Bioluminescent plankton can appear any time of the year in The Maldives, but it is said that from June to December, there are greater volumes of plankton in the seas of The Maldives - making it the best time to visit The Maldives for high possibilities of seeing bioluminescence, when the phytoplankton glows brightly in the ocean after the sun has set and the skies get darker.

In the Maldivian waters, bioluminescence is caused by microscopic plankton called dinoflagellates. These dinoflagellates use a chemical called luciferin to emit a bright blue light as a defence mechanism against copepod grazers. The flashes of light produced by the dinoflagellates can disorient and confuse predators.

The electric glow of the Maldives Sea of Stars comes from a chemical reaction called bioluminescence. When dinoflagellates, a kind of microscopic plankton, are agitated by the movements of the water, they can release a chemical called luciferin. When luciferin mixes with oxygen, the phytoplankton emit a neon blue light.

This blue glow is created by millions of phytoplanktons (dinoflagellate) in the water. These contain luciferase, a chemical that glows in the dark when agitated, so when a wave breaks on the beach. The blue glowing beaches have been seen at Rangali Island and are particularly noticeable when the moon is not bright.

This natural phenomenon of bio-luminescence is caused by millions of tiny phytoplankton that light up when disturbed, creating an enchanting blue-green hue across the sea. The Sea of Stars is a rare and remarkable occurrence that has been captivating visitors to the Maldives for many years.