For Maldivians, dhevehin — being of the sea rather than simply living beside it — describes a relationship with the ocean, not a real estate arrangement, since a Maldivian without a reef to fish and a lagoon to cross by boat isn’t fully at home. Land here is almost an afterthought: the country’s roughly 1,190 coral islands add up to less ground than the city of Philadelphia, so the real conservation story lies underwater, where nearly 80 marine protected areas guard reef and mangrove ecosystems, with a national push underway to safeguard 20 percent of Maldivian waters. Frankenbridge partners with local dive masters and family-run island guesthouses for small-group journeys through the Maldives.