Top 10 Sensational Facts about Maldives Glowing Beach (Vaadhoo)

Photo by Kevin Wolf on Unsplash

Top 10 Sensational Facts about Maldives Glowing Beach (Vaadhoo)

While the Maldives is famed for its gorgeous beaches during the day warm white sand, waves that ebb and flow rhythmically and blue lagoons, at night, certain beaches tend to glow! Vaadhoo Island is one such place where this takes place. The famous group of islands are known for being a heaven on Earth.

This tropical country is made up of 26 ring-shaped atolls and over 1,000 coral islands. With so much to offer, it’s no surprise that the Maldives is a popular holiday or honeymoon destination. Vaadhoo Island has a lot of surprises though, most of them revealed at night.

The mesmerizing shining water looks like a mirror, that reflects the sparkling stars above. Vaadhoo Island Maldives is a wonder of nature attracting travellers throughout the world to see this beautiful blue light on the shore.

Here are the top 10 sensational facts about the glowing beach.

1. Vaadhoo Beach is located on Mudhdhoo Island in the Maldives

Mudhdhoo Island photo by Abllo – Wikimedia commons

Mudhdhoo Island in the Maldives is home to Vaadhoo Beach. Although the official name of the island is Mudhdhoo, some people refer to it as Vaadhoo. This is a very small island with a population of roughly 500 people.

Despite its small size, it has managed to become one of the world’s most famous tourist sites. Of course, this is all related to the Sea of Stars phenomenon. For many years, no one knew this island existed, yet once its beauty was found, it quickly became one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Maldives.

2. It is 8 kilometres away from Male hence easily accessible

Male City Aerial, The Capital city of Maldives photo by Ibrahim Asad – Wikimedia commons

As a part of the Maldives, the Island is easy to reach. The Maldives has a capital city called Male, and the Island is 8 kilometres away from Male. As the capital city, Male has an international airport.

The best way for you to reach the Island is to fly to Male and then continue your journey with a speedboat. It takes 15 minutes from Male to the island.

3. The glowing beach is famous because of the bioluminescent phenomenon 

Bioluminescent dinoflagellates photo by Mike – Red Tide at midnight – Wikimedia commons

The beach is famous because of the bioluminescent phenomenon. It is thought that sea planktons are too responsible. They are responsible for the visible lights seen at night.

The sea appears to be teeming with germs and microbes with the natural capacity to emit a vivid blue glow. As a result, the sea has an astonishing and beautiful ethereal view.

Many people visiting the Maldives want to witness the glow-in-the-dark beach because of the phenomenon. The bioluminescence glow is created by living organisms.

Many mistakenly believe that planktons or phytoplankton create this glow, but that is not the case. The glow produced by phytoplankton only lasts for less than a second, which would not be enough to create the type of lighting seen on the beach.

The truth is, those lights are created by ostracod crustaceans, which can glow for several seconds, even minutes when placed in contact with water. There is a possibility that there is phytoplankton there as well, but those that are responsible for the majority of the glow are the crustaceans.

4. The Glowing beach is dubbed the “Sea of Stars”

The glow that comes when those lights are created by ostracod crustaceans, which can glow for several seconds, even minutes when placed in contact with water is not easily forgotten. People often describe it as if the stars came down upon the ocean, hence the name “Sea of Stars.”

5. The glowing beach attracts giant predators

At Vaadhoo Island, there are amazing corals and various forms of marine life to discover. It has become a great snorkelling destination because of this. Thankfully, phytoplankton is harmless to animals.

However, if predators eat the glowing dinoflagellates, it may cause them to attract more giant predators. When swallowed, the phytoplankton will still glow even when inside another creature, making them light up. 

6. Best time to visit the beach is from June to October

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Generally, June to October is the best time to see the glowing beach at the Island, though it is possible to witness this phenomenon outside these months too. Additionally, the darkness of a new moon night can help to intensify the glow. In the Maldives, witnessing such a spectacle will be truly unforgettable.

Visitors should preferably visit the place five days after the full moon from mid-May when the skies are dark during the warm summer months and the glowing effect becomes more pronounced.

Some visitors might also find the months between July to December more suitable for a visit since there is very little moonlight and the bioluminescent waves look even brighter creating a magical effect. This is also the time when the influx of tourists is much less so that visitors can enjoy the experience in solitude.

7. The Island water is safe for human swimming

Photo by Knut Robinson on Unsplash

Many visitors are usually pleased when they find out that swimming in this luminous rarity is completely safe for people. Any movement in the water, such as stamping your feet, throwing sand, or rolling off the waves, causes these ‘stars’ to glow.

8. It is a hotspot for watersports fanatics

There are other exciting recreational activities like scuba diving and snorkelling that take place on this beach, during which guests can interact closely with the rich and colourful marine life that thrives on this beach and in the water.

The beach is also ideal for picnics, events, romantic walks and dinners, water sports and other activities that make your trip to the beach exceptional and memorable.

9. The glowing beach plankton glows when they are agitated 

Scientists have only recently discovered that this type of plankton glows when they are agitated – ironic when you consider how relaxing the sight of the shimmering waves is at the night. Bioluminescence is used as a defence mechanism to draw predators towards the creature trying to eat the plankton.

The tiny flashes of light also disorientate and surprise the predator.

10. The glowing beach attracts many tourists throughout the year

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The beautiful “Sea of Stars” may be enjoyed yearly on this island, which is famous for its bioluminescent plankton (Redhan). Vaadhoo is one of the most beautiful inhabited islands in the Maldives, with clean roads and white sandy beaches, and the local tourism sector has thrived due to the glowing beach.