Snorkelling with Mantas in Baa Atoll – Kihaa Resort in the Maldives

In August, I had the opportunity to travel to India for work. While planning my itinerary, I noticed that the Maldives were just a short flight away from Bangalore. We’d been to South Ari and Baa Atoll before, but August is whale shark and manta season so we couldn’t resist. This is how we wound up at Kihaa Resort in the Maldives hoping to go snorkelling with mantas.

We had a new travel option this time: taking a domestic flight to Dharavandhoo, followed by a boat transfer. The timing didn’t really work though, and I couldn’t pass up the chance for another scenic seaplane ride with jaw-dropping aerial views of the Maldives.

After our seaplane flight from Vilemendhoo landed in Male, we were transferred to a second base (didn’t even know there were two!). Our plane was filled with folks headed to Reethi Beach, so we lucked out and got dropped off first.

One of the biggest draws to the Maldives is the thrill of snorkelling with mantas in Baa Atoll, especially at Hanifaru Bay. Mantas flock here during the rainy season, feeding on the abundant plankton in the water. It’s like nature’s paradox – the best wildlife encounters happen when the weather isn’t exactly picture-perfect.

The Maldives has strict regulations in place, so only a limited number of boats and people are allowed in the water at once. Each snorkelling session is capped at 45 minutes, which helps protect these majestic creatures and their habitat. We appreciated the balance between experiencing the magic of manta feeding frenzies and knowing it was all being done sustainably.

Kihaa Resort has the prime spot – you can literally see Hanifaru Bay from the resort. During our stay, they only had two trips scheduled to the bay, so we booked both in advance. The system is pretty relaxed: trips leave in the afternoon, but there’s no set time. You basically hang around and wait for a WhatsApp message, which comes through once there’s a confirmed manta sighting. With spotty Wi-Fi around the island, we spent most of our time under the trees, waiting for the call.

But the wait was worth it. When the time came, we hopped on the boat for a short ride to Hanifaru Bay, where the water was thick with plankton – and even thicker with mantas. I lost count of how many we saw; there were just too many to keep track of. It was like being in the middle of a living, swirling underwater ballet.

Kihaa Resort had its highlights and, well… not-so-highlights. The beach? Absolutely stunning, with that iconic white sand that just begs to be walked on.

Unfortunately, the resort itself left a lot of be desired. Let’s just say it had some serious Fyre Festival vibes.

The overwater villas were all under construction (or more accurately, roped off but no visible signs of work happening). The resort felt a bit run-down – kind of like they’d paused mid-renovation and forgotten to hit play again. One of the pools was outright abandoned and turning green, which wasn’t exactly inviting.

Our beach villa was comfortable enough, though a bit on the dark side given the low thatched roof.

It did come with a private thatched beach cabana,

…which was nice until an older influencer couple decided to camp out there. Despite the fact that we had towels and personal items laid out, they made themselves right at home. Watching them was good for entertainment, which was nice because nothing in the villa worked.

The biggest downside? The dining experience. It was all buffet-style, the same selection day after day, and most of it wasn’t even warm. As someone with a serious onion allergy, I tried to ask the staff which dishes were onion-free, but no one – not even the chef – could give me a clear answer. My first night’s meal consisted of cold plain noodles and a bread roll. When I asked to speak to the manager, they sent the finance manager to talk to my husband instead. Not sure what that was about, but at least they agreed to let us order off a menu.

Well, I say menu… there was only one menu, and three of my initial choices weren’t available. In the end, my options were chicken nuggets or hot dogs. On a positive note, this is the first all-inclusive we’ve visited where we actually lost weight.

There was a steakhouse by the abandoned pool, but it wasn’t part of the all-inclusive package. We splurged on our last night, but for $200, it didn’t quite live up to expectations.

The daily fish feeding offered a unique opportunity to observe marine life such as stingrays, reef fish, and even baby sharks up close, but it can disrupt natural behaviours and ecosystems if not done responsibly and with proper guidelines in place.

And then there was the horseback riding. The resort website made it sound like a dream – riding along the beach in paradise – but in reality, there was one horse being led around the island by a bored handler. Instagram vs reality, right? On the positive note, how cute are its ears?!? The Marwari breed comes from Rajasthan, India, and is known for its unique inward-curving ears.

The manta experience was unforgettable – snorkelling with mantas in Baa Atoll is something I’ll remember forever. Would I go back to Baa Atoll? Absolutely. Kihaa Resort, on the other hand? That’s a hard pass. But hey, when you’re swimming with mantas, even a few resort hiccups can’t spoil the magic.