MANTA MANIA

BREATHE IN. BREATHE OUT. Breathe through your mouth. Don’t touch the coral reef. My mind whirred trying to remember all of the snorkelling instructions. Colourful schools of fish darted out of my way, making room for this newcomer flailing about in their water. This was my first encounter with the aquatic world. For a non-swimmer, Maldives had always meant a soak in luxurious villas and elaborate spa treatments. Its stunning coral reefs never appealed to me like they did to more adventurous visitors. I was hoping to be proven wrong this time.

One of 26 atolls in the Maldives and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Baa