Last Glimpse

The idea of Atlantis, a lost culture,

has fascinated many for generations,

what wisdom was there and only there,

the places we go are at the tipping point,

their existence threatened in a very real way.

We'll explore areas fighting a ticking clock joined

by young and passionate locals who

won't back down from the challenges to their homeland.

Let's celebrate what's unique, what

we should cherish and protect before the whole thing could

be washed away.

Welcome to the Maldives, a group of 1,200 islands

and 300,000 residents in the Indian Ocean.

It's an Islamic republic where tourists flock

from all cultures for sun, relaxation, world class

diving and surf.

This turquoise blue ocean is the country's greatest friend,

but it could also be its greatest threat.

We're standing on what is the lowest lying

nation on the planet, which means one perfect wave

or rise in sea level of just three feet

makes this nation uninhabitable.

Meaning there's a high probability

that the Maldives can soon become modern Atlantis.

I'm Josh Burstein, and we're here to get a last glimpse.

To get to know a place like the Maldives,

it's good to have a man on the inside,

and I knew just the guy.

Meet Kevin.

He hails from Mali, the capital city,

where he seems to be friends with all his neighbors.

More on that later.

Kevin agreed to take me under his wing,

and on this trip, leaning on someone like him

makes all the difference.

I started to pick up local tricks of the trade.

What do you do with your hands?

We just...

Hug it?

Hug it.

All right.

But the legs should be like this.

One more, one more.

I got it.

I have no idea how to get down.

I was in good hands with Kevin, but before our journey

could go any further I needed to see the way

most foreigners experienced the Maldives.

The rest of the world knows this nation

as a haven, resort life with picturesque postcard views

true to form.

I had to check out what these tourists are getting

to know what they're missing.

It was a hard choice, but somebody had to do it.

When you plan your paradise honeymoon

you think of those huts that just levitate right

above the tranquil water.

This one came with a glass bottom tub.

Tourism is thriving as it may be a last shot for Western elite

to enjoy all these amenities.

Amenities like eating with the fish under the sea.

Not a bad view.

Cuisine says a lot about a culture.

And upstairs in the main kitchen,

Ishaaq is an award winning chef and considered something

of an ambassador to the Maldivian palate.

We sat down to swap recipes.

Maldivian cuisine is strong flavor dish,

which has all kinds of curry spices, cinnamon, cardamom,

coriander.

We're in the thick of it.

Maldivians tend to like spicy foods.

Everybody likes spicy food.

The chef gave me a quick crash course on Maldivian spices

and prepared a few of his favorite dishes

for me to sample.

I have Maldivian traditional Garudiya,

which is fish boiled with water, adding of raanbaa and curry

leaves.

I'm going to add cardamom with pods because then it

gets the flavor.

So this is nice coconut flavored Maldivian soup.

We call that Kiru Garudhiya.

Yeah, yummy.

They got a good thing going here.

I settled in and enjoyed a full bowl of Chef Ishaaq's

Kiru Garudhiya.

It was hard to tell what to enjoy

more, the food or that horizon.

In the evening hours, resorts go all out with beach parties

so guests can let loose.

The Maldives is a Muslim country,

which means no booze, no bacon, no porn,

but nightlife accommodations at resorts

make plenty of exceptions for travelers.

There are worse fates than this.

Each day I discovered a new form of luxury and pampering.

I had sat in pretty much every hanging comfy device known

to man, but it was getting old.

There's a moral hangover to just sitting still

and watching the tide come in.

I need something new, I needed a friend.

Fortunately I had Kevin, someone that knew his way around,

someone that I could trust.

The way I like to travel doesn't need

exclusivity or much itinerary.

I'd rather spend my days the way residents actually live.

This is something we have after every meal, all the Maldivians.

This is Areca nuts, this is betel leafs.

Can I make one for you?

Yeah.

So you're making me a leaf taco.

It's better to learn through hands on experience

even if there's some trial and error.

Good?

No.

How's the betel leaf taste?

True to form, does the intended effect.

It's like I get an easy feeling, high feel.

I think I know what you're talking about.

Like I just had four cigarettes at once or something.

You want some more?

No, we're good.

I think that was the right amount.

So some customs I wasn't the biggest fan of,

but what was most important is that the more time

I spent with Kevin the more traditions I would learn

and people I would meet.

Kevin kind of knows everyone, which was paramount for where

we were going next, one of the most densely populated cities

in the world, Malé.

Every place has its own unique speed

and you must adapt quickly to thrive.

Almost half of the population here packed the capital city

of Malé for access to trade and a sense of security from

the elements.

Everything in this metropolis is constantly changing.

There's reverence for the old, a sense of history,

but the attitude of Malé is in perpetual motion.

There's a bustling fish market where

daily catches with the freshest tuna

feed both the locals and the resorts, and traffic on water

rivals that on land.

In the heart of Malé, Kevin runs a women's boutique.

We swing by as I'm getting my bearings in the neighborhood.

He started the business basically from nothing,

one of the few successful entrepreneurs

in a country that is mainly motivated by the hospitality

industry.

After my studies I came back to Malé and it was difficult

for me to get a job so I thought I wouldn't work for somebody,

I'll start up my own business.

I got a loan and today I'm here just smiling, happy.

It's clear that Kevin's ability to make friends

anywhere and everywhere has been a good part

of the success of his business.

So we know you already as the mayor of Malé.

Could you just speak to being this friendly tour de force?

If someone, like, introduced me or if I meet somebody

I just keep the friendship, always.

I just go and say hello.

Always I do that.

So do most people in Malé just have their own little bachelor

pad, or how's that work out?

Bachelor?

No, no.

Most of the people live with their families.

I'm still living with my parents because I just

don't want to leave them.

They gave me the love and care and everything.

Maybe when I get married I might have to go,

but I just want to be with them.

Suddenly I felt like I had to call my mom.

My parents are really cool parents.

My mom was a runner.

She was a great athlete.

How far is it around Malé?

5k.

5k?

But you run marathons.

So how many laps do you got to...

It's 8 and 1/2.

Go for a run with me?

Not going to run the marathon with you, but I'll take a lap.

Just a 5k.

Let's do it.

There seem to be two worlds in the Maldives,

one for resort patrons and one for residents.

I could have easily spent my entire trip like most visitors

without seeing any local culture or meeting any new people.

Kevin provided me a genuine look at the Maldives.

But I was still a novice to this world

and had no idea how deep things were going to get

or the heroes I would meet.

The rest of my journey would start tomorrow

with a man named Funko.

The next day I synced up with Funko,

a photographer that takes high fashion stills and produces

street art around Malé.

He's a hard man to track down, kind