Swimming with manta rays in the Maldives

About this list

If you want to go swimming with manta rays in the Maldives, the useful question is not whether the manta rays are there but who will take you to them that way. Maptlantis lists only the 5 operators in the Maldives that name the manta ray as a target species and actually run swimming. 1 of the 5 operators (20%) publishes prices on their own channels, so you can compare those directly; ask the rest. Estimated prices are not shown. Most operators list year-round operation, but whether boats go out depends on the sea on the day. Operators with structured encounter data list whale shark, manta ray, sea turtle, coral and spinner dolphin as target species. Ways to meet them: snorkeling, swimming, boat-based watching and scuba diving. Whether you may enter the water and what distance rules apply differ by country and operator. Check the program details and legal status on each operator page first.

Other ways to meet manta rays in the Maldives

• Liveaboards to see manta rays in the Maldives7
• Freediving with manta rays in the Maldives4

Manta rays in other countries

• Indonesia11
• Australia9
• Egypt5
• Japan5
• Hawaii4
• Mozambique4

Activities in the Maldives

• Scuba diving in the Maldives206
• Island hopping and boat trips in the Maldives182
• Snorkeling in the Maldives138
• Family water activities in the Maldives89
• Marine life encounters in the Maldives89
• Surfing and SUP in the Maldives38
• Beaches and water play in the Maldives25
• Freediving in the Maldives21
• Liveaboards in the Maldives10
• Swimming in the Maldives8

Swimming by country

• Australia117
• Japan46
• Philippines42
• South Korea25
• La Réunion10
• Tonga9
• Cocos (Keeling) Islands8
• Maldives8
• Cook Islands6
• Egypt6

Frequently asked questions