Underwater
Marine biologist reveals what’s underwater at Halaveli
Here is third week’s instalment from marine biologist Robin Aiello sees her come face to face with the awe-inspiring whalesharks in the waters off Halaveli.
Whiptail Ray
It has been another amazing week full of beautiful dives, snorkels, lagoon cruises and island walks. The weather has been clear and warm, and the seas so calm that you can do an entire marine biology session from the surface without even getting wet.
I have, in fact, been spending hours on the jetty with guests looking down into the sea and spotting some fantastic animals. We have many harmless blacktip reef sharks that slowly cruise back and forth under the jetty, whiptail rays that look almost like eagles flying through the water, unicorn fish with their long horns sticking out from their foreheads, long slender coronet fish with their huge extended mouths, and bluefin trevallies (also called jacks) chasing schools of small silver fish.
Bluefin Trevallies
The trevallies (jacks) always put on an exciting show for us as they stalk and hunt the small silver fish that form massive schools in the very shallow water at the beach.
Small groups of 3 – 6 bluefin trevallies swim up and down the beach, getting closer and closer to the shore and forcing the small fish to form tighter and tighter schools – it is like cowboys rounding up the cattle on a range.
They do this for some time, then, without any warning, there is a huge commotion. The trevallies have decided it is time to strike, and change direction at full speed (which is really really fast) and dash through the school, grabbing fish as they go. The small silver fish, in response, take off in all directions like a firework display. They will even jump out of the water and land on the beach in their sheer panic to get away.
But, there is no where for the small fish to hide. Suddenly other predatory fish join the feeding frenzy, and if that is not bad enough, the seabirds and herons fly in from all directions to join the mayhem and pounce on any fish they can. The whole frenzied activity lasts only a few seconds, but what excitement! Sometimes I feel sorry for the poor little fish!
An unplanned evening snorkel
Probably the most unusual thing that I have seen in a long time was spotted one evening from the jetty. I was heading to dinner, all dressed up, and one of the guests asked me what it was – I had no idea – didn’t even know if it was manmade or natural.
So I ran back to my villa and grabbed my snorkeling gear and jumped into the water.
This thing was weird! At first, I had no idea what it was. It was in constant motion, rolling around and undulating, but I soon discovered it was the water movement that caused it to move – it was not actually alive. It was slimy and felt like thick mucous, and to add to the bafflement, there were thousands of little pink/purple balls embedded in it.
Finally it dawned on me that it had to be some sort of egg case – most likely molluscan from either a snail or a squid. After a couple of hours of research I discovered that it was, in fact, the egg case of a very large squid that reaches a size of over 1 metre called the Diamondback Squid. This squid would have laid the egg case out in the lagoon and the tides, currents and waves washed it into the shallows. Very interesting.
Diving with whalesharks
Yesterday, though, was the real highlight of my whole visit – every Sunday the Dive Center offers a day trip to find and snorkel with whalesharks. And what a day we had!
Thanks to our amazing boat crew, and of course the legendary snorkel guide Santana, we had the wonderful experience of swimming with 3 large whalesharks. Amazing! It is no easy feat to find a whaleshark – since they are fish, they do not come to the surface to breath like whales, so the only way to find them is to patrol an area – up and down along the coast. The crew stand lookouts on the roof of the boat looking for a large dark shadow in the water.
Then, if one is spotted, there is a flurry of activity as we get on our gear and jump overboard. At this point, the race begins. Although these huge animals are barely moving a fin at all, they maintain such a fast speed that we as mere human snorkellers must kick and kick and kick as fast as possible to keep up with them. They do not seem to be bothered by us at all – in fact, on several occasions they appeared to be curious and changed direction to come right up close underneath – within only a few metres of us.
When they are this close, they take your breath away. They really are special creatures!
They are so spectacular, that this creature will be the topic of my Creature Feature for this week.
Creature Feature – Whalesharks
Whalesharks are well known to frequent a spot on the southern part of the Ari Atoll – no one really knows why they ‘hangout’ in this area. But they seem to be mainly young-adult males that are about 6–8 metres in length.
Although this is considered relatively small for a whaleshark (they can reach sizes of over 12m) they are still incredibly impressive. In fact, whalesharks are the largest fish in the world.
Whalesharks are a type of shark – not a whale. They, like all sharks, have a cartilaginous skeleton rather than bone, have what are called denticles covering their skin instead of scales, do not have an air bladder, but use a liver full of oil for buoyancy, and of course they have ‘replaceable’ teeth rather than only one set like most reef fish. Sharks have hundreds of teeth and can go through as many as 30,000 teeth during their lifetime.
What happens is that teeth that form the ‘front-row’ periodically fall out, and within only a few days another tooth that behind in the ‘second-row’ will rotate into position. It is kind of like a conveyor belt of teeth. In this manner the shark always has fresh, sharp teeth! Whalesharks, although they do not use them, actually have about 300 very small teeth.
How whalesharks feed
So how does a whaleshark feed if it does not use teeth? Well, these giants of the sea, feed on some of the smallest animals in the ocean, plankton, by a method called filtering feeding.
Inside their mouths they have an unique system of filter-pads that trap all the small plankton – a lot like a sieve.
Whalesharks feed in two ways – ‘gulping’ and ‘ram feeding’. If there is plenty of concentrated plankton in the water, these sharks will stay in one place and take in huge gulps of water full of plankton.
If, however, the plankton is spread out in the water, then the sharks will swim at an average of 4km per hour with their mouths open – when they have enough food, they will swallow, then resume feeding – this is ‘ram-feeding’.
To watch them feed is incredible. They have huge mouths – up to 1.5 metres wide and they can filter over 300,000 litres of seawater per hour.
Identifying whalesharks by their spots
Other than the sheer immense size of these fish, the other really noticeable feature is the patterning. They are fully covered with spots and dots, and some lines – really beautiful.
They almost look like a bright starry night sky. In fact, a few years ago a couple of scientists came up with the interesting idea to use a computer program designed for tracking stars to document the spots on individual whalesharks.
Since the patterning on each whaleshark is unique for that individual (much like our human fingerprints are unique to each person), scientists have been able to compile a global database of whalesharks from photographs of their spots.
So, when you visit Halaveli Resort, be sure to take the trip out looking for whalesharks – it is fantastic!
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has marked a new chapter in its marine conservation journey with the successful completion of Coral RISE (Coral Restoration Initiatives for Sustainable Ecosystems), an initiative created in collaboration with MARS Sustainable Solutions. From September 18 to 20, 2026, the resort installed 100 Reef Stars and 1,500 coral fragments in its house reef.
Reef Stars are sand-coated, hexagonal steel structures that provide a stable foundation for coral fragments in damaged or degraded reef areas. Installed underwater and connected to form a supportive reef framework, they help coral fragments establish and grow while creating habitat for fish and other marine life.
The restoration work follows MARS Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS), a science-based method developed by MARS Sustainable Solutions. The approach combines trained restoration teams, locally sourced coral fragments, Reef Stars, and ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Over time, the structures are designed to integrate into the reef environment and support the recovery of a more diverse marine habitat.
“Coral RISE demonstrates how a focused first step can develop into a lasting commitment to reef restoration,” said Kate Janetski, Marine Program Lead for Maldives & Caribbean and Global Training Manager at MARS Sustainable Solutions. “The 100 Reef Stars installed at The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort provide a practical foundation for coral growth, while continued monitoring and care will be essential to the project’s long-term progress. We are pleased to support the resort in bringing science-based restoration closer to its guests and associates.”
“Completing the first phase of Coral RISE is an important milestone for The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort,” said Harish Gopalakrishnan, General Manager of The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort. “The ocean surrounding our island is central to the Maldivian experience, and protecting it is a responsibility we take seriously. By making the restoration area accessible to guests for snorkelling, we hope to foster a deeper understanding of the reef and inspire more people to care for the natural environment.”
The initiative was introduced during World Wellness Weekend, reflecting Westin’s belief that well-being extends beyond the individual. As part of the weekend’s activities, guests joined the resort team and MARS Sustainable Solutions in building and preparing the Reef Stars before they were installed in the reef.
Located within an area accessible for snorkelling, the restoration site will allow guests to observe the Reef Stars and monitor coral development over time. Ongoing marine education will also help raise awareness of coral ecosystems and the importance of reef conservation in the Maldives.
Coral RISE also complements the resort’s broader sustainability journey, including its Green Globe certification and continued efforts to embed responsible practices into its operations and guest experience. Situated in Baa Atoll, a region known for its rich marine biodiversity, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort’s coral restoration initiative creates a visible local contribution to the health of the atoll’s reef ecosystem. The certification provides a framework for the resort’s sustainability work, while Coral RISE brings that commitment to life through direct action to support the marine environment.
For more information, visit westin-maldives.com.
There are few encounters in the Maldives quite like watching the unmistakable silhouette of a manta ray emerge from the blue, its wings stretched wide as it glides effortlessly through the ocean before turning and disappearing once again into the distance. This World Manta Day, Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon celebrates one of the Indian Ocean’s most fascinating marine residents through an experience that takes guests beyond the island and into the waters of North Ari Atoll.
Operated by the resort’s Dive & Sail team, the manta excursion begins after breakfast with an 8.00 am departure from the resort, followed by a journey of approximately one hour and 40 minutes to two hours across the atoll, depending on sea conditions and where the mantas are gathering. Recently guests were taken towards Genburugau and Maavaru Kandu, but from there nature determines how the day unfolds, with the season, weather, currents and concentration of plankton all influencing where the mantas appear and how many might be encountered.
On favourable days, sightings can range from five to as many as 30 manta rays, and a recent excursion offered a glimpse of just how remarkable the experience can become when conditions align. With the waters particularly rich in plankton, numerous mantas had gathered in the area, allowing guests to enter the water and swim among them as they glided past, turned gracefully and circled through the blue.
Mostly oceanic manta rays are encountered during these excursions, and seeing their impressive size from beneath the surface brings an entirely different sense of scale, particularly when one passes nearby before sweeping around for another effortless turn.
For Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, the journey also adds another dimension to an already rich underwater experience, extending beyond the resort’s renowned house reef and its abundance of marine life to explore the wider waters of North Ari Atoll and the remarkable species that call them home. Priced at USD 130 per person, the manta excursion includes lunch, while snorkelling equipment is available separately, with guests generally returning to the resort at approximately 2.30 pm.
As World Manta Day draws attention to these remarkable creatures and the marine environments they depend upon, the experience offers a chance not simply to see a manta ray, but to spend a few unforgettable moments sharing its world, because at Ellaidhoo Maldives by Cinnamon, sometimes the most memorable part of an island escape begins when the island disappears from view.
Ocean Group Maldives has launched a week of ocean-focused diving activities across nine leading resorts in the Maldives in support of PADI AWARE Week 2026, taking place from 12–20 September.
The initiative brings together Ocean Group’s dive teams, resort partners and guests in a collective effort to celebrate the ocean while encouraging meaningful action to protect the Maldives’ extraordinary marine environment.
PADI AWARE Week is a global initiative that mobilises the diving community to take action for ocean conservation. Throughout the week, Ocean Group Maldives will invite divers to combine their passion for exploring the underwater world with hands-on conservation activities.
The campaign will take place across Ocean Group dive centres at Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Dusit Thani Maldives, InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, Veligandu Maldives Resort Island, Hard Rock Hotel Maldives, SAii Lagoon Maldives, SO/ Maldives, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and Radisson Blu Resort Maldives.
Dive for Fun. Dive for a Purpose.
As part of the campaign, guests who purchase two fun dives will receive a complimentary third dive dedicated to an ocean clean-up, giving divers an opportunity to enjoy the Maldives’ spectacular underwater environment while contributing directly to its protection.
Under the message “3 Dives. 1 Ocean. A Real Difference.”, the initiative encourages guests to see conservation not as something separate from the diving experience, but as part of being a responsible member of the global dive community.
“The ocean is at the heart of everything we do at Ocean Group Maldives, so PADI AWARE Week is an important opportunity for us to turn awareness into action,” said Yasmin Zahid, Director of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships at Ocean Group Maldives. “By activating the campaign simultaneously across nine resorts, we hope to demonstrate how individual actions, when multiplied across our dive community, can create a much greater collective impact.”
Dive teams at participating resorts will also use the week to engage guests in conversations around responsible diving, marine debris and the importance of protecting the fragile ecosystems that make the Maldives one of the world’s most celebrated diving destinations.
Local Action. Global Impact.
The nine-resort activation reflects Ocean Group Maldives’ broader commitment to making marine conservation an integral part of the guest experience across its diving and marine operations.
By connecting international visitors with practical conservation activities during their stay, Ocean Group aims to inspire guests to become more conscious ocean advocates—not only while diving in the Maldives, but wherever their future travels take them.
PADI AWARE Week runs from 12–20 September 2026 at participating Ocean Group Maldives dive centres.
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