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Finally, they are back: the mantas have returned to the east side of the atoll, where we can spot them near Lily Beach Resort & Spa and on various cleaning stations, such as Madi Faru.

Having spent the ‘winter months’ on the western side of the atoll, where we observed them during our Manta Fullday Excursions, now that the ‘summer months’ are here, the mantas are only a 10 minute boat ride away from Lily Beach. These gentle giants can grow to have a wing span of up to 5 meters and reach a weight of around 1.5 tons. Pure vegetarians, they feed on plankton; which explains why they can always be found in certain regions. From May to October the southwest monsoon sweeps plankton-rich water to the east side of the atoll – a veritable feast for the mantas! Their wide head has cephalic fins on both sides, these serve to transport plankton into the big mouth. A manta needs to consume up to 14 percent of its body weight in plankton each week.

The plankton-rich water around Lily Beach makes the perfect foodie heaven for these gentle creatures. We are looking forward to showing you some of the gentle giants on one of our Manta Search trips.