The phytoplankton’s blue glow is like a defence mechanism which wards off other marine organisms from eating them. Phytoplankton, the marine microorganisms in the water have a blue luminescence that occurs as they produce toxins that are harmful to fish, humans and other creatures, so though they look all pretty and magical, they’re actually not so friendly. Okay, so it’s a natural chemical reaction with a fancy name, bioluminescence, which takes place when the water is disturbed by oxygen. It’s a teeny, tiny island with just over 500 inhabitants, but its Sea of Stars phenomenon has firmly planted it on the global map. On Vaadhoo Island, one of the islands of Raa Atoll in the Maldives. It takes numerous special arrangements to be able to take photographs of the phenomenon.Īlso, even those who do not get to see the bioluminescence in the sea, can still thoroughly enjoy the spectacular view of the picturesque beach and the island itself.As if the islands of the Maldives weren’t already heaven on earth, come night time, Vaadhoo Island reveals another mystical surprise: Glowing blue waves, lapping the sandy shore, like something out of a fantasy land. Those who wish to capture photographs of this spectacular phenomenon must remember that a mobile phone camera, however, advanced cannot capture the image. The island is 8 km away from Male and it takes about only 15 minutes to reach the place. To reach the place, one should book ferries or speedboats available at Male, the capital of Maldives. Mudhdhoo island is a part of the Raa Atoll in the Maldives with a small population of under 500 persons. The best time to visit is from February to July as according to many visitors it was during this time that many of them had the fortune to view the blue glow under the darkness of the new moon. Though the phenomenon can occur anytime of the year, it is not a regular occurrence and one has to be very lucky to view one. The aquatic microbes are bioluminescent in nature and radiate a vibrant blue light under sea, leading to the famous glittering effect. The science behind the occurrence of such a phenomenon is the vast number of microorganisms called phytoplankton or plankton living in the sea.

If one walks along the beach, the footprints left in the sand are illuminated in the dark night, only to be washed away by the gentle surges of water from the sea. One can take a dip in the water and be taken aback as the twinkling dots are not just in the sea but also on the body.

The only difference is that, instead of the usual golden glow of dust that the fairies emits, the one ashore the beach is ladened with bright blue glowing neon dots. It feels as if the waves washing ashore are sprinkled with it and it would not be long when one could just grab a handful of it. Those who like fantasies may be reminded of magical pixie dust emitted famously by fairies in movies and picture books. The view is magical and leaves visitors mystified and bewildered with its otherworldly sight. When the sun goes down, the shoreline starts to get slowly illuminated with millions of little dots of lights, making it look like if there were thousands of stars glittering in the sea. To witness the phenomenon, one has to visit the beach at night, most preferably during a new moon. Welcome to the unique beach on Mudhdhoo island, also known as Vadhoo island, in Maldives. Those familiar with the phrase ‘sea of stars’ will be thrilled to find that it really does exist.

The sea of stars beach