The Guide to Swimming with the Whale Sharks in Maldives- LUX* South Ari Atoll
Saturday 27th of June 2020
The Guide to Swimming with the Whale Sharks in Maldives- LUX* South Ari Atoll
The life under water in Maldives is one of the best scenes you’ll ever see in your life. And the South Ari Atoll is one of the most popular spots to watch and swim with the whale sharks. This is one area where whale sharks are present almost every day of the year, with a peak time from August to November.
LUX* South Ari Atoll is probably the only 5 star resort that is 20 min away by boat from the Whale Shark Marine Reserve in the Maldives. With 193 private villas dotted at the water’s edge along two miles of powder fine beaches or perched on stilts above a crystal lagoon, eight eateries and five bars, this luxury resort is the perfect destination for your adventure trip.
Experience the unique underwater world of the Maldives, offering some of the world's best dive sites and colorful reefs boasting an abundance of marine life. The five-star PADI diving centre at LUX* South Ari and the dedicated professional team are on-hand to ensure the ultimate dive experience for pros and novices alike.
9 Interesting Whale Shark Facts by PADI
1. They’re Not Whales, but the Largest Fish in the Ocean- Whale sharks can reach up to an incredible 12 meters/40 feet in length and 21.5 tons in weight.
2. Whale Sharks are Filter Feeders That Can’t Bite nor Chew- Being a filter feeder, whale sharks mostly sieve plankton through their gills for nourishment. During feeding their mouth can even stretch over 1 meter/4 feet wide!
3. They Can Process More Than 6,000 Liters of Water- Using their gills, whale sharks can process over 6,000 liters of water every hour.
4. Whale Sharks are Slow Swimmers That Migrate a Long Way- Moving at speeds of no more than 4 kph/3 mph, a single whale shark can travel 12,874km/8,000 miles or more, in just three years.
5. They Have Thousands of Teeth- Whale sharks have about 3,000 tiny teeth, less than 1-inch long, that help them eat small shrimp, fish and plankton.
6. Whale Sharks Have an Incredibly Long Lifespan- These beautiful creatures are estimated to have a lifespan of 70 to 100 years!
7. They Give Birth to Live Young- Once whale sharks have reached sexual maturity (around 30 years old) and fallen pregnant, they give birth to live young that are already 16 to 24 inches long.
8. Not All Whale Sharks Survive to Adulthood- After birth, the mother will leave her young to fend for themselves and as a result, only 10% of whale sharks actually survive to adulthood.
9. Whale Sharks Are Endangered- Unfortunately, the global whale shark population has been declared endangered by the IUCN, with their main threat being fisheries, bycatch losses and demand for shark fins, liver oil, skin and meat.