Baa Atoll

Baa Atoll is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the northern Maldives, home to Hanifaru Bay, a sheltered embayment in which manta rays and whale sharks gather in large numbers during the southwest monsoon between June and November to feed on concentrated plankton blooms. The aggregations at Hanifaru are among the largest documented manta ray feeding events in the world and are accessible only by snorkelling, not scuba, to reduce disturbance. The atoll's islands and outer reef walls also support outstanding coral health.