a drink while listening to our welcome briefing. Dinner will be served in the evening, and you will spend the first night at Hulhumalé Marina.

Day 2:
The trip will start with discovering the dazzling long reefs or manta point (during the season from May to Nov only) in North Malé Atoll. Corals are abundant here, giving home to plenty of reef fish and macro species including frogfish, leaffish, nudibranchs, and flatworms.

Day 3:
In South Male Atoll, you will discover exceptional topography and diverse marine life, including grey reef sharks and eagle rays, as well as jacks, tunas, and groupers. After the day, we will cruise to Vaavu Atoll for the action-packed night dive you cannot miss. There’s nothing as exciting as diving with nurse sharks, sting rays, and jacks in their feeding frenzy.

Day 4:
Small caves, large overhangs, drop-offs, and sloping reefs covered with corals can be found in Vaavu Atoll. Larger marine life such as grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, tunas, and barracudas are often found here. During the channel dives, keep looking in the blue, as hammerhead sharks can sometimes pass by.

Day 5:
Cruising to the seldom visited atoll of Faafu brings you the memorable sensation of the pristine water with great visibility. You can find more grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasses, and various schools of reef fish in the channels. Moving north to South Ari Atoll, you will encounter beautiful pinnacles and bigger marine life.

Day 6:
In South Ari’s marine protected area, you will hopefully have a chance to snorkel or even scuba dive with whale sharks. Other highlights include grey reef sharks, napoleon wrasse, moray eels, and scorpionfish. Our crew will also lead a visit to a nearby local island just before dinner.

Day 7:
Today we will cruise up to North Ari Atoll while taking a last chance to get a close look at whale sharks. In the north, channels are wider and the ocean is deeper. The currents attract many grey reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, and other large pelagic fish. When night falls, you will be invited to go ashore again and indulge yourself in a barbecue dinner prepared by our crew on a nearby desert island.

Day 8:
Multiple manta cleaning stations, extraordinary thilas, and wrecks with rich marine life are the highlights of this area of Ari Atoll. You will also find eagle rays, hawksbill turtles, napoleon wrasse, schools of blue-stripe snapper, batfish, and fusiliers. The day will end with a manta night dive.

Day 9:
After one last dive in North Ari Atoll, the cruise will head to Rasdhoo Atoll, with its magnificent manta rays and hammerhead sharks.

Day 10:
Dive in once more in Rasdhoo Atoll before the boat heads back to North Malé Atoll. Here you will find stunning long reefs, small caves, and colourful corals with prolific marine and reef life. Take a closer look at the squirrelfish, bannerfish, oriental sweetlips, frogfish, and nudibranchs.

Day 11: 
Our crew will arrange your transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule once you have had your breakfast on board. We are also glad to help you plan for the day if you have a late flight. Various options are available, ranging from snorkelling excursions to booking accommodations.

Sample itineraries are for guidance only. Actual itineraries may differ slightly due to factors such as weather, wildlife, logistics, and local regulations.