Woman snorkelling in the Maldives is gobsmacked after making ‘rare’ sighting

A woman on a snorkelling trip in the Maldives felt incredibly ‘lucky’ after making a rare sighting in the clear blue waters. She said she was not over it and the reaction was understandable

A getaway to the Maldives can be truly extraordinary, but when you encounter a rare wildlife spotting, it genuinely becomes the highlight of an incredible break. The islands offer countless activities, from aquatic adventures to dolphin excursions and even indulgent spa retreats.

One fortunate woman was left stunned when her snorkelling expedition transformed into an utterly unforgettable moment. Snorkelling provides an excellent opportunity to appreciate marine wildlife and discover the underwater realm, and while it’s accessible for most age groups, you’ll require confident swimming abilities. The travel content creator, going by Tasha, was recently enjoying a snorkelling adventure in the Maldives when she encountered a hammerhead shark.

These creatures can be exceptionally difficult to spot and are occasionally only witnessed around much more distant islands.

Tasha was swimming just off Thulusdhoo when she made her remarkable discovery.

Above her footage, she declared: “Rich because I saw one of the most rare sightings in the Maldives with my own eyes.”

Her description stated: “Still not over that we saw a HAMMERHEAD SHARK on a snorkel trip off Thulusdhoo with @Say Yes! Adventures.

“These are super rare and only sometimes seen on much further islands! And I didn’t even see them in the Galapagos!”

Following her upload of the footage where she audibly gasped at the encounter, her video garnered 169,100 likes and hundreds of responses.

One viewer commented: “I lived there for 2 years and snorkelled every day and never saw a hammerhead! This is insanely lucky.”

Another individual exclaimed: “Craziest moment ever, will never get over this.”

A third added: “I would cry for days on, that’s so beautiful.”

Some other person commented: “Omg at Thulusdhoo, that’s sooo lucky!” And a fifth shared: “This would be the highlight of my year.”

Seeing a hammerhead shark can indeed be thrilling and they are generally not considered a threat to humans.

However, the large great hammerhead is an exception and could potentially pose a danger, although such encounters are uncommon.

The few recorded attacks are usually attributed to surprise or fear, and humans are not a natural prey for hammerheads, who primarily feed on stingrays, crustaceans and bony fish.

Average flight costs to the Maldives from the UK can vary significantly, but you can anticipate paying around £500-£700 for a return economy flight.

Prices can range from under £300 to over £1,800 depending on the season, airline and flexibility. The average flight duration is approximately 10 hours and 18 minutes to 12 hours and 44 minutes, though this can be extended with layovers.