At a glance
| At a glance | In the Maldives |
|---|---|
| Where | The southern tip of South Ari Atoll, a marine protected area since 2009 |
| When | All year |
| Who you meet | Mostly young males, about 6 metres long on average |
| How | By boat, then snorkelling or diving |
| The rules | 3 m from the body, 4 m from the tail; no touching or holding on; flash and bright lights restricted |
Where and how
The South Ari Marine Protected Area, at the southern end of Ari Atoll, is one of the few places in the world where whale sharks are seen in every month. Resorts in South Ari run whale shark trips by boat, and the crews are practised at spotting the sharks near the surface. Guests then enter the water quietly, from a sitting position, to snorkel or dive alongside.
The sharks of South Ari
About nine in ten of the whale sharks seen here are young males, on average about 6 metres long. They tend not to be seen here once they grow beyond about 8 metres. In the far south, around Fuvahmulah, the whale sharks seen are mostly large females.
The rules
A national regulation sets out how to behave around whale sharks:
- Stay at least 3 metres from the body and 4 metres from the tail, and approach calmly from the side.
- Never touch a whale shark or hold on to swim alongside.
- Flash photography, selfie sticks and bright lights are restricted.
- Only three boats may be within 250 metres of a whale shark at a time, slowing to two knots within 50 metres.
- Drones must fly at least 30 metres above the sea, within the pilot’s sight.