2015 Manta Trust Expeditions Aboard Four Seasons Explorer
If swimming with manta rays and whale sharks isnt already on your bucket list, it most definitely should be! Words cannot capture the wonder of sharing the water with some of the oceans most majestic marine marvels and with Four Seasons Explorers Manta Trust Expeditions, one doesnt even need to be a diver to get in on the action.
Hot off the success of 2014s inaugural Manta Trust Expeditions, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives announces the dates for next years manta-focused cruises: August 27 September 3 and September 10 17, 2015.
Conceived in conjunction with The Manta Trust the worlds leading manta ray charity and escorted by its founder and world-renowned manta expert Guy Stevens, the two all-inclusive seven-day expeditions (with the option of shorter 3- and 4-night cruises within the dates) will immerse participants in every fascinating aspect of the Trusts research and conservation efforts.
The expedition dates reflect The Manta Trusts peak sighting predictions, based on the southwest current movements of plankton (mantas and whales sharks favourite food) through the Baa and Ari Atolls. Each exclusive expedition route will take daily climatic and environmental factors into consideration to maximize the chances of successful encounters. And, with 2014s expeditions boasting a 100% sighting success rate, the scene is set for some exhilarating encounters.
Manta rays and whale sharks feed at the surface of the ocean, making the expeditions suitable for divers and non-divers alike, including families with children as young as 8 years. As honorary researchers, all expedition participants are encouraged to engage in every aspect of the conservation experience: learning how to free dive and take ID photos; contributing to data collection; helping record critical environmental information; participating in workshops and even naming any mantas new to the Trusts database.
Hosted aboard the Maldives fastest and most luxurious liveaboard, Four Seasons Explorer, the all-inclusive itineraries also give participants effortless access to a side of the Maldives rarely experienced by tourists: remote snorkel hotspots, secluded cultural experiences, isolated craft village visits, deserted sandbank barbecues, castaway beach massages, uncrowded water sports and spectacular daily sunrises and sunsets, afloat in the middle of the worlds most mesmerizing aquatic nation.
Commenting on the expeditions, The Manta Trusts Founder and Chief Executive Guy Stevens said, This years trips were a resounding success. The pure excitement and joy on everyones faces after our first sighting set the scene for the remaining days. Two standout moments included an 8-year old guest snorkeling with a whale shark and a floodlit midnight dive watching a manta feeding.
While education is the most important step in achieving environmental protection, we hope these expeditions also showcase the fun and excitement that can be experienced along the way. Perhaps well even inspire the next generation to pick up the baton from us.
For rates and reservations, contact the Reservations Department tel: (960) 66 00 888 or email: reservations.mal@fourseasons.com
Four Seasons and MMRP (founding project of The Manta Trust)
Based at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru since 2006, The Maldivian Manta Ray Project(MMRP) is one of the worlds longest running manta ray research and conservation initiatives. It is also the founding project of The Manta Trust the worlds leading manta ray charity established to co-ordinate global research and conservation efforts for manta rays, their close relatives and their habitats. Thanks to the work of the MMRP at Landaa Giraavaru, the Maldivian manta ray population is one of the most intensely studied in the world, placing it at the forefront of international manta ray research and conservation: most notably, the successful 2013 listing of manta rays on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In addition to collecting data on the manta rays it encounters, MMRP also studies environmental and climatic factors, as well as tourism and human interactions, contributing vital knowledge to global research efforts.
