Whether you’re snorkelling at Hanifaru Bay, diving next to a cleaning station, or photographing a manta ray from a liveaboard, your holiday memories could help protect one of the world’s most iconic marine animals.

The Manta Trust and its flagship affiliate project, the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme (MMCP), are inviting divers, snorkellers, underwater photographers, resorts and liveaboards across the Maldives to become citizen scientists through MantaBase – a global platform that transforms everyday manta ray encounters into valuable scientific data.

For more than two decades, the MMCP has built one of the world’s most comprehensive manta ray photo-identification databases. With more than 100,000 photographed sightings and over 7,000 individually identified manta rays, the Maldives database has become one of the most important long-term marine wildlife datasets anywhere on Earth.

Now, that remarkable resource is available through MantaBase, allowing anyone visiting the Maldives to contribute directly to ongoing conservation research.

Every manta ray has a unique pattern of spots on its belly – much like a human fingerprint. By uploading a photograph of this pattern, MantaBase’s AI-powered identification system, IDtheManta, can recognise individual animals, revealing whether they have been seen before and adding another chapter to their life story.

Each submission helps researchers better understand where manta rays travel, how populations change over time, which habitats they rely upon, and how they respond to growing environmental pressures.

“Every photograph tells us something new,” says Dr Guy Stevens, CEO and Co-Founder of the Manta Trust. “The Maldives has become one of the most important places in the world for manta ray research because thousands of divers, guides, photographers and resorts have shared their sightings over many years. MantaBase allows anyone to become part of that conservation story.”

“MantaBase is more than a database – it’s a community of ocean enthusiasts whose sightings, memberships and support are helping safeguard manta and devil rays for generations to come.”

The MMCP has spent twenty years working alongside resorts, dive centres, liveaboards and local communities to study manta rays throughout the archipelago. Their long-term research has identified key aggregation sites, improved understanding of manta behaviour and migration, and helped inform the protection of some of the Maldives’ most important marine habitats.

MantaBase now makes it easier than ever for that collaboration to continue.

Divers and snorkellers can create a free MantaBase account to upload sightings, discover the identities of the manta rays they’ve encountered, and build a personal digital logbook of their wildlife experiences. For those wanting to dive deeper into the lives of the manta rays they meet, Premium Membership unlocks additional tools and insights while directly supporting the Manta Trust’s global research, technology and conservation work.

For dive centres, resorts and liveaboards, dedicated Operator Accounts provide an opportunity to showcase their conservation contributions while engaging guests in meaningful citizen science. Operators can track sightings linked to their organisation, celebrate their impact, receive official recognition through the MantaBase support programme, and demonstrate their commitment to protecting the species that make the Maldives one of the world’s premier manta ray destinations.

Every MantaBase membership helps fund the continued development of the platform and supports the Manta Trust’s work to research and protect manta and devil rays around the world. By becoming a Premium Member or joining as an Operator, users not only gain access to exclusive features, but also help power the science and conservation initiatives that make MantaBase possible.

The launch represents another milestone towards creating the world’s largest connected database for manta and devil rays, bringing together regional conservation projects from across the globe to support international research and protection.

Whether you’re visiting the Maldives for your very first manta encounter or have spent decades diving these waters, every sighting helps strengthen our understanding of these extraordinary animals. Whether you choose a free or Premium account, every photograph you submit helps build a better future for manta and devil rays.

Together, one photograph at a time, help secure a future for manta rays.

Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa invites padel aficionados and active travellers to trade the city court for an extraordinary island escape with The Maldives Padel Retreat, from 13 to 23 December 2026. Led by former World No. 1, Juani Mieres, the retreat invites guests to refine their game with a legend of the sport while embracing the pleasures of island life.

The 10-day retreat brings together expert coaching on a state-of-the-art padel court overlooking the turquoise lagoon, island discovery and a curated programme of wellness, recreation and exploration.

Widely regarded as one of the sport’s most respected figures, Juani Mieres reached World No. 1 and won multiple World Championship and World Padel Tour titles. Known as “The Gentleman of Padel” for his elegant playing style and precision, Juani will open up his playbook, giving guests an insider’s look at the techniques, tactics and secrets behind the game at its highest level. Daily small-group clinics, personalised coaching, match play and friendly competition give players the chance to refine their skills while embracing the social spirit that makes padel such a unique and engaging sport.

Designed for players seeking to elevate their game, padel enthusiasts eager to connect through a shared passion, and travellers drawn to an active escape with a sense of adventure, the retreat extends well beyond the court. The programme brings together wellness and relaxation, with sunset yoga rituals, guided stretching and recovery sessions creating a rhythm that moves naturally between energy and the serenity of island life.

“I am delighted to return to Le Méridien Maldives to host a Padel Retreat. Padel has grown at an incredible pace around the world over the past few years, bringing together a global community of players and enthusiasts. I experienced the resort in 2025, and its beautiful island offers a unique backdrop for the sport. I am excited to welcome players from around the world and share my passion for the game in such an inspiring destination,” said Juani Mieres.

Beyond the court, a different kind of adventure awaits. Guests can explore the vibrant housereef and encounter marine life in its natural habitat, glide across turquoise lagoons by kayak and paddleboard, or discover the art of hydroponic farming at one of the Maldives’ largest greenhouses. Five restaurants and bars offer a journey of flavours, from Japanese teppanyaki at Tabemasu to Mediterranean-inspired dining at Riviera, while La Vie, the adults-only bar, offers a relaxed atmosphere for sunset drinks and live music. Days unfold with endless summer moments at Au Soleil pool parties or a private beach picnic by the sea, while evenings invite guests to explore the Maldivian sky alongside the resident astronomer.

For younger guests and families travelling together, the Family Kids Hub offers a world of its own, with creative activities and experiences designed for curious little explorers. From culinary workshops and arts and crafts to marine conservation, children can follow their curiosity and make the most of island life while parents take to the court.

“At Le Méridien Maldives, we strive to create experiences that invite guests to engage, connect and discover. The Padel Retreat brings the spirit of the sport together with the pleasures of island life: a shared passion for padel, learning from an icon of the game and savouring the good life, from the court and the ocean to wellness, gastronomy and adventure,” said Thomas Schult, General Manager of Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa.

Located in the Lhaviyani Atoll on the natural island of Thilamaafushi, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa is a 360-degree chic, eco-conscious island escape surrounded by a pristine lagoon and the Indian Ocean. The resort’s collection of overwater and beach villas, alongside two-bedroom villas ideal for families and groups of friends, offers an idyllic hideaway to indulge in island life, explore the surrounding waters and immerse in the beauty of the Maldives.

The Maldives Padel Retreat with Juani Mieres will take place from 13 to 23 December 2026. The retreat package includes:

• 10-night stay in an Overwater Villa
• Return seaplane transfers
• Full Board dining
• Padel Retreat programme with Juani Mieres
• One 60-minute massage per guest
• Complimentary yoga sessions, guided stretching and recovery sessions
• Complimentary daily watersports, including kayaking, paddleboarding and snorkelling
• 24/7 access to Waves Fitness Centre
• A collection of complimentary wellness and recreational activities

For more information or to book, please visit lemeridien-maldives.com or contact reservations.maldives@lemeridien.com.

Nova Maldives has wrapped a three-day Women’s Dive Day (WDD) programme, running from 17 to 19 July, bringing together marine leaders, resort guests and local schoolgirls for a series of conversations, first dives and hands-on conservation work centred on women and the ocean.

A conversation on the water’s surface

The programme opened on 17 July with a fireside chat bringing together three women – Zoona Naseem, the Maldives’ first female PADI Course Director, Nova’s resident marine biologist Jenna Lehocki, and PADI AmbassaDiver, Maëlly Faure. The conversation moved beyond diving logistics to the culture of the sport itself, touching on the gender gap that still shapes the industry.

Breaking the mould: the existing gender gap comes down to a lack of visible role models, not interest, and normalising women at every level is what closes it, backed by PADI’s dive-learning community and annual WDD programmes building the networks women need to feel they belong, not just welcome.

From fear to fascination: the proliferation of diving content on social media have turned sharks and rays from something to dread into something to admire, and PADI’s Global Shark & Ray Census offer formalised ways for divers to help log sightings to track and protect species once misunderstood.

Marine careers don’t run in straight lines: science majors that became teachers, divers who became underwater photographers, instructors who now run dive centres of their own. The message to the next generation isn’t “pick a lane,” it’s that the lanes cross.

First breaths underwater

On the morning of 18 July, seven women took part in complimentary Discover Scuba Diving sessions, with five going on to complete their DSD experience in full. For many, it was a first introduction to breathing underwater, a small but significant step in an industry where women still make up a minority of certified divers.

Group first dives of this kind are one of the most effective on-ramps into the sport, giving participants a taste of the confidence and calm that experienced divers describe as transformative, without the commitment of a full certification course.

Inspiring the Next Generation

That afternoon, Nova also welcomed 15 pupils from Dhangethi School for a careers guidance workshop led by Zoona, who shared her own journey to becoming the Maldives’ first female PADI Course Director.

The workshop was followed by a coral planting session, where students and guests helped tie coral fragments onto metal frames before joining Nova’s dive team to take them out to the house reef for planting – offering the Dhangethi pupils a tangible link between the classroom conversation on careers in marine science and the practical, hands-on work of protecting the reef that surrounds their community.

Coral restoration of this kind has taken on real urgency in the Maldives: the archipelago has weathered major bleaching events in 1998, 2016 and again in 2024, when sea temperatures reached record highs and live coral cover fell sharply across several atolls.

Frame-based coral planting, of the kind Nova’s guests took part in, is one of the most widely used restoration methods across Maldivian resorts, giving damaged sections of reef a head start by anchoring young coral in place while it establishes itself.

This is only the start of Nova’s marine calendar this year, with the resort returning with AWARE Week with PADI in mid-September — a week-long programme spanning lagoon-based Dive Against Debris sessions, guided snorkelling for non-divers, and educational workshops. More details will be released in coming weeks.