The Alila resort provides convenient access to the well-known Hanifaru Bay UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Within this reserve, visitors may enjoy a guided snorkeling experience among feeding manta rays and whale sharks. The beauty that is Hanifaru Bay cannot be overstated. The South West monsoon generates a tremendous build-up of plankton in the bay from June until November, which attracts hundreds of manta rays and whale sharks during that time.