The Luxury Hotel In The Maldives That Hosts A Unique Manta Ray Retreat

With white-sand beaches, towering palm trees, and astonishingly clear turquoise water, much of the Maldives has everything you could imagine in a tropical paradise. It's no wonder that it's one of our most romantic Asian destinations. But as incredible as the scenery looks from land, once you get into that sparkling water, you'll see a whole new world of natural beauty at the islands' coral reefs. There are thousands of species of marine life in the Maldives, and perhaps none are quite as iconic as the manta rays. These gentle giants are amazingly graceful, and, beyond being a delight for us to watch, they play a significant part of the ocean ecosystem. If you want to swim with and learn about them, the Manta Retreat at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort should be on your calendar. Not only do you get multiple chances to see mantas, you'll be staying on a private island in luxury accommodations with yummy food and stunning scenery.

First started in 2022, the Manta Retreat is held every year in March, and it's led by the Manta Trust staff on site. The Manta Trust is a U.K.-based charity, which is dedicated to manta research and conservation around the world. The Maldives has a large population of both species of manta rays (reef and oceanic) with roughly 5,000 reef manta rays living in the waters around the archipelago and moving amidst the atolls in search of plankton. The oceanic mantas can also be found here in the Maldives, though they migrate much further afield compared to the reef mantas and aren't there year-round.

The Manta Retreat at the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort features seminars about manta rays and the role they play in the ocean ecosystem. You'll also learn about the research work the Manta Trust team is doing on site.  But it's definitely not all lessons on land. You'll get a firsthand look at the Manta Trust at work as you accompany them out on a boat, and you'll be getting in the water, too, for a chance to swim with the mantas. Of course, since manta rays are wild animals, there's no 100% guarantee that you'll see them when and where you want to. But the team's job is to research these animals and know where they like to be, so they're perfectly suited to help get you to the right place at the right time.

Swimming with the mantas is like being inside of a nature documentary. While they can swim quickly, upwards of 20 mph, they're typically moving at just 3 to 6 mph, so you're able to get a good look at how elegantly they glide through the water. Another part of what makes being in the water with them so incredible is their size; adult reef mantas measure an average of 11 feet across and oceanic mantas up to several feet larger. It can leave you feeling humbled and in awe as they swim by. 

While there are plenty of companies in the Maldives that can take you to see mantas, going with the Manta Trust helps give you a specialized insight into the manta's behavior as well as the other wildlife that you can spot underwater. Plus, it's helping support manta conservation and research.

If you're not able to attend the Manta Retreat at the InterContinental Maldives, don't worry, you still have a chance to see manta rays when you stay here. The lagoon at Maamunagau is a must-visit nursery site for reef mantas, and they can often be found here just a five-minute boat ride from the resort between January and April. During other times of the year, the resort can still take you on manta expeditions, just a little further afield. The resort is in Raa Atoll, a 45-minute boat ride from Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll, which is a legendary place to swim with whale sharks as well as manta rays from around May to December.

While heading out on a boat to snorkel with mantas is a memorable experience, you can snorkel right at the resort itself, straight from the beach. The thriving house reef teems with fish and other marine life; you can sometimes even spot turtles and reef sharks here. Snorkeling equipment is included with your stay, as is access to non-motorized water equipment, like stand-up paddleboards.

For those looking for a little more speed on the water, the resort has parasailing, jet skiing, and even the high-adrenaline X-Jet Blade. To get even deeper underwater, the resort can arrange scuba dives (equipment available if needed) as well as PADI scuba lessons. But that's not all: You can also book a dolphin cruise, an all-day fishing trip, and even a visit to a local island via a dhoni, a traditional Maldivian boat. All of these come with an additional cost.

The InterContinental Maldives has 81 guest rooms, and they all have their own pool — add it to the list of romantic resorts with private plunge pools. There's a variety of different room types; choose from sunrise vs. sunset views, the setting (overwater, amidst the palm trees, or near the pool or beach), and how much space you want.

Most of the rooms are villas, with nearly two dozen built over the water. Those give you direct ocean access (though depending on the weather, swimming isn't always recommended straight from the room). The one-bedroom lagoon villas are two stories with a larger living area than the overwater villas, along with both indoor and outdoor showers and a large bathtub. And the beach pool villas give you those same amenities along with direct beach access. If you're traveling with a larger group or planning a longer stay, there are two- and three-bedroom villas available, as well as multi-bedroom residences that include dining and kitchen areas.

To get around the island, all guests get cruiser bikes to use, or there's the option to call for a golf cart (only staff can drive the carts). It only takes about 10 minutes to get from one end of the resort to the other on a bike.

While each room has its own plunge pool, there's a couple of larger pools at the InterContinental Maldives, including an infinity pool at The Retreat, an adults-only area that also has a bar and restaurant. And what would a luxury resort be without a spa? At the AVI Spa, all of the treatment rooms are overwater and options include massages, facials, and body treatments along with specialty offerings like crystal healing and multi-day wellness programs. There's also a gym with daily complimentary yoga and classes from salsa to kickboxing.

The resort is undeniably a fantastic adult getaway, but there's still plenty to do for families. There's the Planet Trekkers Kids Club with activities for kids ages 4 to 12, and for teens, there are group activities like cooking classes, beach volleyball, and movie nights.

When it comes to dining, you'll choose from half board, full board, or all inclusive when you book, and this will determine which meals and drinks are covered. For all guests, since the resort is the first-ever all-Club InterContinental resort, breakfast, afternoon tea, happy hour drinks, and poolside snacks are all complimentary. The restaurant options include Café Umi, which has a fantastic breakfast buffet along with lunch and dinner. Next door is The Collective, where you can get pizza next to the largest of the resort's pools. For dinner, The Lighthouse restaurant serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Just as its name suggests, it's at the tip of the island and has amazing views of the Indian Ocean from the lookout; you can also get a private dinner here. At the Fish Market, the dinner menu highlights local seafood, and there's round-the-clock in-room dining available, too.

It takes some work to get to the Maldives, especially from the U.S., with flights and layovers lasting over 24 hours, depending on exactly where you're departing from. So make sure you've got everything you need to make your long-haul flight more comfortable. Depending on when you arrive at the Velana International Airport in Malé, the capital of the Maldives, there are two options to get to the resort: seaplane or a domestic flight and speed boat. The seaplane only operates from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., so if your flight to Malé arrives outside those hours, you'll have to get the domestic transfer option.

Upon your arrival in Malé, someone from the resort will get you booked on a small seaplane, and you'll wait for that final flight in the resort's dedicated lounge in the seaplane terminal. The seaplane flight takes about 35 minutes, and the final leg of your journey is the short boat ride from the seaplane dock to the resort. There, you'll be greeted by staff and meet your Island Curator (aka resort guide) who will orient you to the resort and who's on call for you during your stay. From there, the relaxation and exploration can truly begin!