Whale shark encounter etiquette in South Ari Marine Park

The core rules in one minute

Go with a certified guide, keep your distance, keep your hands to yourself, and stay out of the shark's way. Everything else follows from those four.

These rules apply in the South Ari Marine Protected Area (SAMPA) in Alif Dhaalu Atoll, where whale sharks are seen all year. For what the trip is like, see realistic expectations in South Ari; for other wildlife, the snorkelling hub.

The do and don't table

The distances and bans below come from the national regulation revised in 2024 (Regulation 2024/R-96, as reported by TTG Asia and Hotel Insider Maldives). The reasons are what guides explain on the boat.

Rules for boats and guides

Only SAMPA-certified guides may take tourists to whale sharks in South Ari. That rule is the easiest one for you to check: ask before you pay who the certified guide on the trip will be.

The 2024 rules also cover boats. As reported by TTG Asia, a 250 m contact zone applies around each whale shark, with no more than three vessels inside it at once. Boats must keep to 5 knots in the zone and 2 knots within 50 m of the animal.

So if you see several boats waiting, that is the rule working, not poor organisation. A careful skipper slows early and waits for space.

How to behave on the day

Good etiquette starts on the boat, before anyone sees a shark.

1. Listen to the briefing and ask about anything unclear.
2. Have your mask and fins ready so you can enter calmly when the guide signals.
3. Enter where the guide tells you, usually to the side and ahead of the shark's path, at a distance.
4. Kick gently from the hips, keeping fins below the surface to reduce splash.
5. Let the shark go when it dives or turns away. Chasing is poor etiquette and tires you out.
6. Get back on board quickly so the boat can move on if the guide decides.

What if other people break the rules?

Do not confront other swimmers in the water. Move back to a respectful distance yourself, and let your guide handle it.

If a crew or operator ignores the rules, for example by encouraging guests to touch a shark or by crowding it with the boat, you can tell your resort or guesthouse afterwards. The official protected-areas site also lists a SAMPA hotline for questions about the area.

Choosing operators who follow the rules is the most useful thing a visitor can do. When guests ask about certified guides and distances before paying, careful operators are rewarded and careless ones lose business.

Teaching children the rules

Children often find the rules easier to follow when they understand them. Before the trip, explain three simple ideas in your own words.

• Give it space. Imagine a bubble around the shark, longer than a car, that nobody enters.
• Hands on your body. Hold your own arms or keep them by your sides.
• Side, not front. Swim beside the shark, like walking next to a friend, never in its way.

Practise in the pool at home or in the resort lagoon. A child who knows the rules will enjoy the encounter more and is less likely to panic if a shark turns towards the group.

What about drones and selfie sticks?

Under the 2024 rules as reported by TTG Asia, drones must fly at least 30 m above the sea and stay within the operator's line of sight. Ask your operator before you launch one.

Selfie sticks, flash and bright lights are restricted during interactions. A small camera held near your chest is enough.

Who this applies to, and when to choose differently

These rules apply to everyone in the water, from confident divers to first-time snorkellers. Families should make sure children can follow them; younger children may be happier watching from the boat.

If you would rather not be in the water at all, watching from the deck is a fine option and has the least impact. Our page on swimming with whale sharks versus watching from the boat compares the two, and the excursion safety checklist helps you pick the operator.