AN opportunity has arisen to join a seven-night research odyssey studying the Maldives’ most exciting residents: manta rays and whale sharks.
With Four Seasons Explorer’s Manta Trust Expeditions, one doesn’t even need to be a diver to get in on the action. After the success of 2014’s inaugural Manta Trust Expeditions, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives has announced the dates for this year’s manta-focused cruises: August 27 to September 3 and September 10 to 17.Conceived in conjunction with The Manta Trust – the world’s leading manta ray charity – and escorted by its founder and world-renowned manta expert Guy Stevens, the two all-inclusive seven-day expeditions (with the option of shorter three- and four-night cruises within the dates) will immerse participants in every fascinating aspect of the trust’s research and conservation efforts.The expedition dates reflect The Manta Trust’s peak sighting predictions, based on the southwest current movements of plankton (mantas’ and whales sharks’ food) through the Baa and Ari Atolls. Each exclusive expedition route will take daily climatic and environmental factors into consideration to maximise the chances of successful encounters. And, with 2014’s expeditions boasting a 100 per cent sighting success rate, the scene is set for some exhilarating encounters.Manta rays and whale sharks feed at the surface of the ocean, making the expeditions suitable for divers and non-divers alike, including families with children eight years onwards. As honorary researchers, all expedition participants are encouraged to engage in every aspect of the conservation experience: learning how to free dive and take ID photos; contributing to data collection; helping record critical environmental information; participating in workshops and even naming any mantas new to the trust’s database.Hosted aboard the Maldives’ fastest and most luxurious liveaboard, Four Seasons Explorer, the all-inclusive itineraries also give participants effortless access to a side of the Maldives rarely experienced by tourists: remote snorkel hotspots, secluded cultural experiences, isolated craft village visits, deserted sandbank barbecues, castaway beach massages, uncrowded water sports and spectacular daily sunrises and sunsets, afloat in the middle of the world’s most mesmerizing aquatic nation.