Baa Atoll

Baa Atoll, Maldives — a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve famous for Hanifaru Bay, where huge aggregations of manta rays and whale sharks gather to feed in shallow, clear water.

The plankton bloom from June to November draws the mantas in numbers rarely seen elsewhere, with strictly regulated snorkeling permits to protect the bay. Resorts and liveaboards across the atoll offer diving on pristine reef systems beyond Hanifaru itself.