Today, tourism is the most important source of income and quite a few of the world's most exclusive hotels are located here. In 2011, Baa Atoll was added to the Unesco Nature Reserve, primarily because Hanifaru Bay is the most important breeding ground for whale sharks and manta rays in the area. The center of Baa Atoll is Eydhafushi with 2,800 inhabitants, and its second largest city is Thulhaadhoo with 2,500 inhabitants.
The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve of Baa Atoll is famous for its incredible gatherings of manta rays and whale sharks at Hanifaru Bay. Snorkelers can witness barrel-rolling chains of mantas and gulping whale sharks, all feeding on the plankton that is concentrated in the narrow bay. However Baa Atoll is also home to plenty of other exceptional dive sites, with beautiful reefs and current-swept thilas packed with marine life. Away from the busier atolls to the south, Baa retains a sense of peaceful calm - perfect for a relaxing Maldivian holiday.
