Ukulhas · Wildlife by season
Wildlife and seasons on Ukulhas
The manta boat leaves at 07:00 for wherever the crews have been finding them. Later boats go to Turtle Point, or out into open water for dolphins, or south to a different atoll for whale sharks.
Mantas are seen on trips from Ukulhas throughout the year. For every species, sightings depend on the animals and conditions, while wind and swell affect which sites the boats can reach.
How the seasons shape a trip
The Maldives has two main seasons, the south-west monsoon and the north-east season, and each brings its own wind and sea. On Ukulhas, the visitors' beach takes more weather in the south-west monsoon, and out at sea the wind and swell decide which sites the boats can reach.
Before you choose, ask which trips are running for your dates and what the crews have been seeing lately. The captain confirms each trip on the day.
Animal by animal
Mantas
Our crews see mantas on most manta trips, though encounters are never guaranteed. Choose the Manta Encounter for a shorter search, or continue to two reef sites with the Manta Discovery + Snorkel Combo.
Turtles
Turtles are the reason for Turtle Point Snorkelling, a mid-morning trip we usually suggest to families first.
Dolphins
Dolphins are watched from the deck on the Dolphin Safari, with no swimming. Most departures are in the morning, a few later in the day, and a trip lasts two or three hours.
Nurse sharks
On the Nurse Shark Encounter, choose to snorkel alongside the sharks, stay on a float and take photos, or watch from the boat. Keep your distance, and never touch or feed the sharks.
Whale sharks
Whale sharks mean a long day: the Whale Shark Expedition crosses to South Ari on a larger boat, with a packed lunch, and if one is found you get in the water for a snorkelling encounter. Ask about recent sightings when you plan it.
Reef life by the beach
Closer to home, the reef off the visitors' beach has fish and coral to see when conditions allow. Ask the team before you go in.
Beaches and reefDolphin SafariManta EncounterWhale Shark ExpeditionTurtle Point SnorkellingNurse Shark EncounterManta Discovery + Snorkel Combo
Before a wildlife trip
Snorkelling equipment, drinking water and a safety briefing come with the snorkelling trips, and the crews are professional and licensed. Let us know each person's swimming ability, and we will suggest the trips that suit. A search that runs is charged whether or not the animal appears, and a trip that does not run is not charged.
If somebody would rather not swim
The Dolphin Safari keeps everyone on deck from start to finish. On every snorkelling trip you can also simply stay on the boat, at the same price, so nobody has to sit a morning out on land.
What would you most like to see?
Tell us your dates and the animals you are hoping for, and we will tell you what the crews have been finding lately.