Whale sharks may be the world’s biggest fish—18 to 32 feet long and averaging 20 tons—but they don’t seem to have trouble hiding out in the sea. The threatened creatures, which feast on plankton and swim with mouths wide open to slurp up any in their path, are elusive; they populate tropical waters and spend each spring migrating to Australia’s Ningaloo Reef. But there are ideal times and places to glimpse and even swim with whale sharks—starting now, in the Maldives, where the exclusive Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hosts the Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme through February. For about $200 (which is nothing if you’re staying at this stunner, where rooms start at about $1700 nightly), you can join experts with the charitable research organization for a snorkeling or diving excursion.
Comments