Islands for whale sharks
South Ari is one of the few places with year-round sightings rather than a season. Staying on that coast means a short boat ride instead of a long one.
Photo · maldivian_abo / Google Alif Dhaal Atoll
Dhangethi
Dhangethi sits on the eastern rim of South Ari with a little over nine hundred residents. It is one of the older guesthouse…
Baa Atoll
Dharavandhoo
Dharavandhoo is the way into Hanifaru Bay. The bay sits within the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and in season the currents…
Photo · Hamdhoon Hameed / Google Alif Dhaal Atoll
Dhigurah
Dhigurah is long and thin — the name means "long island" — and that shape is the point. A single sand spit runs off the southern…
What to ask before you book
- Book early in your stay so a blank day leaves room to try again.
- Nobody can promise a sighting. An operator who does is selling something.
- Choose a boat that limits group size and waits its turn — crowding ends the encounter for everyone.