News
Eydhafushi to host Baa Manta Festival 2019
Celebrating the Gentle Ocean Giants of the Maldives
Taking place on Eydhafushi Island from Friday 20th to Saturday 21st September, this #FridaysForFuture event will help to kick-off Global Week for Future: a week of climate action led by Greta Thunberg. There are no tickets required and all are welcome!
200 students create a manta. Credit Simon Hilbourne@Manta Trust
The Manta Trust is organising the second Maldives Manta Festival in partnership with the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Eydhafushi Island and Atoll Council, Baa Atoll Education Centre, and Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru resort. This exciting event will build on the success of last year’s festival by bringing together communities, school students and
tourists from across the country to celebrate the Maldives’ unique marine life. What better location for a manta festival than Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve; home to the world-famous Hanifaru Bay, a Marine Protected Area that attracts aggregations of over 200 reef manta rays during the South West Monsoon.
Manta sculpture competition. Credit: Simon Hilbourne@Manta Trust
The Baa Atoll Manta Festival aims to leave a lasting legacy for young Maldivians, inspiring the next generation to engage with marine ecology and conservation. This year over 1000 students are expected to attend.
“We want our annual Baa Atoll Manta Festival to encourage young Maldivians to experience the beauty of the ocean by spending more time in the water swimming and snorkelling” explains the Manta Trust’s Flossy Barraud, one of the event’s key organisers. “Resorts sponsoring 2018’s Manta Festival donated snorkelling equipment to every school in Baa Atoll. This year, the resorts are taking 200 students from 12 local schools snorkelling with manta rays inside Hanifaru Bay. We hope this will inspire the next generation to continue to protect their marine environment and Biosphere Reserve.”
Welcome dance. Credit:Simon Hilbourne@Manta Trust
Friday 20th will include the opening ceremony and speeches as well as a panel discussion between environmental figureheads from the Biosphere Reserve, Manta Trust and the Environmental Protection Agency, amongst others. With over 30 inspiring stalls boasting educational content plus manta, turtle and whale shark themed games and virtual reality, the event is sure to engage all attendees with vital marine conservation issues. Malé
businesses including Island Bizaar, Oevaali Art Shop and Pepper Dots will join the celebration, brought to the festival alongside students by transport partner MTCC. Creative students are invited to enter the live art competition, with great prizes up for grabs including return flights from our travel partner Manta Air. Stalls will remain open into the evening,
allowing guests to peruse whilst enjoying Bodu Beru and DJ performances.
200 students have snorkeling lessons at festival. Credit: Simon Hilbourne@Manta Trust
Saturday brings plenty more excitement as stalls open for a second day and students take part in some hands-on conservation for ‘World Coastal Clean-up Day.’ Students will learn how to segregate waste using ocean plastics collected during beach cleans on their islands, organised in collaboration with Soneva Fushi and plastic reduction group ‘Parley for the Oceans.’ In the afternoon schools will participate in the Swim Maldives “Odin Rashah”
swimming competition and a themed performance competition titled ‘Charismatic Megafauna’. Following these events, the winners of all competitions will be announced. Prizes will include snorkelling equipment, snorkelling field trips and merchandise generously donated by our sponsors. The festival will go out in style with evening entertainment from local musicians and Bodu Beru.
The festival is generously sponsored by 15 local resorts: Four Seasons, Vakkaru, Ocean Dimensions at Kihaa, Anantara Kihavah, Nautilus, Reethi Faru, Milaidhoo, Sea-Explorer and Reethi Beach, Finolhu, Amilla Fushi, Dusit Thani and Ocean Group, Westin Maldives, Euro-Divers Maldives, Meeru Island Resort and Soneva Fushi. The festivities will be covered by
press partners Eydhafushi Times and Public Service Media.
For more information about The Manta Trust visit their website by clicking here.
Save up to $1100 on select liveaboard dive trips from June through October 2025
Explorer Ventures Fleet is turning up the heat with its new Hot Summer / Cool Prices sale. For a limited time, divers can save $1000 or more on select liveaboard departures from June through October 2025.
Whether you’re ready to dive into crystal-clear summer waters or planning a cool fall escape, this promotion offers major savings on world-class dive adventures in the Galápagos, Turks & Caicos, and the Caribbean.
Hot Summer / Cool Prices – For the Summer Dive Traveler:
From June through August, take advantage of deep discounts on summer getaways. Enjoy up to $1100 off select trips aboard the Humboldt Explorer in the Galápagos or save $1000 on select summer departures aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer Il and Caribbean Explorer II, exploring magic of Saba and St. Kitts.
Cool Fall / Hot Prices – For Travel in the Fall:
Leave the cool weather and falling leaves behind — fall is the perfect time to head south and save. Take $1000 off select departures from September through October aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer II and Caribbean Explorer II.
See all details and departure dates: www.explorerventures.com/discounts-and-specials
Space is limited – and once the trips are full, the savings are gone. Book now to secure your spot!
Looking for other dates or destinations? There are more savings available across the fleet, including liveaboard diving holidays in Indonesia, the Maldives, the Red Sea, and Palau. Explore all current deals here: https://www.explorerventures.com/year-of-savings-dive-liveaboard-specials/
Contact:
1.800.322.3577 (US/Canada) | +1.307.235.0683
About Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet
Since 1987, Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Fleet has been delivering world-class liveaboard diving, blending authentic experiences with a commitment to safety and sustainability. Operating in some of the world’s most breathtaking underwater destinations, their fleet of well-appointed vessels ensures every guest enjoys the highest level of comfort and care.
Explorer Ventures is proud to be the first liveaboard company to collaborate with Green Fins, earning certifications on four vessels: Caribbean Explorer II, Turks & Caicos Explorer II, Tiburon Explorer, and Humboldt Explorer. Notably, Tiburon Explorer and Humboldt Explorer are the only PADI Eco Centers designated in the Galápagos, underscoring their dedication to sustainable and responsible diving practices. With exceptional destinations, a global array of itineraries, and diver-focused design across the fleet, every voyage is crafted for comfort, convenience, and adventure—both above and below the surface.
The Shark Trust Great Shark Snapshot is back for its 4th year! And this time the Shark Trust are asking you to Make Every Dive Count!
The Shark Trust Great Shark Snapshot is back for its 4th year! And this time the Shark Trust are asking you to Make Every Dive Count! The last week of July will see the return of the Shark Trust’s citizen science initiative: The Great Shark Snapshot. It encourages divers and snorkellers, all around the world, to record the sharks and rays that they see. This year it takes place between the 19th and 27th July. Get ready to dive in!
The event is back for its 4th year, and it is happening in “Shark Month”, more commonly known as July! To coincide with a series of events that celebrate all things shark and ray, including Shark Week and the 50th anniversary of Jaws.
Divers, clubs, centres, charter boats and liveaboards are all encouraged to show their support by organising dives and events throughout the week. As well as gathering vital data, the event will provide a chance to celebrate the incredible shark and ray species that live in our ocean.
Information about the species and numbers of sharks and rays the participants find over the week will be added to the Shark Trust’s Shark Log. This global shark census will, over time, allow shark scientists to build a picture of species distribution and any changes that occur
Caroline Robertson-Brown, Marketing Manager at the Shark Trust said “It is great to see this popular citizen science event back for its 4th year. We are asking divers to Make Every Dive Count this year. To identify. Count and Record every shark, ray and eggcase they see during the week-long event. To organise dives especially to take part. Whether you are diving your local dive site, or on a trip of a lifetime, we want divers to join in on the Great Shark Snapshot in July.”
It is easy to join in. Just go diving between 19th and 27th July and record every shark, ray, skate or eggcase that you and your dive group sees. If possible, take photos and some video footage too. Then make sure that you record your sightings on the Shark Trust Shark Log recordings website or by using the Shark Trust app.
This year we have created a digital guide that puts all the information you need in one handy online guide. Which can be downloaded from the website.
The Great Shark Snapshot is a way for divers to get together, go diving, and do something to help shark conservation. Why not dive in?
Find out more here: www.sharktrust.org/snapshot
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