Werner Lau Medhufushi
Werner Lau's SSI/PADI dive centre at Medhufushi Island Resort, Meemu Atoll's only strong resort-based dive operation, known for shark- and manta-rich channel diving.
Resort dive centreSSI / PADI4 services1 language
Mantas and more
Also known as: Mantas And More Medhufushi
Meemu Atoll's dedicated reef-manta point, where mantas clean and feed at a shallow coral station with ray squadrons passing in the blue, to 30m.
Last updated June 2026
The dive
Everything about this dive is arranged to put you in front of mantas. You drop onto a coral reef that slopes from about 15 down toward 30 metres, with a tidal current to carry you, and work the deeper slope first. The reward is up shallow, on the cleaning station at around 10 to 15 metres, where reef mantas come in to be cleaned and to feed. Hook onto dead reef, settle, and watch them queue and turn overhead without finning against the flow or pushing them off.
Then the "and more" plays out in the blue. Off the reef edge, mobula rays and eagle rays cross open water in squadrons, and grey reef and whitetip sharks patrol the drop. Napoleon wrasse work the reef while snapper, jacks, fusiliers, tuna and barracuda hang off the edge. The shallow average depth means a long, easy hover at the station once the slope is done, so most of the dive is spent in good light on the rays before the boat collects you.
What makes it special
Most Meemu sites fold mantas into something else, a channel drift or a coral thila. Mantas and More is the atoll's manta-first dive, the one built around the cleaning station rather than adding it at the end of a current run. That focus is the difference: you come for the rays and you spend the dive with them.
The other half is the pelagic edge that earns the name. Where a pure cleaning station gives you a hover, this site hands you squadrons of mobula and eagle rays in the blue on top of the mantas. And because the atoll sees so little boat traffic, the station is usually yours, so the manta watch stays quiet and unhurried.
Know before you go
Bring a way to hold position. The current carries the drift and a reef hook lets you anchor on dead reef at the station to watch the mantas without being pushed off, so it earns its place in your kit here. Carry an SMB for the drift-out and surface pickup, and never touch, chase or block the rays. Let them come in to be cleaned and hold your distance.
Time the trip to your priority. The southwest monsoon, May to November, drives the most reliable manta action as nutrient-rich currents move in, at the cost of some visibility. The northeast dry months, January to April, give the calmest seas and the clearest water but quieter rays. Sequence the depth too: the slope runs to about 30 metres while the station waits shallow, so work the deep line early and bank your bottom time for the manta hover. Nitrox helps if you want longer down low.
Why Dive Mantas and more
What makes this dive site stand out.
- Reef manta cleaning station
Reef mantas come in to be cleaned and feed on a shallow reef at around 10 to 15 metres
- Rays in the blue
Mobula and eagle-ray squadrons cross open water off the reef edge
- Shallow drift profile
A gentle coral slope to 30m with a long manta hover up at the station
- Quiet manta watch
A lightly dived atoll, so the cleaning station is rarely shared with other boats
Depth & Profile
10m
Min depth
30m
Max depth
10–30m
Typical range
ReefDriftCoralRock
Location
2.9262°N, 73.5927°E
Conditions & difficulty
Temperature
27°C – 30°C
Visibility
20–30m
Current
Moderate
ModerateMin cert: Advanced Open WaterNitrox recommended
Summary
A drift over a reef to 30m; moderate on the current and the manta-watch hold, easier when the flow is mild
Safety considerations
What can go wrong here, and what divers do about it. Conditions change - take the briefing from the operator on the day.
- Current: Tidal current carries the drift and can strengthen near the channelsDrop in and descend to the reef; a reef hook holds position at the station; carry an SMB; stay with the group
- Depth: The coral slope runs to about 30mPlan gas and no-deco limits; work the deeper slope first; nitrox helps; operators cap dives at 30m
Marine Life
Whitetip reef sharkTriaenodon obesusHumphead wrasseCheilinus undulatusOcellated eagle rayAetobatus ocellatusReef manta rayMobula alfrediGrey reef sharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosWhale sharkRhincodon typus· Rare, SeasonalGreen sea turtleChelonia mydas· RareScalloped hammerhead sharkSphyrna lewini· Rare
Centres that dive here
View allBook a guided dive at this site.
Regulations
No site dive permit, reserve fee or diver quota; diving is arranged through the island dive base or a liveaboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I see mantas at Mantas and More?▾
Mantas are the reason the dive exists. Reef mantas gather at a shallow cleaning station here to be cleaned and to feed, sometimes with their offspring, and a reef hook lets you settle and watch them work. Sightings run all year, but the southwest monsoon from May to November brings the most consistent action as plankton-rich currents draw them in. Treat a busy station as the likely reward rather than a guarantee on every dive.
What else is there to see besides mantas?▾
The name says it. Off the reef edge, mobula rays and eagle rays cross the blue in squadrons, and grey reef and whitetip reef sharks patrol the drop. Napoleon wrasse work the reef, and schooling snapper, jacks, fusiliers, tuna and barracuda fill out the water column. Whale sharks turn up occasionally in plankton-rich months, and green turtles rest on the coral.
How hard is Mantas and More, and what certification do I need?▾
It is a moderate dive. You drift a coral reef to about 30 metres with a tidal current, then hold over the shallow station to watch the rays. Advanced Open Water or equivalent suits the depth and the drift, and comfort in current helps. On a mild day it eases off, but plan for flow and bring a way to hold position at the station.
When is the best time to dive Mantas and More?▾
It depends what you are after. For the mantas, the southwest monsoon from May to November drives the steadiest activity at the cleaning station. For the calmest seas and the clearest water, the northeast dry monsoon from January to April is the pick, with visibility commonly 20 to 30 metres. The site works all year, so the call is reliable mantas versus clear, calm conditions.
How deep is Mantas and More?▾
The cleaning station sits shallow, around 10 to 15 metres, while the reef slopes down to about 30. Average worked depth is around 18 metres, so once the deeper slope is done there is plenty of time up at the station in good light. A common plan is to work down the slope first, then spend the back half of the dive on the manta watch.
Is Mantas and More a protected manta site like Hanifaru Bay?▾
No. Meemu is a quiet central atoll, not the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve that holds Hanifaru, and there is no protected manta-feeding designation here. It is a reliable manta point rather than a mass aggregation. Reef mantas are protected across the Maldives by national law, but there is no site permit, reserve fee or diver quota; you dive it through a resort base or a liveaboard.
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