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A sandbank from the air, ringed by pale shallows and dark reef, with a few figures standing on the sand.

On the water

Things to dofrom Ukulhas.

One morning on the water is already in your package. Everything else on this page is arranged when you want it, through operators we know and use ourselves.

Eighteen excursion operators and seven dive centres, for an island you can walk across.

That is not a coincidence. Ukulhas sits in North Ari Atoll, close to water that people travel a long way to get into.

Seen from above: a group of snorkellers in open water with a manta ray beneath them.

Included in every package

The 4-in-1 Ocean Combo.

Four stops in one morning: manta ray, nurse shark and turtle snorkelling areas, and time on a sandbank. Included once per package for two adults, with underwater photographs and video from the trip.

We know where to look. What the ocean brings that morning is up to the ocean, so we never promise a sighting.

How the morning goes

What else we arrange

Nothing here needs booking before you arrive.

Tell us during your stay what you feel like and we will sort it out. That is easier for you, and it means we can pick the day the conditions are right.

  • Snorkelling

    The house reef is a short swim from the beach and costs nothing. For the better sites you want a boat and someone who knows where the current runs.

  • Sandbank trips

    A bank of sand in open water, no shade, nobody else. Usually combined with snorkelling on the way out or back.

  • Manta ray and turtle trips

    As a dedicated trip rather than as part of the 4-in-1, when you want longer in the water.

  • Whale shark trips

    A longer day, travelling to the areas where whale sharks are known to pass. This is the one where expectations need managing most: it is a search, not a viewing, and some days find nothing.

  • Sunset fishing

    The traditional line-fishing trip, out in the late afternoon. Popular with people who did not think they wanted to go fishing.

  • Island hopping

    Nearby islands and local communities, which is a different experience from a sandbank and worth doing at least once on a longer stay.

  • Combination days

    Snorkelling, a sandbank, dolphin watching and an island visit rolled into one full day out.

  • Diving

    We do not run diving. Ukulhas has seven dive centres, several of them very well regarded, and we will point you at the one that suits what you want to do.

Wildlife, honestly

None of it is a guarantee, and we will not sell it as one.

Manta rays, whale sharks, dolphins and turtles are wild animals in open ocean. Everything above is a trip to the places they are known to gather, at the time they are most often there, with people who are on that water every day.

Some days are extraordinary. Some days you get a good boat ride and a sandbank. If a trip matters enormously to you, a longer stay gives more chances at it. That is the only honest lever there is.

See the nine-night package

Prices

The 4-in-1 is included in your package. Everything else is quoted when you ask, because prices depend on the operator, the boat, how many are going and how long you are out.

We do not publish a price list we would then have to caveat. Ask us and you get a real number for your dates.

Ask us what a trip would cost

What to bring, and what to wear

Sunscreen, a hat, something to cover your shoulders, and a towel. Most trips provide snorkelling equipment. Check when you book, and tell us in advance if anyone is not a confident swimmer.

Swimwear is fine on the boat and at the sandbank. On Ukulhas itself it belongs on the bikini beach, not elsewhere on the island.

The local norms, in the guide

Questions

Before you ask us to book something.

Do we need to book excursions before we arrive?
No, and it is usually better not to. Tell us when you are here and we will arrange it for a day with good conditions.
Is the 4-in-1 the only trip included?
Yes. One 4-in-1 Ocean Combo is included per package, not once per day. Anything else is arranged and quoted separately.
Can we dive?
Yes, through one of the island's dive centres. We will recommend one and make the introduction, but we do not run diving ourselves.
Are sightings guaranteed on any of these?
No. Not on ours, not on anyone else's.
How much does an excursion cost?
It depends on the trip, the boat and the group. Ask us for your dates and we will give you a real figure.
Can children join?
Depends on the trip. Tell us their ages and we will tell you honestly which ones work.

Ask us what is running.

Send us your dates and what you would like to get in the water with. We will tell you what is realistic for that time of year and what it costs.

Ask us what is running this week
Check dates