Maldives on a Budget: Chasing Mantas and Whale Sharks in Dharavandhoo

When people think of the Maldives, they usually imagine luxury resorts, private islands, and honeymooners sipping overpriced cocktails. But I wanted to find out, is it actually possible to do a dive trip here on a budget? Spoiler: yes, if you know where to go. I spent a week on Dharavandhoo, a local island right in the heart of Hanifaru Bay, one of the best places in the world to see manta rays and (if you’re lucky) whale sharks. This is how I tried to chase big ocean giants without draining my entire bank account.

Is the Maldives a Budget Destination?

Let’s get one thing straight: the Maldives is not a budget destination. No matter how much you try to cut costs, it’s still expensive compared to most places in Asia. But… it is possible to visit without spending thousands of dollars on an overwater villa. I managed to spend under $1000 for an entire week, including accommodation, diving, food, and all flights included.

When to Go: Manta and Whale Shark Season

My goal? See manta rays and whale sharks. The Maldives, specifically Hanifaru Bay, is one of the best places in the world to snorkel with manta rays, if you go at the right time.

The Maldives has two monsoon seasons that dictate marine life movements:

• Southwest Monsoon (May–November): This is the Hanifaru Bay manta season, when plankton gets pushed into the bay, attracting large numbers of manta rays (and occasionally whale sharks).

• Northeast Monsoon (December–April): Mantas move towards the western atolls, and the sea is generally calmer with better visibility for diving but fewer plankton feeders.

For Hanifaru, the best months are July to October, with August and September being peak season. I went at the end of September, which is already nearing the end of the manta season, but this also meant cheaper prices as it’s the shoulder of the high season.

How to Get to Dharavandhoo

I was living in Malaysia at the time, so international flights were fairly affordable. If you’re coming from Europe or the Americas, flights will obviously be more expensive.

Step 1: Fly to Malé, the capital of the Maldives:

Malé is a hectic little island city, chaotic, but charming in its own way. Some people also come here to do the popular nurse shark sandbank tours, where drone shots capture you surrounded by sharks. (Side note: please check the ethics of this first, it can be pretty intrusive for the animals.)

I stayed at Nap Corner, a capsule hotel, for $20 per night. Super simple but clean and perfect for a layover.

Step 2: Domestic flight to Dharavandhoo with Manta Air:

This is where things can get pricey. Normally, foreigners pay around $250 for a one-way ticket, but here’s a tip that saved me a lot: ask your hotel to book the flight for you. Locals get a significantly cheaper price, around $100,  and some hotels can book at that rate for guests. LVIS Blancura, my hotel in Dharavandhoo, did this for me. Huge win.

Where I Stayed: LVIS Blancura

• Price: $250 for 6 nights (outside high season)

• Included: Breakfast, private beach, huge clean rooms, and super friendly staff

• Wildlife: The private beach had regular visits from fruit bats, dolphins jumping in the distance, and a decent house reef (I saw blacktip and grey reef sharks, hawksbill turtles, and eagle rays), but beware of strong currents!

Dharavandhoo itself is a tiny, peaceful island. Extremely safe, walkable, and the locals are very welcoming.

Eating at grocery stores is surprisingly expensive (lots of imports). It’s cheaper to eat at local restaurants. I pretty much lived at DFC Restaurant, where you can get a solid Maldivian meal for around $4 USD.

Diving in Dharavandhoo

I did 6 dives with Dharavandhoo Divers, paying about $400 total with gear rental, which, for the Maldives, is about as budget as it gets.

• Morning dives are better. Afternoon dives are hit-or-miss for big marine life.

• The crew was amazing, mostly local dive masters who know the sites incredibly well. The boat was comfortable, with snacks, drinks, and a top deck for sunbathing.

• Diving conditions: Some sites were pretty challenging due to strong currents and long swims, definitely something to be prepared for.

What I Saw:

Sadly, no mantas or whale sharks during my dives. But we still saw plenty of cool stuff, hawksbill and green turtles, cowtail stingrays, sharks, octopus, lots of reef fish, and some really nice coral sites (very healthy still which is very refreshing to see). The most amazing part was dolphins jumping right in front of our boat!

How to See Mantas (and What I Learned)

There are two main ways to try and snorkel with mantas at Dharavandhoo (mornings are the best):

1. Join a trip via the dive centre:

   • You can ask them to add you to a WhatsApp group where they update whether mantas are present.

   • A ranger patrols Hanifaru since it’s a protected marine area with strict limits on boat entries. This is great for conservation, but it also means resort boats often get priority access. This happened during my visit; when mantas were spotted, resort boats got dibs, and we couldn’t go.

   • Tip: Plan your trip around the full moon, as mantas tend to gather more during those times.

    

2. Join a local boat.

   • The hotel staff is usually in touch with local boat captains who will head out if someone spots mantas.

   • This is what happened to me. A couple of days before I left, a staff member told me there were mantas around and asked if I wanted to join a trip for about $40.

   We found the mantas and managed to swim with them for about 10 minutes. Sadly, the presence of divers (who weren’t even supposed to be in the area, it’s a no-dive zone) scared the mantas away. The boatman didn’t even charge me because he felt the experience wasn’t good enough. Normally, you can swim with mantas for up to an hour, and they come very close. Still, it was my first time seeing mantas, so I was super happy regardless.

A Note on Whale Shark Spotting

The same evening, I woke up to a text I missed, a whale shark had been spotted, and a boat was heading out. At first, I was salty that I missed it… until I learned the truth.

Many safari boats (especially those not run by locals) use artificial lights at night to attract plankton, hoping to lure whale sharks. But whale sharks aren’t nocturnal, and this totally messes with their natural behaviour. Even worse, once a whale shark is spotted, tons of boats swarm around, cornering the animal.

Honestly? I’m glad I missed it. Total blessing in disguise.

An Extra Surprise: Stingrays and Nurse Sharks at the Harbour

Another cool (and free) wildlife experience in Dharavandhoo happens right at the harbour (Dharavandhoo Fish Market). Every evening, around sunset, locals throw fish scraps into the water. The stingrays and nurse sharks know the drill and show up without fail for their nightly feast.

You can wade into the shallow water and get surprisingly close to them. The stingrays were so friendly, they swam right up to my legs, brushing against me as if they were saying hi.

Just a little heads-up: while the big stingrays are harmless, keep an eye out for the smaller, well-camouflaged ones buried in the sand. Accidentally stepping on one could result in a nasty sting, so shuffle your feet when walking in the shallows!

Final Thoughts

Visiting the Maldives is absolutely doable on a budget, budget for Maldives standards, anyway. Dharavandhoo offers an affordable alternative to luxury resorts, with friendly locals, beautiful reefs, and a shot at seeing some of the ocean’s most incredible animals.

But this trip also showed me how important it is to be critical of the tours you book. Not every operator has the animals’ best interest at heart. Ask questions. Support local businesses. Make sure the experience isn’t harming the very creatures you came to see.

I left with unforgettable memories, my first manta encounter, and a better understanding of the complicated balance between tourism and conservation in a place as fragile as the Maldives.