The back story
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Atoll guide
Baa Atoll: the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011, of 75 islands, 13 of them inhabited, home to Hanifaru Bay’s mantas.
Atoll guide · the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Baa Atoll: Our Favourites
Baa Atoll in one page: Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, Soneva Fushi, Anantara Kihavah’s SEA and Four Seasons Voavah.
What's onThis week in the Maldives
Show 13 places on a map
What to see and do
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The Maldives’ most famous manta site
Hanifaru Bay
The bay inside the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve where manta rays gather in large numbers.
Hanifaru, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
Where to eat
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Dinner beside an underwater wine cellar
SEA Underwater Restaurant
An undersea dining room surrounded by the reef, with international fine dining, specialty caviar and what Anantara calls the world’s first underwater wine cellar.
Kihavah Villas, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Dinner among the treetops
Fresh in the Garden
Soneva Fushi’s international restaurant, raised among the trees above the resort’s organic garden.
Soneva Fushi, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Beirut’s Mayrig, over the lagoon
Al Barakat, Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
An overwater restaurant of Eastern Mediterranean flavours, created with Beiruti chef Aline Kamakian’s restaurant Mayrig.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Sushi with fish darting below
Feeling Koi, Amilla
Amilla’s Japanese restaurant, with tables on an overwater deck, sushi and sashimi.
Amilla Maldives, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
Where to stay
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Soneva’s flagship, in a UNESCO reserve
Soneva Fushi
Soneva’s flagship island inside the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with restaurants such as Out of the Blue and Fresh in the Garden.
Soneva Fushi, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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A 23-metre yacht with a glass-bottomed spa tub
Soneva in Aqua
Soneva’s 23-metre private yacht with two guest cabins, a Jacuzzi and a glass-bottomed spa tub, for day trips or voyages.
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An island to yourself, with its own yacht
Four Seasons Private Island Maldives at Voavah
A five-acre island in the Baa Atoll UNESCO reserve, rented whole for up to 22 guests, with its own 19-metre yacht, dive centre and spa.
Voavah, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Blu Beach and the mantas of Baa
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru
A Four Seasons resort in the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with a PADI Career Development Centre for divers and AyurMa wellness.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Most of the island is jungle
Amilla Maldives
A spacious Baa Atoll resort of villas and residences with private pools, where most of the island is untouched jungle.
Amilla Maldives, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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A small island in a UNESCO reserve
Milaidhoo Maldives
A small island resort of water and beach pool villas in the heart of the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Milaidhoo Island, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
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Its own business-class seaplane
The Nautilus
A private island resort in Baa Atoll with its own eight-seat business-class seaplane, about 30 minutes from the airport.
The Nautilus, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
Health
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Ayurveda over the water
Anantara Spa, Kihavah
Anantara Kihavah’s overwater spa, with Thai massage, Ayurvedic rituals and multi-day wellbeing journeys.
Kihavah Villas, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
Bars and nightlife
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Lemon sharks below the deck
Seabar, Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru
An ocean-bound deck at Landaa Giraavaru, with frozen margaritas, tapas-style plates and lemon sharks in the water below.
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Baa Atoll, Republic of MaldivesExplore View on map
Questions and answers
When do mantas gather at Hanifaru Bay?
During the south-west monsoon. UNESCO notes the rainy monsoon runs from May to November. Ask your resort dive centre for the current season.
Can I visit Hanifaru Bay on my own?
Visits are arranged through licensed operators and resort dive centres, who brief you on the reserve’s rules.
Share your Baa Atoll tips
Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.
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