\u201cI also did a vila snorkeling tour, swam with whale sharks and manta rays again.\u201d<\/em> Whale sharks<\/strong> used to visit the Maldives during the Southwest Monsoon season. But now, they seem to hang around the warm waters of the Indian Ocean all year round, specifically in the South Ari Atoll.<\/span><\/p>\n Spotting a slow-moving whale shark beneath the Maldives\u2019 clear waters and even snorkelling above or diving alongside one is truly an incredible experience.<\/span><\/p>\n The whale shark (Rhincodon typus)<\/em> is a gentle filter-feeding giant that belongs to the shark family and is the world\u2019s largest fish. They swim by moving their 12-ton bodies from side to side, unlike their agile relatives, the sharks, that use their tails for swimming.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe also did the Whale Shark, Manta and Turtle excursion and were lucky enough to swim with all 3 which was a dream come true.\u201d \u2013 <\/em>Flavia, Australia July 2023 \u2013 Booking.com<\/p>\n Whale sharks can be seen in the plankton-rich waters near Vilamendhoo, and the Resort arranges snorkelling excursions. Diving with these magnificent creatures is also possible via our dive operator,\u00a0<\/span>Euro-Divers<\/span><\/strong>, based on the Resort. Whale sharks tend to favour the Western side of the Indian Ocean archipelago from May to December and then move to the Eastern waters from January to April. They can be spotted around the<\/strong> South Ari Atoll\u2019s Maamigili Marine Protected Area (MPA).<\/strong> Vilamendhoo is situated in the South Ari Atoll and provides a strategic vantage point for megafauna enthusiasts as the Resort Island lies just in the path of whale shark feeding grounds.<\/span><\/p>\n Contact Vilamendhoo\u2019s SEA department for further information about these gentle giants, the best time to spot them and to ask for\u00a0<\/span>whale shark excursion<\/strong>reservations.<\/span><\/p>\n Follow us on\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>Facebook<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>and see the latest whale shark spotting and amazing images by other divers and snorkelers.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI was lucky enough to see three Whale Sharks whilst snorkelling between dives and a vast array of marine life. Eurodivers were great. Reasonable value.\u201d \u201cWe swam with one of the largest whale sharks in the region. We saw mantas, turtles, dolphins, octopus, and beside that, we had a lot of fun on the boat that day! Great crew, thank you guys.\u201d <\/em> Are you planning to explore the underwater world in the Maldives? Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa<\/strong> is one of the best resorts in the Maldives<\/a> for diving and snorkelling. Get more info and book with best price at Vilamendhoo Island Resort & Spa here >><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n More info about Vilamendhoo Island Resort<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nXiaodong, United States of America \u2013 Sep2023 \u2013 Booking.com<\/p>\n![\"Shark](\"http:\/\/maldives-paradise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/whale-shark-maldives-300x164.jpg\")
![\"Vilamendhoo\"](\"http:\/\/maldives-paradise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/vilamendhoo4-300x200.jpg\")
\n<\/em>\u2013 SpaldingUKTraveller, Spalding, United Kingdom, Jan 2021 \u2013 TripAdvisor<\/p>\n
\n\u2013 AnaP1718, Dec 2020 \u2013 TripAdvisor<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\n