Most people see the Maldives from a resort jetty. We stay on Dharavandhoo, a local island in Baa Atoll with a school, a mosque, a football pitch and a handful of family guesthouses. The atoll is a protected biosphere reserve, and Hanifaru Bay inside it is the reason to come.

When the tide and the plankton line up, manta rays feed in the bay in long chains, and you float above them with a mask and a snorkel. Tanks are not allowed. Between visits there are sandbanks that appear at low tide, a reef with turtles a short swim from the beach, and very little else to do. Local islands serve no alcohol, and dress is modest in the village. Nobody wears shoes.