Maldives
The real, inhabited face of the Maldives, far from the resort islands, then a biosphere reserve populated by manta rays
Maldives
A journey beyond the overwater-bungalow cliché: Maafushi, an inhabited local island where family guesthouses and public beaches have opened the country to independent travellers since 2009, then Baa Atoll, a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve where dozens of manta rays gather certain months of the year at natural cleaning stations.
When
May to Oct
Price
From 3 400€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
6 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-2
The first chapter unfolds in Maafushi, one of the first inhabited Maldivian islands to open guesthouses to independent tourists after a 2009 relaxation of legislation ended the resort islands' monopoly. Local life, shaped by fishing and the five daily prayers, is discovered along lively lanes, while a public beach separated by a sand barrier allows swimming in swimwear in a majority-Muslim country.
Day 1
Life on a local Maldivian island
A stroll through Maafushi's lanes meeting residents, a visit to the fishing harbour as boats return at the end of the day, a dinner of freshly caught grilled fish.
Day 2
A boat excursion and a sandbank
A boat excursion to an isolated sandbank in the middle of the lagoon, snorkelling among stingrays, before a return to Maafushi in the late afternoon.
Days 1-2
A flight to Baa Atoll, the Maldives' only UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve, whose Hanifaru Bay concentrates, certain months of the year, one of the highest densities of manta rays in the world, drawn to feed on plankton carried by the monsoon currents. The site, strictly regulated to limit the number of simultaneous swimmers, remains one of the Indian Ocean's most spectacular snorkelling experiences.
Day 1
Settling into Baa Atoll
A flight then a boat to Baa Atoll, settling into a lagoon-side lodge, a briefing on the biosphere reserve's strict rules before the first outing at sea.
Day 2
Snorkelling with manta rays at Hanifaru
A boat outing to Hanifaru Bay, guided snorkelling among dozens of manta rays feeding on plankton, one of the densest gatherings of the species in the world.
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