My wanderings in the Maldives took me to two local islands.

I travelled to Dhigurah twice; the first time was for the MWSRP whale shark volunteering project, and then again to visit a fellow volunteer-turned-friend who ended up working for that very same project. It says something: I rarely travel to the same place twice, let alone within months of each other!

Dhigurah was the place I learned how to relax into independent travel, and feel accepted into the society of others likewise exploring new things in the world. It was where I began to re-learn how to be in a sisterhood. 

I also went to Dhiffushi to spend some layover days. This was when I began taking time and courage to ask questions around travel and sustainability – as a regular traveller. 

Both times yielded memorable lifetime encounters with marine wildlife, incredible paradise atoll vistas, and the beginning of a new belief in myself as a traveller in the world. 

Here are the stories from the time I spent in the beautiful archipelago of the Maldives. Enjoy!

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Odyssey of Teja: Whale Shark survey volunteering in the Maldives | Teja on the Horizon travel blog

Published elsewhere:

The Salt Sirens