When the first Manta Retreat debuted in October 2022 at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort, guests of the elite resort got to enjoy the thrill of up close encounters with these gentle underwater giants while learning and studying the research and education around them. A carefully calibrated program was made accessible to travelers in partnership with the resort-based Manta Trust organization to educate, explore, and raise awareness for manta rays in their native environment.

The Manta Retreat is the amalgamation of luxury and education for adventure travelers, nature enthusiasts, young adventurers, and those looking to add more meaning to their vacations.

The InterContinental Maldives, already renowned for its amazing and ideal position to swim and snorkel with manta rays all year round, is now introducing the second Manta Retreat in March 2023. This one-of-a-kind trip involves not only snorkeling with manta rays, but also deep insights into the science around them, as well as many other educational events that provide a comprehensive understanding of these marine animals and their ecosystem.

Participants in the Manta Retreat can expect many wonderful manta encounters, but they will also learn about plankton, coral reefs, and, most importantly, marine preservation. “The Manta Retreat is the perfect holiday programme for everyone passionate about marine life and our oceans. I am very excited to lead the retreat for the first time this year, and to help our participants to saturate their need for meeting mantas” says Farah Hamdan, the Manta Trust base leader at Maamunagau who has recently taken over the post from Jessica Haynes.

This year’s Manta Retreat takes place during the Maamunagau Manta Season, when young manta rays can be sighted in the resort’s lagoon, only minutes from shore. The Maamunagau Lagoon is a well-known baby manta ray gathering location and an active research site for the Manta Trust team.“We can assume our lagoon to be a manta ray nursery. We still don’t know where manta rays are born, but many juvenile manta rays hang around in our lagoon from December to April. This is a research haven for us, while we, of course, love to head out to Hanifaru Bay during the season as well to observe and research the massive aggregation of mantas there.” explains Farah.

The Manta Retreat will be held at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort from March 9th to March 13th, 2023. The cost of attending the manta retreat is USD 1950 for adults and USD 1350 for youngsters aged 10 to 11. Three manta ray snorkeling experiences are included, as well as a house reef night snorkeling experience, a sunset dolphin cruise, and various seminars to learn more about manta rays, plankton, turtles, coral restoration, and other topics.

If guests book for a minimum of five nights or more, they will receive a 25% discount on their stay (discount applies solely to the nightly cost).

All prices are in USD and include a 10% service charge and a 16% GST.

Dive and snorkeling tours, cruises, excursions, and spa and wellness treatments can all be booked separately for an additional charge. Private one-on-one meetings with the Manta Biologist can be arranged upon request.

For more information, please visit https://maldives.intercontinental.com/sustainability/manta-retreat .