The Hanifaru Experience

Michel Braunstein · Issue 131, Mar/Apr 2023 · pp. 42–45

Products mentioned: Nikon D850, Nikon 10-15mm fisheye, Nauticam housing, Nikon D500, Nikon 15-80mm lens

Meeting big animals in the sea, such as manta rays or whale sharks, is an unforgettable experience. Meeting loads of them together in a food fest, is even much more moving. It’s such a thrill, so exciting, a bit like being on a first date. That’s the incredible experience you can have in Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll, Northwest of Male, Maldives, a mere 20-minute flight from the capital’s island. Each year, during the season (from June to November), the Southwest monsoon brings to the region gigantesque plankton gatherings. These are drawing hundreds of manta rays and often whale sharks into the bay. Manta rays are feeding on planktons in a “fly” formation, like huge birds, all together circularly; this is called “cyclone feeding”. This movement is quite incredible and unique. I had the chance to dive in many places around the world, including in Yap (Micronesia), Socorro (Mexico), and even ot…